Pope Francis met today, on January 4th, with the Catholic Union of Teachers, Managers, Educators, Trainers and Italian Association of Catholic Teachers for their 80th anniversary and Association of Catholic School Parents for their 50th anniversary at the Paul VI Audience Hall in Vatican. He reflected on the history of these associations and discussed future direction of Catholic education.
Holy Father said in his opening words that it is a good opportunity to remember your history and to look to the future and that this exercise, this movement between roots, memory and fruits is the key to commitment in education.
He said that in this time of liturgical season of Christmas is a time that shows us God’s pedagogy. And he explained that God’s educational method is that of proximity and closeness.
“God is close, compassionate and tender.”
He emphasized closeness, compassion and tenderness as top three qualities of God. He said that Lord is the one who first comes to live among man and than teaches through the language of life and love. He further explained that the fact that Jesus was born in a condition of poverty and simplicity is a call to us to a pedagogy that values the essential and places humility, gratuitousness and acceptance at the center.
“Christmas teaches us that greatness is not manifested in success or wealth, but in love and service to others.”
Holy Father further stated that the Christmas teaches us that greatness is not manifested in success or wealth, but in love and service to others and that God’s pedagogy is one of giving, a call to live in communion with Him and with others, as part of a plan of universal fraternity. In addition, he explained, this pedagogy is an invitation to recognize the dignity of every person, starting from those who are rejected and at the margins.
Holy Father further said that a good teacher is a man or a woman of hope, because they devote themselves with confidence and patience to a project of human growth. He said that their hope is not naive, but rather rooted in reality and sustained by the conviction that every educational effort has value and that every person has a dignity and every person has a vocation that deserve to be nurtured to avoid being exploited or at the margin of society.
“It pains me when I see children who are not educated and who go to work, many times exploited, or who go looking for food or things to sell among the rubbish. It is hard.”
He said that the educators in order so they don’t lose hope, should keep their eyes fixed on Jesus.
“Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring.”
The Holy Father further explained that we should never forget that hope does not disappoint.
“Optimism disappoints, but hope does not disappoint. A hope that exceeds every human desire, because it opens minds and hearts to life and eternal beauty.”
The Pope said that at school we can lay the foundations for a more just and fraternal world, with the contribution of all disciplines and the creativity of children and young people. He that explained that if at school we wage war among ourselves, bullying girls and boys who have problems, that we are preparing for war and not peace.
“Please, never bullying, do you understand this? No bullying! Let us all say it together! Come on! Never bully! Be bold and go ahead. Work on this.”
In his closing statement, Holy Father said that Hope never disappoints, he that blessed the present and ask them not to forget to pray for him.
