The Messenger of Hope

Last month, Dr. Joe Bound, Director of Education for the Diocese of Green Bay, had the opportunity to be present at the address of the Holy Father to educators at the Catholic University of America. Here are his observations:

April 17, 2008 is a day I’ll never forget. It is the day that I, along with educational leaders from each of the 195 dioceses and approximately 200 Catholic college presidents, had the opportunity to hear Pope Benedict XVI’s address on Catholic education at the Conference Hall at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.. Needless to say, I was honored to be there and quite excited to be in his presence.

Leading up to the meeting that day was a thorough security screening – very similar to the one you see at airports. Just prior to the Pope entering the Conference Hall, many Secret Service officers took their positions in the room. When the Pope finally arrived in the room, we all stood and applauded while trying to take pictures at the same time. I was seated only nine chairs from where he walked into the room but was unable to see him due to the fact that he is rather short in stature and with everyone standing up, it was difficult to see him. However, once up on the stage, there was no problem seeing or hearing him. He was immediately greeted by Fr. David O’Connell, the President of Catholic University of America. After an exchange of greetings and gifts, the Pope began his talk.

Benedict thanked all in attendance as well as all those involved in the ministry of Catholic education. He made reference to St. Elizabeth Seton and St. Katherine Drexel, pioneers in Catholic education in this country. Very early into his talk he stressed that education is integral to the mission of the Church in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ.

He emphasized the reality of objective truth. He pointed out that the secularist ideology is driving a wedge between truth and faith. Truth, said the Holy Father, leads to goodness. As Catholic educators we cannot allow this wedge to exist.
Recognizing the financial hardships facing many of our schools and religious education initiatives, he urged the entire Catholic community to contribute generously to the financial needs of our educational institutions to ensure their long-term sustainability.

He emphasized that Catholic identity is a matter of conviction. It is what we believe as Catholics. He cautioned, however, that Catholic identity doesn’t just relate to the orthodoxy of course content, but that it involves the living out of the faith through service to others. He called for each of us to give our assent to God’s testimony and acknowledge Him as the guarantor of the truth He reveals.
During his address, Benedict acknowledged all those involved in Catholic education with a special reference to those working in inner city schools. He asked all college, high school, and elementary school teachers and administrators to take on the responsibility of ensuring that students receive instruction in Catholic doctrine and practice. He reiterated that the whole Catholic community must be involved in Catholic education, and he urged religious orders not to abandon their commitment to Catholic schools. In fact, he asked them in a special way to promote vocations to the priesthood and the religious life.

In conclusion, he asked each of us in the room to bear witness to hope. It was a fitting end to his comments, particularly in context of the theme of his trip to America – Christ our Hope.

Having had some time to reflect on Pope Benedict’s message that day, I believe that it is extremely important for us in the Diocese of Green Bay to develop strong Catholic identity in all of our schools and religious education programs. We are called to provide doctrinal orthodoxy along with opportunities for students to live out their faith in various ways, but especially through service to others. His message was clear: Pope Benedict is calling us to develop a balanced approach to Catholic education. He is also reminding us that there is such a thing as objective truth and that faith and reason will lead us to truth and goodness.

The Holy Father also calls each of us to find solutions to the challenges we face in sustaining Catholic education for the long-run. It is critical for us to engage in planning and establishment of endowment programs so that Catholic education is affordable and accessible to all those who want it. Finally, we must never forget the tremendous contribution to Catholic education that religious brothers, sisters, and priests have given in this great country of ours.

Christ Our Hope!