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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “At a time in which relativistic and nihilistic concepts of life exercise a powerful enticement, a time in which the very legitimacy of education is placed in doubt, the principal contribution we can make is that of bearing witness to our trust in life and in man, in his reason and in his capacity to love. This is not the fruit of a naïve optimism, but comes from a 'trustworthy hope' (Spe salvi, 1), that is given to us by faith in the redemptive work of Christ.” These were the words of the Holy Father Benedict XVI on May 28, as he met in the Vatican's Synod Hall with members of the General Assembly of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI).
He said: “Your assembly visibly expresses and promotes this communion in which the Church lives, and which is carried out in harmony with the initiatives and pastoral activity. With my presence, I with to confirm this ecclesial communion that I have seen grow and strengthen over time.” Benedict XVI thanked the Italian Bishops for their testimonies of “fraternal adhesion” and “cordial communion with the Magisterium and pastoral service of the Successor of Peter, thus reaffirming the singular unity that unites the Church in Italy with the Apostolic See,” proofs of which he has seen in recent months.
The central theme of the General Assembly of the CEI was the fundamental task of education.
“As I have affirmed several times, this is a constitutive and permanent demand of the life of the Church, which today has become urgent, indeed – an emergency.” In the school of the Divine Master, we need to “rediscover the task of education as among the highest calling of every member of the faithful, to which they are called in different manners.”
After recalling the upcoming conclusion of the “Agorà dei giovani italiani,” dedicated to pastoral animation of the youth in missionary awareness, the Holy Father encouraged them to “analyze the current educational path and take on new projects for those who have not been reached, for the new generations, which is extremely wide-ranging and important for the educational responsibilities of our Church communities and society as a whole.” The educational work, however, also includes adults, “who are not excluded from a real responsibility in permanent education.”
However, “an appropriate curriculum that identifies the aim of education in the light of the model to be followed” is not enough; “there is a need for authoritative educators to whom new generations can look with trust,” the Holy Father said. Recalling the invitation of the Apostle Paul in this Pauline Year “be my imitators” (1 Cor 11:1), Benedict XVI affirmed that “A true educator places himself in the front line and knows how to unite authority and exemplariness in the task of educating those entrusted to his care...Thus, it is of particular joy that we are about to celebrate, after this year dedicated to the Apostle of the Gentiles, a Year of the Priest. We are called, along with our pastors, to rediscover the grace and task of the priesthood. This ministry is a service to the Church of the Christian people that demands profound spirituality. In response to the divine vocation, such spirituality should be nourished by prayer and an intense personal union with the Lord, in order to serve Him in our brothers through preaching, the sacraments, an ordered life of community, and service to the poor. In this sense, the importance of the educational commitment stands out from the entire ministry of the priesthood, so that people may grow freely and responsibly as mature and conscientious Christians.”
Benedict XVI later mentioned the “sense of solidarity that is deeply rooted in the heart of the Italian people and is especially expressed in their response to the dramatic circumstances of life in the country, the last of which was the devastating earthquake that affected several parts of the Abruzzo area.” Thus, in the present economic crisis, the Pope expressed his appreciation and encouragement for the solidarity fund “Loans of Hope,” “which is just another among the many initiatives taking place in many dioceses, which echo the collection of the Apostle Paul for the Church in Jerusalem and is an eloquent testimony of the generosity of countries with one another.”
Finally, the Holy Father, recalled the intellectual charity in which the Church in Italy is working very hard: “One significant example is the commitment to promote a widespread mentality in support of life in its every aspect and moment, with particular concern for lives marked by conditions of fragility and precariousness.” Before concluding his address, the Pontiff returned to the urgent task of education, recalling that it “must be rooted in the Word of God and requires spiritual discernment, cultural and social programmes, and gratuitous and united witness,” and entrusted all the “path of the Church in Italy and every person who lives in this beloved country” to the Holy Spirit, the Counselor.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 29/5/2009)
