TEACHERS, ARTISANS OF PEACE

 

Pope to Scholas Occurentes: 

A nation at war is not morally sound

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Pope Francis visits the Scholas Occurrentes headquarters in Rome to bless new initiatives of the Pontifical Foundation.

 

By Francesca Merlo

 

Pope Francis on Thursday met young adults, faculty and guests to announce the launch of new Scholas Occurrentes chapters in Washington, USA; Valencia, Spain; Chaco, Argentina; and Sydney, Australia.

The Pope was greeted at the Scholas Occurrentes headquartes in Rome by songs and applause. Some of the young people participating in the educational project presented the Pope with gifts, including a t-shirt. Two young Italians, in particular, asked the Pope to choose between two gifts: a tree of life and a wooden lyre. The Pope chose the latter.

Scholas Occurrentes

According to its website, Scholas Occurrentes is an International Organisation of Pontifical Right, begun by Pope Francis, which seeks “to answer the call to create a culture of encounter and bring young people together in an education that generates meaning." It is present through its network in 190 countries and reaches more than 1 million children.

The Pope greeted a line of young people who, according to the President of Scholas, "worked hard during the pandemic." 

"What does it mean to work hard?" the Holy Father asked. "We couldn't go out physically but we went out with our minds," said one boy. And the Pope responded, "That's the key! To go out... because if you remain in yourself you become corrupted. Like water that when it runs is pure, and when it stops becomes stagnant."

The Pope was then greeted by Argentine first lady, Fabiola Yáñez, who is engaged in the work of Scholas, and by Italian ministers Roberto Speranza (Health) and Patrizio Bianchi (Education). 

Politics is defeated where there is war

Responding to the question "how can young people change politics?", asked by a young boy, Pope Francis said that there is one test to see if politics fulfills its mission as "the highest and greatest form of charity" and to verify "the honorability of a nation", and that is war.

"When they talk to me about how politics is in the world, I say: look where there are wars; there is the defeat of politics. A form of politics that is not able to dialogue to avoid a war is defeated; it's over." 

The honorability of a nation

"The test on politics is war; the test on the honorability of a nation for me is: 'Do you make weapons? Do you promote wars? Do you earn your wealth because you sell weapons so others can kill themselves?' It is there that we can see if a nation is morally sound," said the Pope. "Even to me," he added, "I say sincerely, it hurts my heart when I see priests blessing weapons. Instruments of death are not blessed."

"Love is political, that is, social for everyone. And when this universality of love is missing, politics fails, and becomes sick or bad."

Finally, the Pope called for dialogue because "different opinions" are "the key in politics", which must always aspire to "unity and harmony."

Digging a well: a symbol of rebirth

All those present at the meeting then symbolically dug a well in a vase of earth, placed in the classroom.

This act was meant as a symbol of rebirth, of restarting and also of "risk". This is so, said Pope Francis before imparting his blessing, even taking risks is important: "Scholas cannot be understood without this attitude of risk."

 

 Vatican News

 

Espanol:

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-05/pope-francis-scholas-occurentes-meeting.html

 

Deutsche

https://www.vaticannews.va/de/papst/news/2021-05/papst-franziskus-scholas-occurentes-begegnung.html

 

Français:

https://www.vaticannews.va/fr/pape/news/2021-05/pape-rencontre-scholas-occurrentes.html

 

 

PELOTA DE TRAPO - RAG BALL - PALLONE DI STRACCI _Concorso per i ragazzi e i giovani

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PELOTA DE TRAPO






Video: blob:https://www.youtube.com/e4a301a8-609a-425c-9423-7979c7db8b32 

 “Pelota de Trapo” [Rag Ball] Contest

Following the call of Pope Francis to promote an education going back to the origin of life, opening us to the unknown and teaching us from astonishment, Scholas runs the “Pelota de
Trapo” [Rag Ball] Contest, an invitation to children and young people from all backgrounds to tell us a creation story.

In its first year, the means chosen will be photography, and we hope that other modalities and artistic expressions will be adopted in each new contest.

I want to participate!

Rag Ball: The Origin

The term “Pelota de Trapo” [Rag Ball] was used in 2019 at an educational meeting in Mozambique between young people from Scholas and Pope Francis. There was a party: poetry, dancing, singing and gifts. “But there was one thing that really touched my heart”, the Pope shared. It was a small rag ball given by a young boy from Chicomo as a present: since they don’t have a football, the children of that area play with a rag ball. “When I was young, I played with a rag ball,” Francisco remembered, thus sharing the story of his own origin, andentrusting Scholas with the mission to hold a contest driving the search of each one’s own origin in order to re-create it and spread it among all nations.

HOW TO TAKE PART?

Children and young people of any nationality between the ages of 12 and 25 can participate, whether individually or in teams of up to 5 members. They are invited to create a photographic essay consisting of five (5) photographs telling, as a whole, a creation story.

To participate, you must register yourself or your team HERE. 

You have time to upload your photographic essay until March 31. Remember that, in order to compete, your photos must meet the requirements established in the TERMS AND CONDITIONS of the contest.

All materials received will be analyzed by a jury composed of photography experts, artists, educators, teachers and young people, who will choose the winning productions.

All photographic essays in competition will be displayed in a travelling exhibition, which will begin in the Vatican City and will tour around several countries, taking your story to thousands of young people around the world.

CREATED BY YOUNG PEOPLE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

DATES

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Registration form

https://www.scholasoccurrentes.org/en/concurso-pelota-de-trapo/

SCHOLAS OCCURRENTES - OLTRE L'EDUCAZIONE FORMALE - DAR VALOR A LA EDUCACIÓN INFORMAL Y AL "SERVICE LEARING"

CONCLUSO IL QUARTO CONGRESSO INTERNAZIONALE

DAR VALOR A LA EDUCACIÓN INFORMAL Y AL "SERVICE LEARING"

En Castel Gandolfo más de trescientos participantes de escuelas y universidades de más de cien naciones.Cristianos, judíos y musulmanes; rectores universitarios, docentes, pero también estudiantes, para intercambiar ideas, intercambiar experiencias, crear redes, planificar el futuro, para una universidad y una escuela al servicio de la persona, de cada persona.

UMEC-WUCT participó en el Congreso y presentó los objetivos de la Unión.

SCHOLAS OCCURRENTS

GIVE VALUE TO INFORMAL EDUCATION AND "SERVICE LEARING"

CONCLUSION OF THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS

In Castel Gandolfo more than three hundred participants of schools and universities of more than one hundred nations. Christians, Jews and Muslims; university rectors, teachers, but also students, to exchange ideas, exchange experiences, create networks, plan for the future, for a university and a school at the service of the person, of each person.

UMEC-WUCT participated in the Congress and presented the objectives of the Union

IL QUARTO CONGRESSO MONDIALE DI SCHOLAS 

A Castel Gandolfo oltre trecento partecipanti provenienti da scuole e università di oltre cento nazioni. Cristiani, ebrei e musulmani; rettori universitari,  docenti, ma anche studenti, per confrontarsi, scambiare esperienze, creare reti, progettare il futuro, per un'università e una scuola al servizio della persona, di ogni persona. Anche l'UMEC-WUCT ha partecipato, illustrando le finalità dell'Unione.

 ENGLISH     ESPANOL

 È una “vocazione specifica per l’educazione informale” quella portata avanti dalla Scholas Occurrentes, il progetto educativo che Papa Francesco appoggiava quando era Cardinale e arcivescovo di Buenos Aires e che ora si è trasformata in fondazione di diritto pontificio. E a definire la loro vocazione è stato l’arcivescovo Vincenzo Zani, segretario della Congregazione per l’Educazione Cattolica.

L’occasione è la presentazione del IV Congresso Internazionale delle Cattedre Scholas, dal 27 al 29 giugno a Castel Gandolfo. Il tema del Congresso è “Università e scuola. Verso un rilancio dell’università in uscita”.

“Siamo contenti di far notare – ha detto l’arcivescovo Zani - che la Congregazione dell’Educazione Cattolica ha accompagnato in la Fondazione di Scholas Occurrentes, questa esperienza che è nata a Buenos Aires dall’allora cardinale Jorge Mario Bergoglio”.

Ha proseguito l’arcivescovo: “Da cinque anni abbiamo colto l’originalità di questa esperienza, perché sottolinea soprattutto l’educazione informale, che si può sviluppare fuori dalle aule scolastiche, fuori dalle aule universitarie. Noi, che come Congregazione abbiamo seguito le scuole cattoliche di tutto il mondo, eravamo attenti al tema della educazione informale, ma da quando abbiamo conosciuto Scholas Occurrentes abbiamo visto che qui c’è una vocazione specifica. Si va oltre i mezzi classici, l’aula si apre, gli strumenti sono più belli e interessanti”.

Il Congresso, promosso dalla Pontificia Fondazione Scholas Occurrentes, nata a Buenos Aires per mano dell’allora arcivescovo Jorge Mario Bergoglio, si propone di utilizzare lo strumento dell’educazione al fine di promuovere cambiamenti sociali. Durante la tre giorni, docenti di 75 Università provenienti da 30 Paesi di tutto il mondo si confronteranno su innovazione educativa, sviluppo integrale sostenibile, dialogo interculturale e interreligioso.

Le cattedre Scholas approfondiscono un tema particolare ogni anno, e quest’anno il tema è quello dei rifugiati.

“Il primo congresso – ha raccontato Italo Fiorin – aveva come tema ‘Università e scuola: un muro o un ponte?’. L’università non è una cittadella dove si rinchiude un sapere. L’università è invitata ad essere risorsa, la cattedra è quella del magistero di Papa Francesco”.

http://web.scholasoccurrentes.org/it/

CONGRESO MUNDIAL SCHOLAS OCCURENTES - WORLD CONGRES SCHOLAS OCCURENTES

CHANGE EDUCATION building together an integrated and peaceful world, making the culture of the meeting an educational experience

CAMBIAR LA EDUCACIÓN construyendo juntos un mundo integrado y en paz, haciendo de la cultura del encuentro una experiencia educativa.

CHANGER L’EDUCATION  pour bâtir un monde intégré et pacifique, en faisant la culture du rencontre une expérience éducative.

Scholas es una Organización Internacional de Derecho Pontificio aprobada y erigida por el Papa Francisco desde la Ciudad del Vaticano el 13 de agosto de 2013.

Vincula la tecnología con el arte y el deporte para fomentar la integración social y la cultura del encuentro por la paz. Está presente en 190 países a través de su red que integra a más de 430.000 escuelas y redes educativas en los 5 continentes. Con sedes en la Ciudad del Vaticano, Argentina, España, Paraguay y Mozambique. Su misión es lograr la integración de las comunidades, con foco en aquellas de menores recursos, a través del compromiso de todos los actores sociales, integrando escuelas y redes educativas de todo el mundo a partir de propuestas tecnológicas, deportivas y artísticas. Trabaja con todo tipo de escuelas, tanto públicas como privadas y de todas las confesiones religiosas.

La interacción entre el arte, el deporte y la tecnología es la propuesta de Scholas para hacer posible desde la educación la cultura del encuentro. Las principales figuras y organizaciones del mundo entero ya han respondido al llamado del Papa Francisco a través de Scholas de trabajar por un mundo integrado y en paz.

Scholas is an International Organization of Pontifical Right approved and raised by Pope Francis at the Vatican City on August 13th, 2013.

It connects technology with arts and sports in order to promote social integration and the culture of encounter for peace. It is present in 190 countries through its web made up of over 430.000 schools and educational networks in 5 continents. With headquarters in the Vatican City, Argentine, Spain, Paraguay and Mozambique. Its mission is to achieve the integration of communities, with special focus on the poorer ones, by committing all social actors and incorporating schools and educational networks worldwide to technological, sports and artistic proposals. It works with all kinds of schools, both public and private, and of all religious affiliations.

The interaction between arts, sports and technology is Scholas’ proposal to make possible the culture of encounter. Leading figures and organizations worldwide have already responded to Pope Francis’ call through Scholas to work for an integrated and peaceful world.

Scholas è un’Organizzazione Internazionale di Diritto Pontificio approvata e creata da Papa Francesco nella Città del Vaticano il 13 agosto 2013.

Associa la tecnologia con l'arte e lo sport per promuovere l'integrazione sociale e la cultura dell’incontro per la pace. È presente in 190 paesi attraverso la sua rete che comprende più di 430.000 scuole e reti educative in 5 continenti. Con sede a Città del Vaticano, Argentina, Spagna , Paraguay e Mozambico.La sua missione è quella di realizzare l'integrazione delle comunità, con particolare attenzione a quelle con meno risorse, attraverso l'impegno di tutte le parti sociali interessate, integrando le scuole e le reti educative in tutto il mondo attraverso proposte tecnologiche, sportive e artistiche. Lavora con tutti i tipi di scuole, sia pubbliche che private e di tutte le confessioni religiose.

L'interazione tra l’arte, lo sport e la tecnologia è la proposta di Scholas per realizzare, partendo dall’educazione, la cultura dell’incontro. Le principali figure e organizzazioni di tutto il mondo hanno risposto all’appello del Papa Francesco tramite Scholas per lavorare per un mondo integrato e pacifico.

CONGRESO SCHOLAS OCCURENTES