CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY AND ARTS

 

Catholic universities offer art 

as a way

 of addressing today’s problems

An international initiative, Catholic Universities Art Triennial, brings together universities from around the world dedicated to exploring how art plays a role in addressing the most relevant issues in the world today.

Vatican News

Over the next several months, countries around the world will host artwork in the forms of exhibitions, commissions, publications, and public programs. This international initiative, titled the Catholic Universities Art Triennial, is promoted by the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See an brings together artists, Catohlic universities, curators, and cultural institutions.

It began as a project dedicated to artistic creation, academic research and dialogue, as the Dicastery’s press release states. The Triennial is dedicated to exploring how art plays a role in addressing the most relevant issues in the world today.

The Triennial will be held throughout 2026-2027 and conclude in Venice.

An inaugural exhibition

The inaugural edition, entitled “Exercises in Empathy”, is set to be held in various cities around the world: Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Bogotá, Boston, Milan, Lisbon and Luanda. Bringing together various universities and partners, it will reflect on the role of higher education, human relationships, and the concept of empathy.

Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica humanitas points out that artificial intelligences “may … simulate empathy and understanding, but they do not understand what they produce, for they lack the affective, relational and spiritual perspective through which human beings grow in wisdom” (MH, no. 99).

The Triennial is focused on providing opportunities to dive deeper into the public debate regarding safeguarding what is fundamentally human.

Centers of creativity

The Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, recalled how, in what is now the Magna Carta of Catholic Universities, Pope John Paul II described universities as “as centres of creativity and radiating influence, he was setting out a programme that every generation is called to implement with renewed energy” (Ex corde Ecclesiae).

“If there were one word capable of expressing the identity of Catholic universities and their integral vision of education, that word would be empathy. Empathy lies at the origin of this university project.”

Universities are an educational community and strengthen the human ability to create—new ideas, organize what was previously divided, and imagine new versions of the world. They should be seen as invitations to join in an act of “co-creation” instead of as simply a technical exercise in repetition.

Again, in Magnifica humanitas, Pope Leo urges universities to address the complexities of today's world with creativity and to dedicate themselves to "mak[ing] the life of our societies more just and fraternal" (MH, no. 47).

“A family that educates for empathy forms people who are able to face difference without fear. A university that cultivates empathy prepares professionals who do not reduce others to data or functions. A workplace shaped by empathy becomes a place of mutual recognition, not merely of productivity.”

The Catholic Universities Art Triennial is working to respond positively to this papal call.

Universities and schedules

Seven universities are partaking in the first edition of the Triennial: Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Chile), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia), Boston College (United States), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan (Italy), Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon (Portugal), and Universidade Católica de Angola, Luanda (Angola).

The universities will have differen beginning and closing dates for their exhibitions:

• ·      27 AUGUST Brazil | Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, until 15 NOVEMBER 2026
• ·      3 SEPTEMBER Chile | Santiago - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, until 22 NOVEMBER 2026
• ·      9 SEPTEMBER Colombia | Bogotá - Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, until NOVEMBER 2026
• ·      23 SEPTEMBER United States | Boston College, until DECEMBER 2026
• ·      6 OCTOBER Italy | Milan - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, until DECEMBER 2026
• ·      12 OCTOBER Portugal | Lisbon - Universidade Católica Portuguesa, until 15 DECEMBER 2026
• ·      29 OCTOBER Angola| Luanda - Universidade Católica de Angola, until 20 DECEMBER 2026

“The concept of empathy offers the First Contemporary Art Triennial of Catholic Universities a fruitful opportunity to bring aesthetics and ethics into dialogue while also inviting every field of knowledge into interdisciplinary conversation. It draws us closer to one another through the demanding, patient, yet deeply rewarding practice of mutual recognition.”

Vatican News

Image

 ARTS UNIVERSITE' CATHOLIQUE

ARTES DE LA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICAS

ETHICS, EDUCATION and LEADERSHIP

 

Keys 

to Good Governance,

 Hope and Joy

 

-       +Vincent Dollmann*

-        

Among the gospels, that of Saint Matthew pays particular attention to the organization and life of Christian communities and highlights the teaching of Jesus for those who exercise ecclesial responsibilities. The translations notably give chapter 18 the title of “ecclesiastical discourse” whose teaching can relate to social life and leadership. Jesus speaks of “brother” to designate Christians but the universal perspective of his speech makes it possible to extend the attribution of every man. The term "brother" has both theological and ethical meaning. In use on theological level, the term is linked to the central revelation of Jesus, that of a Father God. Christ looks at persons in their connection to God who willed them and who loves them in a unique and personal way.

At the ethical level, "brother" underlines the requirement of a relational quality based on the revelation of a Father God. Jesus concludes the parable of the lost sheep thus: “In the same way, it is not desired by my Father who is in heaven that even one of these little ones should be lost" (Mt. 18:14).

This recognition of the other as a brother leads us to exercise responsibilities in a dynamic of service. A servant is first characterized by the link to a master. For us, it is about God who does not seek to keep us in servile submission, but who wants to share with us his life of love and gift. Thus, one of the hymns of the breviary in French proclaims: "Serving God, makes man free like this" (Office of Readings, Thursday of Week11)

Jesus introduces his speech with the example of the child where humility he invites to imitate. He speaks of "humbling oneself" (Mt. 18:14); the expression designates an attitude of total trust and abandonment in God, like himself, lived it in his abasement until the cross to save us (Cf Phil 2,8). Jesus thus demonstrated that God did not exercise his authority by crushing or imposing Himself, but by elevating. This is the meaning of the Feast of the Glorious Cross celebrated on September 14. For us, to live according to the humility of Jesus is to let God and our neighbor reveal themselves to me; it is letting God be our creator and our savior and It is letting our neighbor, big or small, rich or poor, be our traveling companion.

In this teaching in chapter 18, Jesus will thus indicate two criteria for the exercise of responsibility: attention to the little ones and respect for each person.

Attention to the little ones is underlined by the warning of the scandal of which they can be victims (Mt. 18,4.14). The little ones whom Jesus speaks of are in fact the disciples exposed to the danger of false prophets. The scandal then constructs/manipulates the teachings and attitudes of those who are attentive to their faith.

We can understand in this teaching call to refuse elitism and pay attention to all forms of intellectual development, speculative ang practical.  A leader of the Church, like all other human institution, must ensure total integration. This requirement covers concern for the small abandoned or marginalized persons, It is the universal guarantor because he who is attends to the lowly and the poor knows how to be attentive to every man.

Attention to the little ones broadens in the Gospel to unconditional respect for the human person. Jesus makes this the measures of the institutional functioning of the Church like any human community. By relying on the parable of the merciless servant which constitutes the conclusion of the discourse (Mt. 18: 21-35), we can develop a real pedagogy of leadership. It's about learning to always start by seeing the positive in others, then authenticating it and valuing it as a gift from God. It is about learning to always start by seeing the positive in others, then authenticating it and valuing it as a gift from God. And the final step consists of welcoming the gift perceived in the neighbor, as a gift which is also for me, which can enrich me and enrich the whole group.

By relying on the teaching of Jesus, we are always led to verify the foundation of our thinking and our action. Jesus not only gives us the keys to give meaning to our life; He is the key that guarantees us the fruitfulness of life in the service of God and our neighbor. May He support us in reflection and initiatives concerning education and leadership.

*Archbishop of Cambrai – Umec-Wuct Ecclesiastical Assistant

VIRTUS IUSTITIAE

“Righteous men attract grace and blessing”

«Les hommes justes attirent la grâce et la bénédiction»

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Poursuivant sa catéchèse sur les vertus, le Pape François est revenu sur la vertu cardinale de la justice, qui, a t-il expliqué, ne concerne pas seulement «les salles d'audience» des tribunaux, mais aussi l'éthique qui caractérise notre vie quotidienne. Les justes sont «des rêveurs qui gardent dans leur cœur le désir d'une fraternité universelle» a aussi souligné le Saint-Père.

- Olivier Bonnel - Cité du Vatican

 Après la lecture d'un extrait du Livre des Proverbes:  "Accomplir la justice et le droit plaît au Seigneur plus que le sacrifice. […] Qui poursuit justice et fidélité trouvera la vie et la gloire !" (Pr 21,3.7.21), le Pape François a poursuivi ce mercredi 3 avril son cycle de catéchèses sur les vertus, s'arrêtant sur la seconde vertu cardinale, celle de la justice, «la vertu sociale par excellence» a t-il expliqué. «Son but est que, dans une société, chacun soit traité selon sa dignité» a rappelé François en évoquant le symbole de la balance. «Les anciens maîtres enseignaient déjà que cela nécessite également d'autres attitudes vertueuses, telles que la bienveillance, le respect, la gratitude, l'affabilité, l'honnêteté: des vertus qui contribuent à une bonne coexistence entre les personnes».

 Une éthique de la vie quotidienne

«Nous comprenons tous que la justice est fondamentale pour la coexistence pacifique dans la société: un monde sans lois qui respectent les droits serait un monde dans lequel il est impossible de vivre, il ressemblerait à une jungle. Sans justice, il n'y a pas de paix», a poursuivi le Souverain pontife devant 25 000 fidèles rassemblés place Saint-Pierre. Pour François, «la justice est une vertu qui agit aussi bien dans le grand que dans le petit, elle ne concerne pas seulement les salles d'audience des tribunaux, mais aussi l'éthique qui caractérise notre vie quotidienne». La vertu de justice, a encore souligné l’évêque de Rome, «réalise le précepte de l'Évangile, selon lequel le discours chrétien doit être: “oui”, si c’est “oui”, “non”, si c’est “non”. Ce qui est en plus vient du Mauvais." (Mt 5,37)».

 La tradition décrit d'innombrables hommes incarnant la justice a encore rappelé le Saint-Père, s'arrêtant sur quelques caractéristiques: l'homme juste est celui qui vénère les lois et les respecte, il ne se préoccupe pas seulement de son propre bien-être individuel, mais il veut le bien de toute la société. «La vertu de justice fait comprendre -et met l'exigence dans le cœur- qu'il ne peut y avoir de vrai bien pour moi s'il n'y a pas aussi le bien de tous».

 Prévenir le "cancer de la corruption"

Dans certaines situations, l'homme juste «va jusqu'à sacrifier son bien personnel pour le mettre à disposition de la communauté. Il souhaite une société ordonnée, où ce sont les personnes qui donnent du lustre à la fonction», et non l'inverse, a aussi expliqué le Pape, revenant sur son attachement à la responsabilité et à la promotion de la légalité. Par conséquent, a appuyé François, «il est très important d'éduquer les gens, surtout les jeunes, à la culture de la légalité!». C'est, pour le Pape, «le moyen de prévenir le cancer de la corruption et d'éradiquer la criminalité, en lui ôtant l’herbe sous ses pieds».

 Nul ne sait si, dans notre monde, « les hommes justes sont aussi nombreux ou aussi rares que les perles précieuses» a-t-il encore souligné, souhaitant préciser que les justes «ne sont pas des moralistes qui portent la robe du censeur, mais des justes qui "ont faim et soif de justice"», «des rêveurs qui gardent dans leur cœur le désir d'une fraternité universelle». Un rêve, a conclu François, dont nous avons spécialement besoin aujourd'hui.

 

“Righteous men attract grace and blessing”

Continuing his catechesis on the virtues, Pope Francis returned to the cardinal virtue of justice, which, he explained, does not only concern "the courtrooms" of the courts, but also the ethics that characterize our everyday life. The righteous are “dreamers who keep in their hearts the desire for universal fraternity” also underlined the Holy Father.

-         Olivier Bonnel - Vatican City

 After reading an extract from the Book of Proverbs: “To do justice and righteousness pleases the Lord more than sacrifice. […] He who pursues justice and faithfulness will find life and glory!” (Pr 21,3.7.21), Pope Francis continued this Wednesday, April 3, his cycle of catechesis on the virtues, stopping on the second cardinal virtue, that of justice, “the social virtue par excellence” he explains. “Its goal is that, in a society, everyone is treated according to their dignity,” Francis recalled, evoking the symbol of the scales. “The ancient masters already taught that this also requires other virtuous attitudes, such as benevolence, respect, gratitude, affability, honesty: virtues that contribute to good coexistence between people.”

 An ethics of daily life

“We all understand that justice is fundamental for peaceful coexistence in society: a world without laws that respect rights would be a world in which it is impossible to live, it would resemble a jungle. Without justice, there is no peace,” continued the Sovereign Pontiff in front of 25,000 faithful gathered in Saint-Pierre Square. For Francis, “justice is a virtue that acts both in the great and in the small, it does not only concern the courtrooms of the courts, but also the ethics that characterize our daily life.” The virtue of justice, further emphasized the Bishop of Rome, “realizes the precept of the Gospel, according to which Christian discourse must be: “yes”, if it is “yes”, “no”, if it is is “no”. What is more comes from the Bad." (Mt 5:37)".

 The tradition describes countless men embodying justice, the Holy Father again recalled, focusing on a few characteristics: the just man is the one who reveres the laws and respects them, he is not only concerned about his own well-being. be individual, but he wants the good of the whole society. “The virtue of justice makes us understand – and puts the requirement in the heart – that there can be no true good for me if there is not also the good of all.”

 Preventing the “cancer of corruption”

In certain situations, the just man “goes so far as to sacrifice his personal property to make it available to the community. He wants an ordered society, where it is the people who give luster to the function,” and not the other way around, the Pope also explained, returning to his attachment to responsibility and the promotion of legality. Therefore, Francis argued, “it is very important to educate people, especially young people, in the culture of legality!” It is, for the Pope, “the way to prevent the cancer of corruption and to eradicate crime, by pulling the rug out from under it.”

 No one knows if, in our world, “righteous men are as numerous or as rare as precious pearls,” he again underlined, wishing to clarify that the righteous “are not moralists who wear the robe of the censor, but righteous people who “hunger and thirst for justice”, “dreamers who keep in their hearts the desire for universal fraternity”. A dream, Francis concluded, that we especially need today.

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L'ETICA DEL CAMMINO - ETHICS OF WALKING - L'ÉTHIQUE DE LA MARCHE - LA ÉTICA DEL CAMINAR

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L’UMANESIMO DEL DOMINIO

 È UN UMANESIMO SENZA FUTURO

 

L’Occidente ha due radici: il mondo greco e la tradizione giudaico-cristiana. Per quanto dischiudano orizzonti completamente diversi, entrambi descrivono un mondo dotato di ordine e stabilità. Ma noi viviamo nell’età della tecnica. È finito l’incanto del mondo tipico degli antichi. È finito anche il disincanto dei moderni, che ancora agivano secondo un orizzonte di senso e un fine. La tecnica non tende a uno scopo, non apre scenari di salvezza, non svela la verità: la tecnica funziona. L’etica, come forma dell’agire in vista di fini, celebra la sua impotenza. Il mondo è ora regolato dal fare come pura produzione di risultati. L’unica etica possibile, scrive Umberto Galimberti, è quella del viandante. A differenza del viaggiatore, il viandante non ha meta. Il suo percorso nomade, tutt’altro che un’anarchica erranza, si fa carico dell’assenza di uno scopo. Il viandante spinge avanti i suoi passi, ma non più con l’intenzione di trovare qualcosa, la casa, la patria, l’amore, la verità, la salvezza. Cammina per non perdere le figure del paesaggio. E così scopre il vuoto della legge e il sonno della politica, ancora incuranti dell’unica condizione comune all’umanità: come l’Ulisse dantesco, tutti gli uomini sono uomini di frontiera. Oggi l’uomo sa di non essere al centro. L’etica del viandante si oppone all’etica antropologica del dominio della Terra. Denuncia il nostro modello di civiltà e mette in evidenza che la sua diffusione in tutto il pianeta equivale alla fine della biosfera. L’umanesimo del dominio è un umanesimo senza futuro. Il viandante percorre invece la terra senza possederla, perché sa che la vita appartiene alla natura. Così ci guida Galimberti: “L’etica del viandante avvia a questi pensieri. Sono pensieri ancora tutti da pensare, ma il paesaggio da essi dispiegato è già la nostra instabile, provvisoria e incompiuta dimora”.

Galimberti, L'etica del viandante, Feltrinelli editore, settembre 2023

  

The humanism of domination is a humanism without a future.

The West has two roots: the Greek world and the Judeo-Christian tradition. Although they open up completely different horizons, both describe a world endowed with order and stability. But we live in the age of technology. Gone is the enchantment of the world typical of the ancients. Gone also is the disenchantment of the moderns, who still acted according to a horizon of meaning and purpose. Technique does not tend toward a purpose, does not open up scenarios of salvation, does not unveil truth: technique works. Ethics, as a form of acting in view of ends, celebrates its impotence. The world is now governed by doing as pure production of results. The only possible ethics, writes Umberto Galimberti, is that of the wayfarer. Unlike the traveler, the wayfarer has no destination. His nomadic journey, far from an anarchic wandering, takes on the absence of purpose. The wayfarer pushes his steps forward, but no longer with the intention of finding something, home, homeland, love, truth, salvation. He walks in order not to miss the figures of the landscape. And so, he discovers the emptiness of law and the sleep of politics, still heedless of the one condition common to humanity: like Dante's Ulysses, all men are frontiersmen. Today man knows he is not at the center. The ethics of the wayfarer opposes the anthropological ethics of earth domination. It denounces our model of civilization and points out that its spread across the planet is equivalent to the end of the biosphere. The humanism of domination is a humanism without a future. Instead, the wayfarer travels the earth without owning it, because he knows that life belongs to nature. Thus, Galimberti guides us, "The ethics of the wayfarer initiates these thoughts. They are thoughts yet to be thought, but the landscape unfolded by them is already our unstable, provisional and unfinished dwelling."

 

L'humanisme de la domination est un humanisme sans avenir.

L'Occident a deux racines : le monde grec et la tradition judéo-chrétienne. Bien qu'elles ouvrent des horizons totalement différents, elles décrivent toutes deux un monde où règnent l'ordre et la stabilité. Mais nous vivons à l'ère de la technologie. L'enchantement du monde propre aux anciens a disparu. Le désenchantement des modernes, qui agissaient encore en fonction d'un horizon de sens et de finalité, a lui aussi disparu. La technique ne tend pas vers une finalité, elle n'ouvre pas de scénarios de salut, elle ne révèle pas la vérité : la technique fonctionne. L'éthique, comme forme d'agir en vue de fins, célèbre son impuissance. Le monde est désormais régi par le faire comme pure production de résultats. La seule éthique possible, écrit Umberto Galimberti, est celle du voyageur. Contrairement au voyageur, le voyageur n'a pas de destination. Son voyage nomade, qui n'est autre qu'une errance anarchique, est dépourvu de but. Le voyageur pousse ses pas en avant, mais non plus dans l'intention de trouver quelque chose, un foyer, une patrie, l'amour, la vérité, le salut. Il marche pour ne pas perdre les figures du paysage. Il découvre ainsi la vacuité du droit et le sommeil de la politique, toujours oublieux de la seule condition commune à l'humanité : comme l'Ulysse de Dante, tous les hommes sont des hommes de la frontière. Aujourd'hui, l'homme sait qu'il n'est pas au centre. L'éthique du voyageur s'oppose à l'éthique anthropologique de la domination terrestre. Elle dénonce notre modèle de civilisation et rappelle que son extension sur la planète équivaut à la fin de la biosphère. L'humanisme de la domination est un humanisme sans avenir. Au contraire, le voyageur marche sur la terre sans la posséder, parce qu'il sait que la vie appartient à la nature. C'est ainsi que Galimberti nous guide : "L'éthique du voyageur initie ces pensées. Ce sont des pensées à penser, mais le paysage qu'elles dessinent est déjà notre demeure instable, provisoire et inachevée".

 

El humanismo de la dominación es un humanismo sin futuro.

Occidente tiene dos raíces: el mundo griego y la tradición judeocristiana. Aunque abren horizontes completamente distintos, ambas describen un mundo con orden y estabilidad. Pero vivimos en la era de la tecnología. Atrás ha quedado el encanto del mundo típico de los antiguos. También ha desaparecido el desencanto de los modernos, que aún actuaban según un horizonte de sentido y finalidad. La técnica no tiende a una finalidad, no abre escenarios de salvación, no revela la verdad: la técnica funciona. La ética, como forma de actuar con vistas a fines, celebra su impotencia. El mundo se regula ahora por el hacer como pura producción de resultados. La única ética posible, escribe Umberto Galimberti, es la del caminante. A diferencia del viajero, el caminante no tiene destino. Su viaje nómada, cualquier cosa menos un vagabundeo anárquico, adquiere la ausencia de un propósito. El caminante empuja sus pasos hacia adelante, pero ya no con la intención de encontrar algo, el hogar, la patria, el amor, la verdad, la salvación. Camina para no perder las figuras del paisaje. Y así descubre el vacío de la ley y el sueño de la política, todavía desatento a la única condición común a la humanidad: como el Ulises de Dante, todos los hombres son hombres de frontera. Hoy, el hombre sabe que no está en el centro. La ética del caminante se opone a la ética antropológica de la dominación de la tierra. Denuncia nuestro modelo de civilización y señala que su extensión por el planeta equivale al fin de la biosfera. El humanismo de la dominación es un humanismo sin futuro. En cambio, el caminante recorre la tierra sin poseerla, porque sabe que la vida pertenece a la naturaleza. Así nos guía Galimberti: "La ética del caminante inicia estos pensamientos. Son pensamientos aún por pensar, pero el paisaje que despliegan es ya nuestra morada inestable, provisional e inacabada".

 

THIS ECONOMIC SYSTEM HAS MADE AN IDOL OF MONEY

Pope: Interview with Italian business daily "Il Sole 24 Ore"

EN - IT- ES - FR -D 

In a wide-ranging interview with Italian national business newspaper, Il Sole 24 Ore, Pope Francis engages with a variety of issues, including: economics, the environment, migrants, Europe, and peace.

By Christopher Wells

The interview with Il Sole 24 Ore revolves largely around socio-economic issues, with a strong focus on the common good. Without denying the importance of individual effort, Pope Francis emphasizes that a community can only grow as a whole people; “social life,” he says, “is not constituted by the sum of individualities, but by the growth of a people.”

Real growth in the community. He says that real growth can occur in a community when we “make room to welcome everyone’s collaboration.” Real growth, he continues, is result “of relationships sustained by tenderness and mercy,” rather than an exclusive focus on success that can lead to “exclusions and waste.”

Pope Francis takes the opportunity to clarify what he means by waste: “It is not simply a phenomenon recognized as the action of exploitation and oppression, but a truly new phenomenon.” The action of exclusion doesn’t simply deprive people of power or wealth, but actually rejects them, throws them out, casts them out of society.”

A person-friendly ethics. This, he says, is why we need a “person-friendly ethics,” which he says can become a “strong stimulus for conversion.” This kind of “person-friendly ethics” can help bridge the gap between profit driven, and non-profit enterprises.

The Holy Father explains that behind every economic activity lies a human person, and insists that the human person must be at the centre of how we think of the economy. “It is work that gives dignity to man, not money.” He identifies a focus on money and profit as a consequence of an economic system “that is no longer capable of creating jobs.”

The human person at the centre.  This economic system, the Pope says, has made an idol of money; but it can be opposed by a system that puts people and family at the centre. He explains that an innovative focus on the greater good, the good of the community as a whole, is ultimately better for companies than an exclusive focus on profit.

In fact, a healthy overall economy, Pope Francis says, “is never disconnected from the meaning of what is produced; and economic activity is always also an ethical fact. He points to the teaching of Pope Leo XIII that free trade is not sufficient of itself to ensure justice; and says that what Leo said of individual contracts is also true of international trade. Quoting Bd Paul VI, Pope Francis says, “Free trade can be called just only when it conforms to the demands of social justice.”

Work and the dignity of the person. Asked about the feeling, experienced by many people, that work is a burden, “an unbearable routine,” Pope Francis says that everyone realizes that it is better to have a job than to not work. Working, he says, “is good because it is linked to the dignity of the person, to his ability to take responsibility for himself and others.” He also describes “the high spiritual meaning” of work, by which, he says, “we give continuity to creation by respecting it and taking care of it.”

Environment. Pope Francis also speaks on a number of other issues in his interview. He calls on Companies to pay more attention to “Working to build the common good”. Noting that most Companies provide professional and technical training, he suggests they do the same with regard to values. “We have reached the limits of what we call our common home”, he says, to the point that we are planning to colonize new planets. “Humanity is no longer the custodian of the earth but a tyrant exploiter.” That is why, whenever we talk about the environment, we are really talking about humanity: “Environmental degradation and human degradation go hand in hand,” says the Pope. “Ecological consciousness needs new ways of living that build a harmonious future, promote integral development, and reduce inequality.” Pope Francis cites his Encyclical Laudato sì, when he confirms that, in order to guarantee resources for future generations, we need to “limit the use of non-renewable resources, moderate consumption, reuse and to recycle.”

 Migrants. Pope Francis acknowledges the challenge posed by migrants, especially to those who living in affluent countries: “Yet there is no peaceful future for humanity except in the acceptance of diversity, solidarity, in thinking of humanity as one family.” he states. Hope is what unites those who leave their homes with those who welcome them. Hope is what drives us to “share the journey of life,” he says, encouraging us not to be afraid “to share hope.” We need to stop talking about numbers, and start talking about people.

Europe. “Europe needs hope and a future,” says Pope Francis. “We never stop being witnesses of hope, we widen our horizons without consuming ourselves in the preoccupation of the present.” Returning to the issue of migration, the Pope recalls the importance of migrants being “respectful of the culture and laws of their host country” so as to favor integration and overcome fear and worry. “I also entrust these responsibilities to the prudence of governments,” he says, “so that they may find common ways to give dignified welcome to our many brothers and sisters who call for help.”

Peace. The interview concludes with Pope Francis referencing his Message for the World Day of Peace this year in which he outlines what he calls “four milestones for action: welcome, protect, promote and integrate.” It is always important that our projects and proposals be inspired by “compassion, vision and courage,” he says, “so as to seize every opportunity to advance the construction of peace.” This is the only way to ensure that “the necessary realism of international politics does not surrender itself to disinterest and the globalization of indifference.”

 Le Pape au Sole 24 Ore: «Les vraies richesses viennent du travail qui crée de la dignité»

Papa Francesco: L'economia al servizio dello sviluppo integrale 

Papst: „Migranten sind eine große Herausforderung für alle“

 El dinero verdadero se hace con el trabajo que crea dignidad y más trabajo

 https://www.vaticannews.va

 

Netherlands: VIRTUES IN CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Virtues  in Catholic education

by Elizabeth Boddens Hosang, the Netherlands

Catholic education in the Netherlands has changed over the past years. This is due to changes in society and within the Church since the Second Vatican Council. Be that as it may, the Netherlands still has schools which choose to be Catholic, which search for ways in which students can be introduced to the Catholic Tradition and Gospel values. Dutch Catholic educational institutes are warm and nurturing centres where students of all ages feel welcomed.
 In such a safe setting students are able to develop personally. In the Netherlands, we have a system where Catholic identity advisors help primary schools to develop their own identity, within the broad Catholic tradition. These advisors develop materials necessary for religious education classes, provide schools with background information, but also aid in developing thoughts on Catholic identity for a mission statement, personnel development and the proper information for parents and others involved.
 Part of the Dutch Christian National Union (the CNV) is concerned with education and especially people working in education, both Christian and Protestant. The Union has a working group specifically geared towards Catholic education[1] , represented in the National Catholic Schools Council[2] and delegates members to the WUCT. The group has produced thoughts on the developments in Dutch Catholic education and materials for people working in Catholic schools.

All schoolsin the Netherlands have students from various religious and cultural backgrounds, so dialogue with and learning about different faiths is unavoidable. This can only be done within a safe environment and when one has a better understanding of one’s own faith background.  This is another focal point for identity advisors.

The bishops of the Netherlands have written a document on Catholic Education (‘Bezield en Zelfbewust’, 2002). In this document they have encouraged Catholic schools to be a nurturing and safe place where young people can develop every aspect of their being: a holistic approach. As the Dutch government made sex education mandatory for all primary schools, Catholic schools especially should emphasize that each individual is created in the image of God. Consequently, all aspects of a person’s sexuality – whether he/ she is hetero or homosexual, is the result of creation by a loving God. This should be treated with respect and care, without any implicit or explicit judgment.

A school is part of society and an open Catholic Church which engages in dialogue with society respects all people, despite their background and orientation.

Several years ago, the Catholic primary schools of the Foundation for Christian Education in Leiden, have spoken about the values and virtues they consider important with which to imbue the students. These are of course rooted in Scripture.[3]  The result is that when the mission statement on the identity of the Leiden Catholic primary schools was written, I translated this into practice, to avoid it remaining a statement on paper. 
The result is that the schools now have a virtues program with one virtueas focus for 6 weeks, stories from Scripture and from other traditions are told, discussions are held, and a poster and lessons are provided. At another moment in the week, teachers read from a children’s bible in order to familiarize students with the stories Jesus knew (: our ‘Old’ Testament) and the stories about and by Jesus and his followers (: our ‘New’ Testament).

There is a concern that when discussing values without connecting these to Tradition, the resulting mission statement may appear to be child-focussed and educationally sound, but shows no awareness of the educational institute’s foundation in the Christian tradition. Hence, the discussions of these particular schools were led by myself. As Catholic identity advisor, I always kept in mind the Christian background of these schools.

Dr. Elizabeth Boddens Hosang, the Netherlands

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[1]CNV werkgroep KV.

[2]NKSR.

[3] The values and virtues the teachers suggested are: respect, solidarity, trust, wonder, justice, tolerance, kindness, forgiveness, awe, optimism, care and joy.