WONDER AND GRATITUDE

 Pope to Cardinals: May wonder, gratitude be ever alive in our hearts

Members of the College of Cardinals gather with Pope Francis for an evening Mass on Tuesday, marking the culmination of several events at the Vatican, and the Pope encourages us to renew our wonder and gratitude before God's saving plan.

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-By Thaddeus Jones

 

Pope Francis presided over the Mass with the new Cardinals and College of Cardinals in St. Peter's Basilica early Tuesday evening.

The celebration followed Saturday's Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals and two days of meetings of all the Cardinals to discuss Praedicate Evangelium, the new Apostolic Constitution of the Roman Curia.

The Mass took place three days after the Consistory given Sunday's pastoral visit of Pope Francis to the Italian city of L'Aquila and the Monday and Tuesday meetings with the Cardinals. Some 190 Cardinals, as well as Eastern Patriarchs and Superiors of the Secretariat of State, participated in the two days of discussion and reflection.

Wonder that inspires and animates

In his homily, Pope Francis reflected on the theme of "wonder" as described in the readings proclaimed during the celebrations: the wonder of St. Paul before God's saving plan and the wonder of the disciples encountering the risen Jesus who called on them to "make disciples of all nations."

He said here we can appreciate how the Holy Spirit guides and moves us forward to proclaim the Gospel and "to all the peoples the wonders of the Lord."

The Pope observed that just as we often marvel at the greatness of the universe, so we are also "full of wonder as we consider the history of salvation," as "all things find their origin, existence, end and purpose in Christ."

“In Christ we were blessed even before the world was created; in Him we were called and redeemed; in Him all creation is restored to unity, and all, near and far, first and last, are destined, by the working of the Holy Spirit, to the praise of God’s glory.”

God's call to participate

While we marvel at God's plan of salvation, we can also be further amazed that "God calls us to share in this plan," the Pope pointed out, as we see in the mission given to the apostles by the risen Christ to “Go… make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20).

The Lord reassures the disciples telling them “I am with you always, to the end of the age," and this promise "inspires hope and conslation", said the Pope. These words and this mandate are given to us today, he added, thrilling our hearts even after two thousand years gone by. We are further amazed how the divine decision to evangelize the world started with a "ragtag group of disciples," some who still had doubts, but the Pope said that gives hope for ourselves as well.

“This kind of wonder is a way to salvation! May God keep it ever alive in our hearts, for it sets us free from the temptation of thinking that we can “manage things”.”

The Pope said we must avoid a false sense of security thinking that today everything is different and all set, or we risk falling into the "deception, whereby the Father of Lies seeks to make Christ’s followers first worldly, then innocuous."

Wonder and gratitude at being Church

The sense of wonder we experience through the Word of God also awakens in us "wonder at being in the Church, of being Church," the Pope added, saying the awareness of being blessed in Christ and bearing witness to Him helps strengthens the community of believers and makes them attractive to others.

The Pope said we rejoice as well in gratitude for these gifts, all the baptized. He recalled Saint Paul VI who offered his legacy of "love for the Church, a love which is first and foremost gratitude, grateful wonder at her mystery and at the gift of our being not only members of the Church, but involved in her life, sharing in and, indeed, jointly responsible for her."

In conclusion, the Pope offered the basics of what it means to be a minister of the Church: "one who experiences wonder before God’s plan, and, in that spirit, passionately loves the Church and stands at the service of her mission wherever and however the Holy Spirit may choose."

“May it also be the case with us! May it be the case with each of you, dear brother Cardinals! May the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, obtain this grace for each and every one of us.”

 Vatican News

 

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CAMEROUN - IAPDA- PROMOTION DE LA PAIX

 

Dans le cadre de promotion de la paix, dans les communautés déchirés par les guerres, nous avons organisé un atelier de formation sur les techniques  d’entrainement à la paix, la médiation et la communication non violente.

ECOLOGICAL CONVERSION

European Bishops reiterate call 

for ecological conversion

In a message for the upcoming Season of Creation, Albanian Archbishop Angelo Massafra of Shkodër-Pult, a member of the Pastoral Social Care Commission of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Europe (CCEE), echoes Pope Francis’ call for an ecological conversion, recalling that the current climate crisis is mainly attributable to the actions of man.

 - By Lisa Zengarini

 As the Church prepares to celebrate the Season of Creation, from 1 September, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, to 4 October 2021, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron Saint of Ecology, the European Bishops join Pope Francis in urging for ecological conversion to protect and preserve our common home from destruction, and in calling in particular on Christians to be “spokesmen” of what the planet demands.  

“Listening to the Voice of Creation”

The Season of Creation is celebrated annually by Christian Churches around the globe as a time of prayer and action for the safeguarding or our common home through responsible stewardship. It is a time of grace that the Church, in ecumenical dialogue, offers to humanity to renew its relationship with the Creator and with Creation, through celebration, conversion and commitment to action.

The proposed theme this year is “Listening to the Voice of Creation” and the urgency of doing so is symbolised by the ‘Burning Bush’ (Ex. 3, 1-12), referring to the prevalence of unnatural fires as a sign of the devastating effects that climate change has on the most vulnerable of our planet.

Fires in Europe

“In particular, our European continent has been faced with a real environmental catastrophe that, in 97% of cases, is attributable to the actions of man,” says Archbishop Angelo Massafra OFM of Shkodër-Pult, a Member Pastoral Social Care Commission of the Council of Bishops' Conferences of Europe (CCEE).

“According to a recent estimate, in the 27 countries of the European Union fires have already devastated a total of 517,881 hectares since the beginning of the year, compared to 470,359 the previous year,” the President of the Albanian Bishops’ Conference writes in a message for the annual observance.

“It is worrying that scholars are already hypothesising the transition from our era (Anthropocene) to the next one, to which they have already given the name “pyrocene”, the effects of which are already visible considering that CO2 emissions have reached levels that the planet has not known for well over 3 million years.”

The "incalculable" damage of wars on the environment

In his message, the prelate also draws attention on the”incalculable”, damage to the environment caused by by wars, neamely the conflict in in Ukraine as well in other areas of the planet. He recalls, in particular the war in Vietnam in the Sixties when US forces sprayed massively defoliants and herbicides, including Napalm, over rural areas of South Vietnam in an attempt to deprive the Viet Cong guerrilla of food and vegetation, causing what has been termed as an “ecocide”. 

He also cites the heavy air pollution caused by the burning of oil installations in Kuwait during the First Gulf War aganst Iraq (1990-1991), and, more recently, the wars in Yemen and Syria with the contamination of soil and waterways.

Referring to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Archbishop Massafra notes that experts currently estimate that the long-term effects of this conflict may cause cancer, respiratory diseases and developmental delay in children.

Pope Francis' message for the Season of Creation

In this context, the Albanian prelate remarks that “if the hand of man is the main cause” of the current global ecological crisis, “the same hand” can find a solution to it, as repeatedly called for by Pope Francis, and reiterated on 21 July in his Message for this year’s Season of Creation.

In that message, the Pope asked the UN members for the “effective implementation” of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. The Pope's message, says Archbishop Massafra, was ”not a pious exhortation”, but “a real challenge launched to the powerful of the Earth and to the leaders of the individual nations (be they rich or poor), each for their own part.”

Call for ecological conversion

But it is also a call for an ecological conversion addressed to all individuals and communities and in particular to Christians.

Archbishop Massafra’s message therefore concludes with the hope that World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on 1 September can be “a time of prayer, but also a time of serious conversion of individual attitudes and habits.”

“We, European Bishops, join the appeal launched by Pope Francis, inviting all Christians to be spokesmen for these demands of the Planet, whose voice reveals ‘a kind of dissonance. On the one hand, we can hear a sweet song in praise of our beloved Creator; on the other, an anguished plea, lamenting our mistreatment of this our common home’.”

 

Vatican News

 

L'AFRIQUE ET LE CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE

 L’Afrique face à la lutte contre le changement climatique

Bien qu’émettant le moins de gaz à effet de serre au monde, l’Afrique subit pleinement les effets du changement climatique. Les secteurs clefs pour l’économie et la sécurité alimentaire en paient le prix. Youba Sokona, vice-président du Giec, Groupe intergouvernemental d’experts sur l’évolution du climat, fait le point sur la situation.

 Entretien réalisé par Myriam Sandouno - Cité du Vatican

L’Afrique émet moins de 5% des gaz à effet de serre de la planète, mais elle reste fortement exposée aux effets néfastes du changement climatique. Canicules fréquentes et plus longues, sècheresses, inondations et cyclones, ces phénomènes ont déjà touché des millions d’Africains et menacé leurs moyens de subsistance.

Entre 2020 et 2021, selon la Banque Africaine de Développement (BAD), l’Afrique a enregistré 131 catastrophes liées à des conditions météorologiques extrêmes et au changement climatique. Le continent voit également son PIB amputé de 5 à 15% en fonction des pays, selon un rapport de la BAD daté de mai dernier.

Dans sa lutte contre le changement climatique, l’Afrique rencontre quelques difficultés liées à un «manque d’appui sur le plan financier, technique et institutionnel», affirme Youba Sokona, vice-président du Giec, le Groupe intergouvernemental d’experts sur l’évolution du climat, soulignant que le continent dispose de «peu de moyens et de capacités limitées».

Selon le rapport de la BAD sur les perspectives économiques africaines en 2022, l’Afrique a besoin d’un financement de 1.300 à 1.600 milliards de dollars pour faire face de manière efficace au changement climatique. La prochaine Conférence des Nations-unies sur le changement climatique, la COP27, dite «COP africaine» se réunira en Égypte du 6 au 18 novembre prochain.

Vatican News

PHILIPPINES - WEBINAR

 

WEBINAR CTGP – Philippines – 27th August 2022 

Distinguished colleagues and friends, thank you for the invitation and congratulations on your generous work to the university and the association.

The Catholic Teachers' Guild of the Philippines, through the generous commitment of its leaders and members, has always been a great resource for UMEC-WUCT.

I would like to thank, also on behalf of the Ecclesiastical Assistant, Archbishop Dollmann, and President Bourdeaud'hui, especially the President, Professor Belen Tangco, with whom I have had the good opportunity to collaborative for many years.

In the face of a rapidly changing world that confronts us with new and unpredictable situations: pandemics, wars, major migrations, new poverty, the crisis of democracies and values, the crisis of families, etc., our school and university institutions put much therefore in finding the most appropriate contents and strategies to respond adequately to the many educational challenges. In fact, new visions, new paths, and appropriate pathways are needed, especially to help the most fragile and guarantee the full quality of education for all. The world needs values and quality more than quantity.

Education cannot stop at the occasional and contingent but must have horizons open to the future and transcendence.

The papal project of the Global Compact on Education gives us appropriate indications to give vitality to the educational path, to create educational alliances suitable to foster the integral education of each person,

Our young generation, right from early childhood, are placed in new environments and among novel communication tools, which they must learn to master to avoid being over-whelmed and suffocated by the enormous flow of frequent communication hurricanes.

Communicating, as we well know, means entering relationships, knowing how to listen, knowing how to reflect, knowing how to discern, knowing how to dialogue. It is, therefore, appropriate to improve the quality of communication, so that it might lead to good, every form of communication brings out the good,  beautiful and  true outcomes.

For this to happen, it is necessary to review and improve the quality of teacher training and stimulate the ways of educating.

The UMEC-WUCT can and must be a space for growth and the meeting place where everyone’s ideas bear fruit.

Cordial greetings and best wishes to all.

  Giovanni Perrone, Secretary General

PHILPPINES WEBINAR - Greetings SG - it-en-es

SEAMLESS TEACHING

    INTEGRATIVE PERFORMANCE

FACILITATING STUDENT

 

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATION

Service-learning, an opportunity for Catholic education

Service learning integrates service and community engagement into the learning experience of students and provides credit-bearing courses to do so. Through service learning, students and faculty may deepen their understanding of concepts discussed in the classroom and assess their relevance for the real world, typically within a social justice lens. The concept of service learning did not emerge from Catholic educational institutions, but it is aligned with their identity and has been encouraged by Pope Francis. We briefly discuss service learning in a recent two-part article here and here and we are considering putting together a special issue of a journal on the topic. If you are interested, please contact us. One of the key organizations supporting service-learning in Catholic education is CLAYSS, including through the Uniservitate project. CLAYSS has several interesting events coming up, including one in a few days for which registration is still open and free on their website.

 L'apprentissage par le service, une opportunité pour l'éducation catholique

 L'apprentissage par le service intègre le service et l'engagement communautaire dans l'expérience d'apprentissage des étudiants et propose des cours pour ce faire. Grâce à l'apprentissage par le service, les étudiants et les professeurs peuvent approfondir leur compréhension des concepts discutés en classe et évaluer leur pertinence pour le monde réel, généralement dans une optique de justice sociale. Le concept d'apprentissage par le service n'a pas émergé des établissements d'enseignement catholiques, mais il est aligné avec leur identité et a été encouragé par le pape François. Nous discutons brièvement de l'apprentissage par le service dans un récent article en deux parties ici et ici et nous envisageons de créer un numéro spécial d'une revue sur le sujet. Si vous êtes intéressé, veuillez nous contacter. L'une des principales organisations soutenant l'apprentissage par le service dans l'enseignement catholique est CLAYSS, notamment par le biais du projet Uniservitate. CLAYSS a plusieurs événements intéressants à venir, dont un dans quelques jours pour lequel l'inscription est toujours ouverte et gratuite sur leur site Web.

 El aprendizaje y servicio solidario, una oportunidad para la educación católica

 El aprendizaje y servicio solidario integra el servicio y la participación de la comunidad en la experiencia de aprendizaje de los estudiantes y proporciona cursos para hacerlo. A través del aprendizaje y servicio solidario, los estudiantes y el profesorado pueden profundizar su comprensión de los conceptos discutidos en el las clases y evaluar su relevancia para el mundo real, típicamente dentro de una perspectiva de justicia social. El concepto del aprendizaje y servicio solidario no surgió de las instituciones educativas católicas, pero está alineado con su identidad y ha sido fomentado por el Papa Francisco. Discutimos brevemente el aprendizaje y servicio solidario en un artículo reciente de dos partes aquí y aquí y estamos considerando preparar un número especial de una revista sobre el tema. Si esta interesado, por favor contáctenos. Una de las organizaciones clave que apoyan el aprendizaje-servicio en la educación católica es CLAYSS, incluso a través del proyecto Unservitate. CLAYSS tiene varios eventos interesantes por venir, incluido uno dentro de unos días para el cual el registro aún está abierto y es gratuito en su sitio web.

 

Congress for the 150th anniversary (1872-2022) of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians

New Book Series on Catholic Education

CATASTROFE ALIMENTARIA

 

Escuela Catòlica - Espana

IN MEMORIAM AAD VAN KINTS

 Coming from an educational background, Aad van Kints was a school principal, and prominent member of the former Dutch Catholic Teachers Union KOV. He was advisor to the current Christian Teachers Union CNV in Zoetermeer, but always busy with the work of the Catholic working group within the CNV, the KV. He was a staunch promotor of Catholic education and the importance for CNV to continue with the KV. The Katholiek Verband, KV, supported Catholic schools in finding a way to fill in the Catholic identity of the school, supporting Catholic teachers in non-denominational education. As a member of the KV, Aad attended meetings of the Dutch Catholic Schools Council (NKSR) in finding a future way for Catholic education in the Netherlands. The KV was one of the organizations at the founding of WUCT, and Aad became treasurer for several years. He was a promotor of the values of the CNV and KV at the WUCT meetings and gave much support to the later CNV delegates. He was a charming man, simple in his ways but great in knowledge and experience with a warm heart for Catholic education, CNV and especially until the very end, a loyal supporter of WUCT. He will be sorely missed.

Elizabeth Boddens Hosang, CNV the Netherlands

Issu du monde de l'éducation, Aad van Kints était directeur d'école et membre éminent de l'ancien syndicat des enseignants catholiques néerlandais, le KOV. Il était conseiller de l'actuel syndicat des enseignants chrétiens CNV à Zoetermeer, mais toujours occupé par le travail du groupe de travail catholique au sein du CNV, le KV. Il était un ardent promoteur de l'enseignement catholique et de l'importance pour la CNV de continuer avec la KV. Le Katholiek Verband, KV, aidait les écoles catholiques à trouver un moyen de compléter l'identité catholique de l'école, en soutenant les enseignants catholiques dans l'enseignement non confessionnel. En tant que membre du KV, Aad a assisté aux réunions du Conseil néerlandais des écoles catholiques (NKSR) afin de trouver une voie d'avenir pour l'enseignement catholique aux Pays-Bas. La KV était l'une des organisations à l'origine de la fondation de UMEC-WUCT, et Aad en est devenu le trésorier pendant plusieurs années. Il était un promoteur des valeurs de la CNV et de la KV lors des réunions de la UMEC-WUCT et a apporté un grand soutien aux futurs délégués de la CNV. C'était un homme charmant, simple dans ses manières mais grand dans ses connaissances et son expérience, avec un cœur chaleureux pour l'éducation catholique, la CNV et surtout jusqu'à la fin, un partisan loyal de l'USCT. Il nous manquera cruellement. Elizabeth Boddens Hosang, CNV Pays-Bas

Aad van Kints (* 21 June 1940/ + 5 August 2022)

LA VEJEZ ES UNA PROMESA

 

La vejez es una promesa, querer la eterna juventud es delirante

 

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 El Papa Francisco reanudó esta mañana su ciclo de catequesis dedicado a la vejez, tras haber ofrecido la semana pasada sus reflexiones sobre el viaje apostólico a Canadá. En esta ocasión se refirió ese tiempo en el que se vive con más madurez el acercarse al encuentro con Dios. Nuestro lugar estable – explicó – no está en la tierra, sino junto al Señor y en la vida somos aprendices. Detener el tiempo es imposible

Vatican News

Tras la pausa de julio y las reflexiones, de la semana pasada, dedicadas a su viaje apostólico a Canadá, el Pontífice – en el Aula Pablo VI repleta de fieles – desarrolló su decimosexta catequesis sobre la tercera edad como "un tiempo proyectado hacia la plenitud", que es un pasaje a través de la fragilidad de la fe y del testimonio y "a través de los desafíos de la fraternidad".

La fortaleza que radica en las promesas del Señor

Hablando en nuestro idioma el Santo Padre dijo a los queridos hermanos y hermanas presentes:

“En esta catequesis contemplamos a Jesús que se despide de sus discípulos con palabras de consuelo. Les dice: ‘No se inquieten, voy a prepararles un lugar en la Casa de mi Padre’”

Después de la Ascensión del Maestro a los cielos, los discípulos experimentan, por un lado, la fragilidad del testimonio y los desafíos de la fraternidad, y por otro, la fortaleza que radica en las promesas y bendiciones del Señor.

Recorremos el camino de la vida como aprendices

 El Obispo de Roma añadió que también nosotros, “en el seguimiento de Jesús, recorremos el camino de la vida como aprendices, experimentando dificultades y fatigas”.

En este camino se nos invita, con la gracia de Dios, a salir de nosotros mismos y a ir siempre más allá, hasta llegar a la meta definitiva, que es el encuentro con Cristo.

De la ancianidad el Santo Padre dijo que “es el tiempo propicio para dar testimonio de la espera anhelante de ese encuentro definitivo. Por eso, sería interesante que las Iglesias locales, acompañando a las personas ancianas, las ayuden a reavivar el ministerio de la espera del Señor”.

 

Vatican News

 

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DAUGHTERS OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS

 Congress for the 150th anniversary (1872-2022) of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians

On September 25-30, 2022, the FMA Congregation will hold an international Congress on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. Reflections at the Congress will be part of the ongoing movement to support the Global Educational Pact launched by Pope Francis in 2019. The Congress is open to all and sessions will be held both in person and virtually. To participate, you can register here. The Global Catholic Education team will contribute to the Congress with a presentation for its second day on challenges for education today (on September 27 at 9 am Rome time). At that session, as part of a discussion of those challenges, insights from the Global Catholic Education Report 2020 on Transforming Education will be shared.

Congrès pour le 150e anniversaire (1872-2022) des Filles de Marie Auxiliatrice

Du 25 au 30 septembre 2022, la Congrégation FMA organisera un Congrès international à l'occasion du 150e anniversaire de l'Institut des Filles de Marie Auxiliatrice. Les réflexions au Congrès s'inscriront dans le mouvement de soutien au Pacte mondial pour l'éducation lancé par le pape François en 2019. Le Congrès est ouvert à tous et les sessions se tiendront en personne et virtuellement. Pour participer, vous pouvez vous inscrire ici. L'équipe de Global Catholic Education contribuera au Congrès avec une présentation pour sa deuxième journée sur les défis de l'éducation aujourd'hui (le 27 septembre à 9 heures, heure de Rome). Lors de cette session, dans le cadre d'une discussion sur ces défis, des analyses du Rapport mondial sur l'éducation catholique 2020 sur la transformation de l'éducation seront partagées.

Congreso por el 150 aniversario (1872-2022) de las Hijas de María Auxiliadora

Del 25 al 30 de septiembre de 2022, la Congregación FMA organizará un Congreso Internacional con motivo del 150 aniversario del Instituto de las Hijas de María Auxiliadora. Las reflexiones del Congreso serán parte del movimiento en curso en apoyo del Pacto Mundial por la Educación lanzado por el Papa Francisco en 2019. El Congreso está abierto a todos y las sesiones se llevarán a cabo de manera presencial y virtual. Para participar, puedes registrarte aquí. El equipo de Global Catholic Education contribuirá al Congreso con una presentación para su segundo día sobre los desafíos de la educación hoy (el 27 de septiembre a las 9 am hora de Roma). Durante esta sesión, como parte de una discusión sobre estos desafíos, se compartirán ideas del Informe sobre la educación católica mundial 2020 sobre la transformación de la educación.