An experience of UMEC/WUCT educators
at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem
“In our time, when day by day mankind is being
drawn closer together, and the ties between different peoples are becoming
stronger, the Church examines more closely her relationship to non-Christian
religions. In her task of promoting unity and love among men, indeed among
nations, she considers above all in this declaration men have in common and
what draws them to fellowship (Nostra Aetate 1). God holds the Jews most dear
for the sake of their Fathers […] Since the spiritual patrimony common to
Christians and Jews is thus so great, this sacred synod wants to foster and
recommend that mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit, above all,
of biblical and theological studies as well as of fraternal dialogues” (Nostra
Aetate 4).
In the spirit of this
brotherly dialogue, from the 8 till the 14 December, a delegation of World Union of Catholic Teachers (UMEC-WUCT)
led by Mr Guy Bourdeaud'hui (president UMEC-WUCT) and made up of Mrs Katie Addison
(St. John Fisher Catholic college, Newcastle, UK – teacher), Mr Santino
Cerami (Primary school, E. De Amicis,
Palermo - IT – coordinating teacher), Mrs Concetta Fascella (Secondary school,
E. Medi, Palermo - IT – coordinating teacher), Mrs Caroline Healy (St Mary
University, London, UK – teacher), Mrs Barbara Leggeri (College school Ovidio,
Roma, IT – teacher), Mr Gerard Marciniak
(Xaverian College, Manchester - UK – teacher), Mr John Philip Nish
(Wakefield City Academies Trust Wakefield – President CATCS, UK, Headteacher),
Fr. Adrian-Vasile Podar (Iuliu Maniu High School, Oradea, Romania, teacher),
Mrs Anna Torretta (College school Piaget-Majorana, Rome - IT-teacher), Mr Bert
Verhaegen (Primary school, Heist-op-del-Berg, Belgium – teacher), and Mr Raf
Joseph Waumans (Community of primary schools, Willruk -teacher, Belgium) took
part in a Seminar at Yad Vashem Memorial in Jerusalem, that was based on the
study of the Holocaust....
