On the evening of April 17, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI returned to The Catholic University of America to meet with the heads of more than 200 American Catholic colleges and universities and superintendents of Catholic schools from the 195 dioceses of the United States. He delivered a public address on the role of Catholic education in addressing the "crisis of truth," which, he declared, has its roots in a "crisis of faith." Through a discussion of each of the three theological virtues--faith, hope, and love--the Holy Father outlined the purpose and effects of a Catholic education.
Education as a Relationship
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"First and foremost," Pope Benedict declared, "every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth." Faith leads us to want "to lead a new life characterized by all that is beautiful, good, and true." It also serves as a guide which points "both teacher and student towards the objective truth." We cannot know the truth without knowing God: "God’s desire to make himself known, and the innate desire of all human beings to know the truth, provide the context for human inquiry into the meaning of life. . . . the one who seeks the truth becomes the one who lives by faith." Catholic schools, then, serve "the Church's primary mission of evangelization."
Faith Leads to Hope
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Catholic schools fulfill their mission by nurturing faith, which leads to a desire for truth: "In this way, Christ’s Good News is set to work, guiding both teacher and student towards the objective truth." Since all truth is of Christ, "the noble goals of scholarship and education . . . become an especially powerful instrument of hope." The Holy Father pointed to Saints Elizabeth Ann Seton and Katharine Drexel as examples of the works accomplished by such hope. Such work needs to be expanded, even though the state provides ample opportunities for education: " No child should be denied his or her right to an education in faith, which in turn nurtures the soul of a nation."
Conviction, Not Numbers, Makes a School Catholic
"A university or school’s Catholic identity," the Holy Father continued, "is not simply a question of the number of Catholic students." Rather, "It is a question of conviction--do we really believe that only in the mystery of the Word made flesh does the mystery of man truly become clear? Are we ready to commit our entire self--intellect and will, mind and heart--to God? Do we accept the truth Christ reveals? Is the faith tangible in our universities and schools? Is it given fervent expression liturgically, sacramentally, through prayer, acts of charity, a concern for justice, and respect for God’s creation?" In other words, the practice of the faith must lie at the heart of Catholic schools in order for them to live up to their mission.The "Crisis of Truth" Is a "Crisis of Faith"
The "dictatorship of relativism" against which Pope Benedict has warned arises from the reluctance to believe in any absolute truths. Such a reluctance stems from a lack of faith: "Only through faith can we freely give our assent to God’s testimony and acknowledge him as the transcendent guarantor of the truth he reveals." Faith requires acts not only of the intellect but of the will, without which "the notion of freedom" can become "distorted." " Freedom is not an opting out. It is an opting in--a participation in Being itself. Hence authentic freedom can never be attained by turning away from God." The safeguard of faith, and hence of truth, is participation in the life of the Church. "Only in faith" can reason become "truly human."The Church in the Public Square
Since "the truths of faith and of reason never contradict one another," the Church plays an indispensable role in the life of society by reminding us that "it is not praxis that creates truth but truth that should serve as the basis of praxis." But "secularist ideology drives a wedge between truth and faith," reducing truth to mere knowledge. "Truth means more than knowledge: knowing the truth leads us to discover the good." In that way, "the loving truth of the Gospel is creative and life-changing"; "Christian educators can liberate the young from the limits of positivism and awaken receptivity to the truth, to God and his goodness." And that witness to the truth can transform society.The Practice of "Intellectual Charity"
"When nothing beyond the individual is recognized as definitive," the Holy Father continued, "the ultimate criterion of judgment becomes the self and the satisfaction of the individual's immediate wishes." We assume that "every experience is of equal worth." The proper response is "intellectual charity," which "calls the educator to recognize that the profound responsibility to lead the young to truth is nothing less than an act of love." Such charity "guides the young towards the deep satisfaction of exercising freedom in relation to truth"; understanding the connection between faith and truth, "young people will surely relish the discovery that the question of what they can know opens up the vast adventure of what they ought to do."True Academic Freedom
While academic freedom is often regarded as a mere lack of restraints on research and opinion, the Holy Father pointed out that "any appeal to the principle of academic freedom in order to justify positions that contradict the faith and the teaching of the Church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission." Academic freedom is a call "to search for the truth wherever careful analysis of evidence leads you"; but since faith and the truth do not contradict, the pursuit of the truth can never be an excuse for undermining faith.Bearing Witness to Hope
The Holy Father concluded his remarks with a call for the Catholic educators assembled before him to live out their faith in everything they do: "To all of you I say: bear witness to hope. Nourish your witness with prayer. Account for the hope that characterizes your lives (cf. 1 Pet 3:15) by living the truth which you propose to your students. Help them to know and love the One you have encountered, whose truth and goodness you have experienced with joy. With Saint Augustine, let us say: 'we who speak and you who listen acknowledge ourselves as fellow disciples of a single teacher.'"Date and Time
April 17, 2008, 5:00 P.M. EDTOfficial Text of Pope Benedict's Address to Catholic Educators
Official text of the remarks that Pope Benedict XVI delivered to leaders of Catholic colleges and universities and Catholic superintendents at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., from the Vatican's website.Schedule of Pope Benedict's 2008 Visit to the United States
View the details for all of the significant events during Pope Benedict's April 2008 visit to the United States.Photo Gallery of Pope Benedict's 2008 Visit to the United States
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Relive the stops along Pope Benedict XVI's April 2008 apostolic journey to the United States and follow the Holy Father as he visits Washington, D.C., and New York City. Check back often for new photos!
