Pope
Francis to Catholic parents: build bridges
Pope
Francis met Saturday with the Association of Catholic School Parents on the
occasion of the fortieth anniversary of its foundation.
He
encouraged participants to promote education focused on the fullness of
humanity, on what it means to be human and an authentic humanism.
In
his prepared remarks Pope Francis reiterated a call he made recently to the
World Congress of Educators. Catholic education must make room for everyone, he
said, and must not select recipients in an elitist manner.
“There
is no challenge more noble!” said the Holy Father, than when bridges are built
between school and country, school and family and school and civil
institutions. He encouraged parents to build union where division advances and
to generate harmony in preference to exclusion.
Pope
Francis also emphasized the role of parents as primary educators. “As parents,”
he said, “you are custodians with the duty and primary and indispensable right
to educate children.” Parents thus help in a positive and constant manner the
work of the school. It is the duty of parents to ensure that schools live up to
this task, especially when education is intended to be Catholic. “I pray to the
Lord,” he said, “that a Catholic school does not take for granted the meaning
of this adjective!”
Pope
Francis also asked that parents and educators never sell off the human and
Christian values which testify as to the value of the family, the school and
society.
He
concluded with a reference to the gospel of Luke, chapter 2 verse 52: “And
Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.”
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