Pope to Catholic educators: Stay resilient despite secularization

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Young people need "big-hearted educators" to guide them through the complexities of modernity, Pope Francis told leaders in Catholic education.

Speaking to members of the educational engagement branch of the Italian lay Catholic Action movement Oct. 31, the pope highlighted the critical role of Catholic educators in shaping young people and society in the face of widespread cultural shifts and secularization.

"In this change of epoch, amid the process of secularization" -- which he described as "clearly the spirit of this world" -- education "finds itself immersed in an almost unprecedented horizon," the pope said. As a result, "Chistian education traverses uncharted terrain, marked by anthropological and cultural changes on which we are still seeking answers in the light of the Word of God."

Leaders in Catholic education, he said, "should not be afraid to put forward high ideals, to not be discouraged in the face of difficulties."

To be effective agents of change, Pope Francis encouraged Catholic educators to "build and strengthen fruitful relationships with different actors in the process of education: families, teachers, social actors, coaches, catechists, priests, religious women and men, without overlooking collaboration with public institutions."

He also stressed the importance of involving children directly, since children "must not be passive in the educational process; they must be active."

In his vision for Catholic education, Pope Francis urged educators to center their work on the dignity of each person.

"Bring forward an idea and practice of education that effectively places each person, his or her essential value and original dignity, at the center," he said.

Teaching, he added, "means first of all rediscovering and valuing the centrality of the person in a relationship where the dignity of human life finds fulfillment and adequate space to grow."

Looking ahead to the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis called for particular attention to be given to young people, who are "the present and the future of the church." He urged educators to look to young people with "trust, empathy, with the gaze and heart of Jesus," embodying a compassionate approach to teaching and mentorship.