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EDUCATION
AND CARE OF CATHOLICS
AND THE MARGINALIZED
“For
this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear
witness to the truth” (John 18:27).
“That is why I was sent as an apostle and teacher….to
proclaim the message of faith and truth” (1 Timothy 2:7).
Education “must enable students to raise questions concerning
the meaning of life and the significance of reality and to develop
a responsible commitment to transform it in the light of the evangelical
values and modern culture” (Consecrated Persons and their
Mission in Schools, 2002, 54).
“The world has a longing often expressed, for an ideal for
values that we shall term ‘moral’. It is thus education’s
noble role and task to encourage each and everyone, acting in
accordance with their traditions and convictions and paying full
respect to pluralism, to lift their minds and spirits to the plane
of the universal and in some measure, to transcend themselves.
The survival of humanity depends on this” (J. Delors , “Learning,
the Treasure Within”).
“In our national perception education is essentially for
all. This is fundamental to our all-round development, material
and spiritual” (National Policy on Education, 1986, 2.1).
“The new Policy will lay special emphasis on the removal
of disparities and to equalize educational opportunity by attending
to the specific needs of those who have been denied equality so
far” (National Policy on Education, 1986, 4.1).
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A |
NURTURE
OF A CULTURE OF FAITH IN CATHOLIC
STUDENTS |
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Culture
is a way of life, a way of seeing, believing and living
a paradigm or map of life. It includes the substantive
issues of relationships and attitudes, of values and mindsets
as we relate with God, with others, with ourselves, and
with society. Religion and faith-based values
are important constituents of a culture. We want to transmit
to our students a culture of faith, the gift brought to
us by Jesus Christ. We stand committed
to nurture a Catholic culture of faith as a personalized
way of life of Catholic students, going well beyond Catechism
classes and some religious practices. Nevertheless, a
complete Catechetical course, a careful study of the Scriptures,
a profound understanding of one’s eternal destiny
in Christ, an enlightened fidelity to Catholic religious
traditions and practices, and an introduction to an intelligent
participation in the Church’s liturgy and prayer-life
remain key components of faith education.
“Education,
from the standpoint of Christian faith, aims at the all-round
formation of the human person with a view to empowering
the person to create a society inspired by the Gospel
values of service in love, peace rooted in justice, and
fellowship based on equality. This education is meant
to lead a person to an ever greater openness to the transcendent1—for
us, Christians, to God become one-of-us in Jesus Christ.
Hence, one of the important aims of Catholic education
is faith-formation, deepening
the Christian commitment to Jesus in His Church”
(CBCI 2006, 2).
“Catechetical
instructions enlighten and strengthen the
faith, lead to intelligent participation in the liturgy,
and provide motivations for apostolic activities”
(Gravissimum Educationis, 4).
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(1)“Through
the educational plan it is possible to create the conditions for
a person to develop a gift for searching and to be guided in discovering
the mystery of his being and of the reality that surrounds him,
until he reaches the threshold of the faith” (Consecrated
Persons and their Mission in Schools, 2002, 51)
3.2
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By
virtue of the Constitutional provision (under article 30(1)
and the clear indication of the Supreme Court, in its recent
11 bench judgment (October, 3) 2002), minorities have been
given the right to establish and administer institutions
of their choice, precisely in order to preserve and strengthen
their distinct culture. By using this provision to foster
and deepen the Christian culture and values among our community
members, most of whom are among the marginalized, we will
fully realise our Constitutional Right. |
3.3
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Our
education to nurture a culture of faith
aims at enabling the students to raise questions concerning
the meaning of life and the significance of reality as revealed
in our Christian faith. They can then make a responsible
commitment to personal transformation in the light of the
Gospel values. Our education assists in making them personally
rooted in their faith culture through a personal encounter
with God. This faith education will enable them to realise
God as Father and all other human beings as their brothers
and sisters. We create an atmosphere and a climate, which
encourages them to listen to the Word of God in the Bible
as a personal communication in the real contexts of their
life. Actual change in their ideals, attitudes, values and
patterns of behaviour will be the indicators that faith
has been internalized and has taken root in their life. |
3.4
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The
family comes first in being responsible for the faith education
of their children. The Parish and the Educational Institution
also share responsibility for this faith education of Catholic
children. Therefore the provision of good education and
nurture of the Catholic youth is a joint responsibility
of the school/college community, the parish community and
the home. The pastoral clergy and religious communities
have an important role to play here, and must supplement
or complement the kinds of financial, academic and counselling
supports that the Catholic students need. |
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| B. |
SPIRITUAL
FORMATION FOR ALL |
3.5
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In
continuation of the long-standing tradition of our educational
institutions, we give importance to the spiritual
formation of our students of other faiths, who
form the vast majority in our schools and colleges. We enable
them to see religion as a constructive force in their life
and in society. We help them to place the emphasis more
on the spiritual aspects of religion than on externals and
rituals. We assist them to develop a personal set of values
and principles and become persons of character
and integrity, internalising the social aspects of their
religious traditions and thus leading them to experience
personal well-being and to make a contribution to build
a better India. |
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| C. |
POLICY
DIRECTIONS AND SPECIFIC PRACTICES |
| 3.6
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All
Catholics are admitted to our schools, on their essential
merit that they are Catholics.
“No
Catholic child, Dalit/Tribal or otherwise, should be deprived
of quality education because of a lack of means” (CBCI
2006, 8.1). “Those disadvantaged, socially, physically
or intellectually, will be specially assisted so that they
can be integrated into the educational system. We make this
preferential option, even if in this process academic results
suffer. All Catholic schools whether run by dioceses, the
religious, corporate bodies or individuals, are expected
to participate in this project” (CBCI 2006, 8.3). |
3.7
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As
important as that, we exercise the great responsibility
to provide special care for the growth and well-being of
our Christian students, and among them, the socio-economically
deprived, mentally challenged and differently abled. |
3.8
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As
the visible Body of Christ, commissioned to build that Body
on earth, the Church stands committed to integrate all children
of God into one great human family, without any distinction
of class, caste, colour, creed or culture. However, we exercise
a special preference for the children of the SCs, STs and
OBCs and take the responsibility to ensure that they receive
an education of quality and relevance so that they are enabled
to occupy their due place in society. |
| 3.9
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We
assume the responsibility for the education of the poor
and the marginalized in our institutions, as an essential
part of our contribution to build an inclusive and just
society. In our Indian context the marginalized would include
the Dalits, Tribals, rural poor, slum dwellers, migrants,
child labourers, un-organized labour, etc. We make available
to them well-qualified teachers, who understand their culture
and background and are committed to them. By becoming self-empowered,
they will then contribute to build a just, humane and democratic
India.
Historically,
Boarding Houses and Hostels have made a great contribution
to the upliftment of marginalized communities, Tribals,
and rural poor, and to the nurturing of a culture of faith
among Christian youth. They will continue to do so. |
3.10
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We
explore, both as a parish community, and as religious congregations
and dioceses, ways and means to raise corpus funds for the
education of our members till school or for vocational or
technical or professional courses or for specialized coaching
for competitive examinations to make them eligible for public
service. Our goal is to enable them to get on to the road
to life and living and be helpful to their communities and
to society at large. |
| 3.11
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In
today’s world, a school certificate level of education
and often even a first degree is the minimum qualification
needed to enable one to enter into any walk of life. Hence,
we disapprove the practice in some institutions of eliminating
students only in order to improve results in the Public
Examinations. Instead we ensure that students are provided
various supports to make them pass rather than fail. Paying
heed to the new focus on multiple intelligences, we help
students to discover and develop their own unique strengths
and talents and so find their place in life. Even for those
few who may drop out, we strive to make parallel provision
of continuing education through the Open Schooling channel
or through provision of vocational and technical courses.
Thus we manifest our commitment to those to whom Christ
showed a preferential love and move to the ideal of being
able to say that “not one has been lost” (John
17:12).
“The
New Education Policy will give the highest priority to solving
the problem of children dropping out of school and will
adopt an array of meticulously formulated strategies based
on micro-planning and applied at the grass-roots level all
over the country, to ensure children’s retention at
school.” (National Policy on Education, 1986, 5.12) |
3.12
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Fresh
initiatives for expansion of our present level of provision
of facilities, for training in job-related vocational and
technical courses, especially for our Catholic students,
and among them, the marginalized, are options that we seriously
consider. |
3.13
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In
the present context of rapidly expanding job opportunities
in many fields, students require on-going career guidance
and counselling. |
3.14
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Making
a difference in society through significant contributions
will come from those whom we have developed as leaders.
Hence, leadership development becomes a key result area
in our planning and organization of programmes. |
3.15
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We
fully recognize that reaching high levels of attainment
by our young Catholics can become possible only through
on-going links and collaboration with all concerned stakeholders.
Therefore, we are committed to evolve a Monitoring
Mechanism, involving the school, parish, the parents,
the students as well as community leaders. Together we will
be able to promote better involvement and generate greater
responsibility among the various sections of our community
as well as in individual students. |
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