| The Purpose of our Education Provision | | | | of the Church... The parish primary school, where |
| | | | | younger children receive their early lessons in the |
| By admitting that we are Catholic school, it | | | | faith, remains a cornerstone … |
| means, we can part of the church. We therefore | | | | St Columba’s College Principles of Catholic |
| form part of the saving mission of the Church, | | | | Education of the pastoral care of Australian |
| especially for education in the faith (The Catholic | | | | Catholic People. Here the Community of Faith |
| School, 1977, Article 9). The obligation that we | | | | hands on the timely message of Jesus Christ to |
| have is to foster in her children a full awareness | | | | its youngest members... More difficult challenges |
| of their rebirth to a new life (The Catholic School, | | | | face the Catholic secondary school. Here students |
| 1977). Moreover, in the document of Catholic | | | | must be helped to achieve that integration of faith |
| School in the Third Millennium, she affirms | | | | and authentic culture which is necessary for |
| “…."The person of each individual human | | | | believers in today’s world. But they must also |
| being, in his or her material and spiritual needs, is | | | | be helped to recognise and reject false cultural |
| at the heart of Christ's teaching: this is why the | | | | values which are contrary to the |
| promotion of the human person is the goal of the | | | | Gospel.”(Address on Catholic Education, |
| Catholic school" (Article 9). | | | | November 26, 1986) |
| To shed more light to this, we turn to | | | | The statements of the late Pope mentioned |
| GRAVISSIMUM EDUCATIONIS. In this | | | | above enhance highly the mission of our education |
| document, the Church declares “A Christian | | | | dedicated to the young. They need to be oriented |
| education does not merely strive for the maturing | | | | to the new formation in which faith and authentic |
| of a human person as just now described, but | | | | culture meet appropriately. This can be done only |
| has as its principal purpose this goal: that the | | | | when the Catholic Educators accept the |
| baptized, while they are gradually introduced the | | | | philosophy of Catholic education as their guiding |
| knowledge of the mystery of salvation, become | | | | principles for their functioning. Whilst it is |
| ever more aware of the gift of Faith they have | | | | accountable to the society for the provision of |
| received, and that they learn in addition how to | | | | quality education to young citizens, it is also |
| worship God the Father in spirit and truth (cf. John | | | | accountable to the Church community for |
| 4:23) especially in liturgical action, and be | | | | providing this within the context of the Gospel |
| conformed in their personal lives according to the | | | | and its value as expressed in Catholic doctrine. |
| new man created in justice and holiness of truth | | | | Catholic educators therefore will not attach too |
| (Eph. 4:22-24); also that they develop into perfect | | | | much importance to the test scores of their |
| manhood, to the mature measure of the fullness | | | | students only but also to facilitate Gospel values in |
| of Christ (cf. Eph. 4:13) and strive for the growth | | | | their schools’ context through their teachers. |
| of the Mystical Body; moreover, that aware of | | | | |
| their calling, they learn not only how to bear | | | | |
| witness to the hope that is in them (cf. Peter | | | | |
| 3:15) but also how to help in the Christian | | | | Faith Education integrated with Culture |
| formation of the world that takes place when | | | | |
| natural powers viewed in the full consideration of | | | | To carry out our educative mission appropriately, |
| man redeemed by Christ contribute to the good | | | | the Church understands truly well the importance |
| of the whole society.(9) Wherefore this sacred | | | | of culture. She suggests us to apply wisely the |
| synod recalls to pastors of souls their most | | | | application of culture to cultivate Gospel values in |
| serious obligation to see to it that all the faithful, | | | | our young learners. She asserts the Catholic |
| but especially the youth who are the hope of the | | | | school has as its aim the critical communication of |
| Church, enjoy this Christian education.(10)” | | | | human culture and the total formation of the |
| (Article 2) | | | | individual, it works towards this goal guided by its |
| As clearly stated above, our school mission is not | | | | Christian vision of reality "through which our |
| only to provide education to form the whole | | | | cultural heritage acquires its special place in the |
| person but also to orient our students to the | | | | total vocational life of man" (Article 36). She also |
| knowledge of salvation on which the fullness of | | | | proposes to us to apply teaching as a significant |
| human being is based upon. It is in this principal | | | | tool to integrate faith with culture. She asserts |
| purpose that our obligation should be based, in | | | | “In helping pupils to achieve through the |
| other words, if our mission as such is ever carried | | | | medium of its teaching an integration of faith and |
| out, this is the sole aim we need to pursue and | | | | culture, the Catholic school sets out with a deep |
| find our fulfillment. | | | | awareness of the value of knowledge as such |
| Teachers as Coordinators in Faith | | | | (The Catholic School, Article 38). |
| | | | | In the same document, she further points out to |
| This very purpose of our education provision | | | | us the importance of subjects. They should be |
| should be understood first by any Catholic | | | | considered as a means to accommodate students |
| educators in Thailand so that it can be expressed | | | | into the development of their personality. She |
| in our Catholic school. This broad philosophical | | | | states “Individual subjects must be taught |
| stance requires Catholic Educators to combine | | | | according to their own particular methods. It |
| sound knowledge and skills with an overall personal | | | | would be wrong to consider subjects as mere |
| development rooted in Christian values. Such an | | | | adjuncts to faith or as a useful means of teaching |
| education involves a high level of inter-personal | | | | apologetics. They enable the pupil to assimilate |
| transaction between staff and pupils. Pope John | | | | skills, knowledge, intellectual methods and moral |
| Paul II has spelt out key implications of this for | | | | and social attitudes, all of which help to develop his |
| staff who work in Catholic schools: | | | | personality and lead him to take his place as an |
| “The Church looks upon you as co-workers | | | | active member of the community of man |
| with an important measure of shared | | | | (Articles 39). Further still, She wishes to see our |
| responsibility... To you it is given to create the | | | | school to systematically and critically transmit |
| future and give it direction by offering to your | | | | culture in connection with living faith. She posits |
| students a set of values with which to assess | | | | “The specific mission of the school, then, is a |
| their newly discovered knowledge... (the changing | | | | critical, systematic transmission of culture in the |
| times) demand that educators be open to new | | | | light of faith and the bringing forth of the power |
| cultural influences and interpret them for young | | | | of Christian virtue by the integration of culture |
| pupils in the light of Christian faith. You are called | | | | with faith and of faith with living (Article 49). |
| to bring professional competence and a high | | | | Finally the church provides us a sharp and clear |
| standard of excellence to your teaching... But your | | | | conclusion on our school mission should be run. |
| responsibilities make demands on you that go far | | | | She concludes “ The various school subjects |
| beyond the need for professional skills and | | | | do not present only knowledge to be attained, but |
| competence... Through you, as through a clear | | | | also values to be acquired and truths to be |
| window on a sunny day, students must come to | | | | discovered. All of which demands an atmosphere |
| see and know the richness and joy of life lived in | | | | characterized by the search for truth, in which |
| accordance with Christ’s teaching, in response | | | | competent, convinced and coherent educators, |
| to his challenging demands. To teach means not | | | | teachers of learning and of life, may be a |
| only to impart what we know, but also to reveal | | | | reflection, albeit imperfect but still vivid, of the one |
| who we are by living what we believe. It is this | | | | Teacher. In this perspective, in the Christian |
| latter lesson which tends to last the | | | | educational project all subjects collaborate, each |
| longest.”(Address to Catholic Educators, | | | | with its own specific content, to the formation of |
| September 12, 1984) | | | | mature personalities” (The catholic School on |
| Pope John Paul II clarified this further when he | | | | the Third Millennium, Article 14). |
| spoke on Catholic Education in Melbourne: | | | | To conclude the Catholic school does not exist for |
| “I welcome you into that chosen group called | | | | itself. It owns its existence on the mission of the |
| by the Church to educating young Catholics in the | | | | church that is to evangelize. The existence of |
| faith. In a very special way, you share in the | | | | catholic is therefore is to inform and educate the |
| Church’s mission of proclaiming the good | | | | whole student, who is an integrated human |
| news of salvation. Not all of you may be teaching | | | | person, in the teaching, “the mind” of the |
| catechetics, but if you are on the staff of a | | | | Catholic Church, thus preparing men and women |
| Catholic school, it is expected, and it is of the | | | | with a profoundly Catholic Vision of life. Catholic |
| utmost importance, that you should support the | | | | school therefore finds its true justification in the |
| whole of the church’s teaching and bear | | | | mission of the Church. This justification finds its |
| witness to it in your daily lives... Certainly your | | | | meaning on an educational philosophy in which |
| work demands professionalism, but it also | | | | faith, culture and life are brought into harmony. |
| demands something more. Your professionalism | | | | Through it, the Catholic school evangelizes, |
| as teachers involves tasks that are linked to your | | | | educates, and contributes to the formation of a |
| Baptism and to your own commitment in faith... | | | | healthy and morally sound life-style among its |
| No matter what subject you teach, it is part of | | | | students. Only by doing this will the Catholic school |
| your responsibilities to lead your pupils more fully | | | | fulfill its vital mission and has the right to pursue |
| into the mystery of Christ and the living tradition | | | | its existence. |