Doctrinal section. Religious teachers' renewal and commitments for Catholic education

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Part of Boletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas

Title: Doctrinal section. Religious teachers' renewal and commitments for Catholic education
Language: English
Year: 1969
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Fulltext: DOCTRINAL SECTION RELIGIOUS TEACHERS’ RENEWAL AND COMMITMENTS FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION Bro. H. Cannon. F.S.C. Once Cardinal Suenens was asked, “what do you believe will be the main problem of the Church in the post-counciliar era?” He replied, “the application of the conciliar teaching will be the main prob lem. It needs men of faith and in a special way of knowing how to realize that faith. In the council text you have a general orientation but now you must build of a methodology. The question is, how are we to implement Vatican II in a practical way? And it is a very im portant question. I think that there is present sufficient power to achieve this methodology of the apostolate on every level—laity, nuns, religious, priests, bishops, synods of bishops. We have only to find our way.” The following remarks have to do with one method that might be used to make the conciliar teaching applicable to today’s apostolate. It’s a method which might be used at all levels. It’s highly practical and is being used to some extent in too few pockets of the Church. It has no clearcut, precise label. It might be named, “Creative Problem-Solving” or even better, “Creative Problem Finding” which is by far the more original. It might be called “Ideation Techniques,” “Imaginative Research” of “Scientific Creativity”. Its aim is to find new solution to new problems and where possible to foresee future problems and solve these problems originally. This method is best understood as a tool, a tool for re leasing not simply vast quantities of ideas but ideas of quality; ideas triggered from that precious resource, the human imagination; ideas that will help men realize their faith; ideas that will enable the Church to apply the spirit of Vatican II to the modern apostolate. 131 Interest in ideas is nothing new. It began with the dawn of reflec tion and has not only kept pace with man’s progress but has led him on his way. However, within the past one-hundred years, the concern for new ideas has steadily gained in momentum until we come to to day’s daily barrage of ideas. The notion that the present day world is in a period of rapid change has been expressed so often that it has become trite. But trite or not, it’s a fact. The world is in an age that sees changes taking place at an almost frightening rate. The older one is, the more frighten ing change is. The young thrive on it. Mathematicians graphically label this accelerated change as being“exponential”. Cardinal Suenens has said: “every thoughtful man today is confronted with two inescapable facts of twentieth-century life—the diversity and speed of change, and the depth and urgency of the human search for meaning and unity in individual and social life. It would be naive to suppose that the religious life would be unaffected by these two powerful influences.” Today’s challenge is to successfully cope with and, to go a step further, influence change. This is especially true for religious educators. The fundamental task of religious education is the forming of youthful minds in a Christian way. We are working with the future Christian, the future Church. To say the least, the task and the responsibility is awesome. It’s this aspect of our life that places on us the responsibility to be vitally interested in such things as change and how to cope with One might ask, “just how did it all start?” “Why arc things not the way they used to be?” “Why isn’t the pace nice and slow, then people would all be much happier?” It is clear that Council was for the Church, an awakening, a surge of hope, of confidence, of faith, of optimism. The religious of today, young in age or in heart and spirit, see the message of the Coun cil, as aligned with the mentality of the Church of today, accepting the challenges of this historical period and of the world of this later twen tieth century. For these, the Vatican II is a motive for encouragement and enthusiasm. 134 other inner force destructive of dialogue is fear to speak the truth as one sees it. Ordinarily this fear is generated by the intolerant attitude of the group or of influential elements in the group. But whatever the cause, fear is a destructive force because the real problems of the adap ted renewal can be fruitfully discussed only when each member of the dialogue says frankly what he thinks, even when it is a question of es pousing an unpopular cause or of criticizing what the majority or the authority is doing. It is not enough, however, to know and to combat the enemies with out and within the dialogue in order to arrive at a really fruitful and satisfying exchange of views. There are certain positive aspects of the dialogue that must be cultivated: (1) All statements, criticisms, ob jections, suggestions, should be based on knowledge of the facts and principles involved, and on the history and the aims of the practices or the institutions under study. In other words, what the dialogue needs is not critics, but informed critics. This implies study and re search. (2) The statements, criticisms, objections, and suggestions must not be exaggerated; they should be kept within the bounds imposed by truth. (3) In making statements, criticisms, objections, and sug gestions they should, of course, be courteous and respectful, but at the same time fearless, fearless in speaking the truth as they see it, but fear less also in recognizing and accepting the truth about their own ideas when these ate shown to be incorrect and exaggerated. (4) Before pre senting statements, criticisms, objections, and suggestions, they should have thought out how the proposals are to be implemented and what will be the consequences of them, and such methods of implementation and such consequences should form part of the exposition. (5) In the pre sentation of criticisms, objections, and suggestions, disagreement with others must be a function of love for them. Among intelligent persons in mutual search of the truth and the common good, intellectual dis agreement need not involve interpersonal alienation. Men disagree in order to arrive at eventual agreement, so their dialogue must be aimed at harmony. This consideration dwelt thus long on the technique of dialogue because of the difficulties sometime found in the dialogue and the dis 135 cord it has occasioned in certain groups. There is also a positive reason, because without dialogue there is small chance of achieving a real adap ted renewal. One of the subjects under serious discussion today is education. In many places today the Catholic school system is being questioned. It is not enough simply to reaffirm the principle that the Christian school has an apostolic value. This will not satisfy everyone, including many of those who have given their lives to this form of education and who now wonder whether such a school has any real effect, or indeed, any future at all. Every period of important change in the history of civilization has known similar cases. The solution, however, was never to suppress the school, or abandon it, but rather to emphasize its renewal. Today the Church is committed to make its contribution to the rebirth cf the Christ ian school, to help make it capable of preparing men for the twenty-first century. The Council is pleased to take cognizance cf the desire of many, evident throughout the entire , world, for this renewal of the educational apostolate. All arc invited to participate actively in this movement, committing themselves with confidence and courage to the new directions necessary to answer the needs of youth teday. Insofar as such a renewal is undertaken and pursued with intelligence and per severance, the importance cf the school will become mere evident than in the past, and the relevance of the education provided in the Christ ian school will be felt more than ever before. But the implications of such a renewal arc many and complex. The renewal of the school calls for reference and relevance to con temporary culture. First, it is important that the Christian school at every level be characterized by quality education, a truly professional spirit and genuine service to students and to society. The Church is very explicit in its desire for excellence in education. A poor standard, or a lack of quality is somehow not to add glory to the Church or to radiate the splendour which is rightfully hers. 136 The school must be aware of the tremendous cultural changes of these times and consequently update itself in its objectives, programs and methodology. In its objectives, the school must impart to the students more than mere book knowledge, by emphasizing instead the development cf the powers of observation, imagination, reasoning and discrimination. In its curriculum the school must keep in mind the pre sent importance of physical sciences, the need for sociology, anthropo logy, the behavioral sciences, modern languages and the significance of mass media and increased leisure time. In its methodology the school must highlight research and creativity rather than rote memorization, by using the best audio visual materials, and by taking advantage of the more recent developments in pedagogical techniques. In this way the school will play a specific and important part in the total process of education by enabling a man to profit better from other communications media, thus providing a completeness and synthesis to all that he learns. One of the fundamental functions of the school is to promote “the vitality and growth cf a new culture without sacrificing fidelity to the living heritage of tradition?’ It favors “increased cultural exchange’’ in such a way that “it does not undermine ancestral wisdom or jeopar dize the uniqueness of each people.” It is for this purpose that schools new emphasize a more dynamic approach to the teaching of history and rhe masterpieces cf the past. In this same vein the school today stresses training in sensitivity, the ability to form judgments and the develop ment cf a critical mind. This is important in a world in which discern ment in the use of mass media is required to maintain one’s personal liberty in the face of all the propaganda that abounds. The mission of the school is more indispensable than ever in forming men who can think. In an atmosphere of quiet, study and reflection it introduces the person to the life of the mind, to an intuition of and reverence for the inner reality of things, a sense of the sacred and a response to values, an awareness of the limitations and sinfulness of man, and an acknowl edgement of the reality of the invisible world. Education to the faith must also renew itself in terms of the mo dern world. In a secular society catechesis linked to cultural formation can provide a needed purification for religious thought by ridding it 137 of magical notions of the world and superstitious practices. In a world in which man is tempted to confine his vision to this life and to think cf Christianity as useless or dangerous because it is inhuman, catechesis can point out that man realizes himself only by reaching beyond him self and that “men are not deterred by the Christian message from building up the world, or impelled tc neglect the welfare of their fel lows. They are, rather, more stringently bound to do these things. The renewal of the school calls for great attention to persons and to the community life of the school. The Catholic school, then, will be characterized by a concern for each student. Modern techniques of psychology and pedagogy make it possible for the individuality of each one to be known and respected. This concern encompasses the whole person; his family background, his temperament, his strong points, his special interests. He is more than just another student who happens to attend the school. The teacher will endeavor to discover and develop mere and more the special ta lents of his students, not concentrating on short-comings and mistakes. Thus the school will be a living community where young people, coming from different social and family backgrounds, educate one another by mutual understanding and respect, openness of mind in dialogue, accept ance of the uniqueness and limitations of each, growth in the spirit of service, and the practice of justice and fraternal charity. To give a living example cf the true meaning of communitv, the Catholic school will strive to promote the students’ personal freedom, encouraging them to assume the responsibility for their own forma tion. Education to freedom is achieved by a cordial relationship be tween faculty and students, by intelligent school discipline, by the very approach to teaching itself. The experience of freedom is absolutely indispensable to training in responsibility, students need to assume an active part in the life of the school itself, its discipline and all its opera tions. Work in small groups will be preferred in order to instill self confidence, a sense of responsibility and the spirit of collaboration. This will also minimize the problem of undue conflict and selfish ambition. The school will be molded into community only through a faculty rich 138 in the diversity and the unity of its members. For this reason the religious staff members work closely with lay teachers, who make a unique contribution through their knowledge of the world, of family life and of civic affairs. Lay teachers should be completely involved with the whole life of the school with catechesis, apostolic organiza tions, extra-curricular activities and administration. Finally, the admin istration will do everything possible to facilitate the ministry of the religious spirit of the school as a community, and in the Christian edu cation of the students. Mere than in any other domain education to freedom is required when there is question of instruction in the faith. The Christian school should be the freest of institutions, it suggests without coercion the infinite possibilities of life according to Christ; it announces the Good News of the Gospel to each one insofar as he is ready for it, and with absolute respect for the freedom of all. To students who have heard and accepted the call of Jesus Christ, the teachers explain the Christian mysteries, and work to develop their faith and their Christian life. The renewal of the schools calls for an openness to the life of the world and of the Church. The work of education is achieved by many influences over the course of a lifetime. The modern school therefore endeavors to colabcratc with every educational agent. We work closely with parents, who have the first responsibility for their children’s education; both must keep in mind that they can learn much from each other. We seek tc establish friendly ties with other educators, particularly with those who are concerned with the activities of the young in their mo ments of leisure. In certain cases it may become necessary that teachers themselves take charge of these leisure activities. We can also work closely with parish priests, chaplains of Catholic Action groups, and with laymen in charge of apostolic organizations directly influencing the life of the young. Thus the school becomes a focal point where educational agencies can meet and enter into dialogue for the greater good of the students. Such openness to the realities of the contem porary world can be furthered in particular instances by having the 139 school make its facilities and equipment readily available to the pub lic of the local community for adult education and youth activities. The Christian school endeavors through its program of instruc tion to prepare its students for their professional life, for marriage and its responsibilities, for service to society and the Church. It makes known to them the great needs and aspirations of modern man. It encourages them to be competent in today’s world and to work closely with all men of good will, especially with those not of the faith, for the welfare of mankind. One way for educators to get to know better the real situation and the real needs of a world in evolution is to take full advantage of a continuing dialogue with the graduates of the schools, both those who have recently finished school and those who have had long ex perience in the adult world. This makes it possible to give to the students still in school an education that is more realistic and better adapted to the demands of modern life. Following the recommenda tion of Vatican II in this matter, it is an integral part of the work of education to be concerned about the human and religious difficulties that students encounter when they leave school. Schools should “con tinue to assist them with advice and friendship and also by establishing special groups genuinely inspired by the spirit of the Church.” From an ecclesial point of view, this implies on the part of educators an unselfish dedication that will respect the initiative and responsibility of laymen. It is in this spirit that the Catholic teacher offers to grad uates the support of professional competence and religious motivation. Special attention is due to the younger alumni who are in unfortunate financial circumstances or who have need of other support and en couragement. Alumni relations aim to help the graduates become active ly involved in civil society, in the Church, and in movements appro priate to their age and station which foster an informed and respon sible laity. In this way the important apostolate on behalf of the grad uates of the schools will maintain a true harmony with the ultimate goals, and the school’s educational activity will enjoy a greater efficacy. The renewal of the school calls for teachers who are prepared to meet the needs of modern man. “But let teachers realize that to the 140 greatest possible extent they determine whether the Catholic school can bring its goals and undertakings to fruition.” A society committed to the education of the youth of the world will contribute to the renewal of the school only to the degree that it emphasizes and develops the value of the teacher’s vocation. The teaching profession requires by its very nature a broad ex perience with men and society. The training of young teachers must not, then, cut them off from the life of the men of our time, but must help them, to participate deeply in it, according to their state and in view of their mission. The professional preparation of the teacher is not reduced simply to academic degrees and intellectual excellence. It must provide an education “in the prevailing manners of contempt? rary social life, and its characteristic ways of feeling and thinking.” Speaking of the religious educator his formation and spirituality will prompt him to perceive and live his teaching career as the expression of his consecration as a religious. He will strive to understand and grasp the significance of his vows for.his educational apostolate. He will discover in his love for Christ and for his students the energy to renew—for their sake —the work of his own education, the development of his teaching skill and the interest and joy he finds in life. The formation and the style of his religious life will tend to develop this “constant readiness to begin anew and adapt,” demanded by the very nature of the teaching vocation. Finally, the meaning and the interpretation of the “separa tion from the world,” which is part of the religious life, must be re considered; it cannot ignore the need for a real presence in the world, nor justify a lack of interest in the needs, anxieties and hopes of all mankind.