As per the letter addressed to educational agents, the closure of Catholic schools in the world is “painful.”
The letter, signed by the prefects of the Vatican departments for Culture and Education and for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, was published by the Holy See Press Office on 28 June, Wednesday.
“When you witness the painful closure of a school, a place that identifies and guards a portion of hope goes out,” reads the message signed by the two prefects, Cardinal João Braz de Aviz and Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça.
“Indeed, when a diocesan or religious school is closed, the traces of the history of that local Church, of the unmistakable charisma of that religious family, are erased from the educational environment,” the letter continues.
The report explains that on May 22, 2023, a meeting took place in the Vatican with the protagonists of the world network of Catholic schools, who told “first-hand the potential and challenges of the educational mission.”
The text details the reasons why the call is carried out by two departments instead of one: “Because a very important part of the more than 240,000 Catholic schools that make the Church one of the world leaders in primary education and secondary” are run by religious.
The Vatican departments coincide in appreciating the work of teachers, families, administration, and service personnel who make up the global educational community.
“Thank you to all the families who, taking advantage of the formative competence of the Christian community, educate their sons and daughters in an educational alliance with Catholic schools.”
The cardinals also thanked all the ecclesial bodies “that invest considerable human energy and financial resources in the maintenance of old schools and in the creation of new ones.”
In the last lines of the letter, it is insisted that Catholic schools must “join” to carry out “the educational mission”, in favor of “the dignity of the human person”.