What is the role of Catholic education? In an Oct. 28 apostolic letter, “Drawing New Maps of Hope,” Pope Leo XIV reflected on this question 60 years after the Oct. 28, 1965, proclamation of “Gravissimum Educationis,” the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on Christian education. In light of modern challenges, the pope said a Catholic education should courageously teach the whole human person. “The Church celebrates a fruitful educational history but also faces the imperative to update its proposals in light of the signs of the times,” the pope wrote. In the eight-page document, the pontiff identifies three educational priorities, listed below, that we all can learn from, regardless of our age.
“Young people seek depth; they need spaces of silence, discernment and dialogue with their consciences and with God,” the pope wrote. Make space for the young people in your life – and for yourself – by purposely blocking out time to pray and reflect every day. In our over-scheduled world, setting aside even short periods of time in the morning, while commuting or before bedtime and keeping them sacred is one way to ensure daily time for reflection.