What does it mean to be Catholic?
From a personal standpoint, does it require parishioner-ship at a Catholic Church? Reception of the Sacraments? Attendance at Mass on Sundays? Beliefs in the Trinity, Incarnation, Eucharist, and the Paschal Mystery? Performing spiritual and corporal works of mercy? Not eating meat on Fridays during Lent? Devotion to Mary? All of the above? Something else?
What about from an organizational standpoint? What makes a group worthy of the title "Catholic"?
This forms the main topic of the Congregation for Catholic Education's (CCE) newest document, Instruction of the Congregation for Catholic Education, "The identity of the Catholic school for a culture of dialogue": "the need for a clearer awareness and consistency of the Catholic identity of the Church’s educational institutions all over the world" (CCE, 2022, #1).
At a deeper level, the Congregation attempts to reignite the Church's raison d'être, or main purpose, for its educational ministry (#5). Representing "an essential part of her (the Church's) identity and mission" (#10), the Church's efforts in education stem from Christ's great commission, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mt. 28:19-20).
Catholic schools have the blessings of both breadth and depth in regard to forming students into disciples of Christ. Not only do Catholic schools enjoy the gift of time with students, they also have countless avenues to synthesize faith, culture and life (CCE, 2022, #29). Some of our students attend Catholic schools 5 days a week for 13 years. Additionally, non-religious subjects such as math, language arts, history and science offer fertile soil to pursue truth, goodness, and beauty.
This integral formation attempts to make pupils both smarter and better. Knowledge and values (#23). Reason and faith (#95). In Catholic schools, "reason enters into dialogue with faith, which also allows access to truths that transcend the mere data of the empirical and rational sciences, in order to open up to the whole of truth so as to respond to the deepest questions of the human soul that do not only concern immanent reality" (#20).
These objectives of Catholic education must serve "the good of earthly society and the building of a world that is more human" (Second Vatican Council [SVC], 1965, #3; CCE, 2022, #13). Christ acts as the model, guide, and goal of Catholic education: "the principles of the Gospel in this manner become the education norms since the school then has them as its internal motivation and final goal" (Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, 1977, #34; CCE, 2022, #20).
Catholics' belief in the inherent dignity of all people demands that everyone has a universal right to education (SVC, 1965, #1). Because of this right, the Church has a responsibility to provide and make available to all an education that considers and honors human's religious dimension (CCE, 2022, #13).
Mutual cooperation between and among families, educators, and students marks the operations of Catholic schools (#15). Educators play a key role in this work and their ministry in Catholic education necessitates permanent formation (#14), knowledge and promotion of Church teaching and theology (#47), and a "concrete pedagogy – based on bearing witness, knowledge and dialogue – is a starting point for personal, social and environmental change" (#34).
Catholic educational organizations must also be appropriately vetted by the local bishop (#54 - 59). This oversight entails that the bishop and/or his delegates have familiarity with the particulars of Catholic schools and offers the appropriate support and guidance to live up to this honorable distinction.
Instead of passing hard-fast rules and regulations that must be followed blindly, the Congregation seems to encourage "in essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity" (Pope John XXIII, 1959, Part III; CCE, 2022, #85).
In a sense, this cadence suggests that deeming an organization as "Catholic" has less to do with an outside evaluation and more to do with an interior journey, effort, and ascent to autonomously claim and own this title as a part of one's identity. The Congregation states, "Even in the most serious conflicts, the unity of lived faith based on the Gospel remains the guiding compass. In this framework, doors are open to a true culture of dialogue" (CCE, 2022, #87).
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| "Compass Study" by Calsidyrose is marked with CC BY 2.0. |
This metaphor of a compass resounds powerfully.
We could see the principles outlined above as the checkpoints ushering us in the general direction of the "Catholic" designation-destination. Additionally, we could see our identities as Catholics - both individually and organizationally - as the compass.
Just as Jesus never performed the same miracles in the same ways, there is no one way to be Catholic. The more that we strive to claim our own Catholic identities through "inclusive and permanent communication" (#87) and "profound discernment" (#90), the more that we will come to recognize Christ's personal invitation to each of us to move forward - in our uniquely messy and beautiful situations - in faith.
References:
Congregation for Catholic Education. (2022, March 29). Instruction of the Congregation for Catholic Education, "The identity of the Catholic school for a culture of dialogue". https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2022/03/29/220329c.html#
Pope John XXIII. (1959, June 29). Ad Petri Cathedram. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-xxiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_j-xxiii_enc_29061959_ad-petri.html
Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education. (1977, March 19). The Catholic School. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_19770319_catholic-school_en.html
Second Vatican Council. (1965, October 28). Gravissimum Educationis. https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_gravissimum-educationis_en.html
