Each year the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong designates the fourth Sunday of September as Education Day. On this day, as the new academic year begins, we reaffirm the importance of providing quality education—for individuals and for society at large.
This year’s theme is: Consecrate us in the truth. To consecrate is to call people out of the world lead them to God. Christians should realise that they themselves are consecrated by God in truth. This is significant for educators and all stakeholders in the education sector.
Education is the act of passing on the light to future generations. Those who take on the mission of educating children should “train a boy in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it” (Proverbs 22:6); should listen to the truth of Jesus with children and teach them so that they are renewed in the spirit of their minds, and can put on the new self “in righteousness and holiness of truth” (Ephesians 4:21-24).
In Hong Kong, the educational precepts of Catholic schools are centred on five core values: advocating the truth, upholding justice, performing acts of charity, treasuring life and safeguarding the family. We also believe that it is important to enable educators and students to develop an enthusiasm for the pursuit of the truth, to have hearts which are open to the truth, and to learn to be humble in front of the truth.
Teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders should all take time to listen to the Word of God, open their hearts to the Word, accept the truth of God’s Revelation and be ready to respond at any time. We must safeguard and enlighten their ability to pursue the truth. Catholic education values the wisdom that enables people to discern. Thus, nurturing critical thinking and exploration is very important.
The pursuit of truth also comes with an important responsibility to promote solidarity. Many children from low-income families encounter great challenges in their academic life, deepening the already-present gap in education.
Education is a process of constructing a more fraternal, united, peaceful and just society. In view of the current challenges, people should not oversimplify educational efforts by only emphasising its practical and functional aspects. Education is meant to stimulate the “process of creativity” and open up new horizons in which generosity, inter-generational solidarity and bridging barriers can give birth to a new culture.
Pope Francis launched the Global Education Pact at the end of last year proposing the following principles: First, every educational process must place human beings at the centre, giving value to their capacity for relationships with others; second, listen to children and young people so as to jointly build a peaceful and just future; third, promote opportunities for women to receive education; fourth, to affirm and promote the family as the “first and indispensable educator”; fifth, to educate everyone about the need to accept the most vulnerable and marginalised; sixth, to strive hard to discover new concepts of economics, politics and growth that serve everyone within the context of an integral ecology.
May the Holy Spirit to lead and inspire all students, educators and other partners, granting them sincere and teachable hearts, to hear and live the Word of the Lord every day, and reflect on issues of truth, solidarity and fraternity. May we sanctify ourselves, transform society and bring hope and comfort to the community. SE
