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Declaration on

Christian

Education





Declaration

on Christian Education

This booklet is the text of an English translation relayed from Vatican

City to the Press Department of the National Catholic Welfare Con-

ference, Washington, D.C.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
BY OUR SUNDAY VISITOR INC.
HUNTINGTON, INDIANA 46750

505



Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2016

https://archive.org/details/declarationonchrvati_1



Declaration

on Christian Education

FOLLOWING is an English translation of the text of the
Second Vatican Council's Declaration on Christian Educa-

tion, proclaimed by Pope Paul VI on Oct. 28, 1965

INTRODUCTION
The Sacred Ecumenical

Council has considered with

care how extremely important

education is in the life of man

and how its influence ever

grows in the social progress of

this age.

Indeed, the circumstances of

our time have made it easier

and at once more urgent to ed-

ucate young people and, what

is more, to continue the educa-

,

tion of adults. Men are more
aware of their own dignity and
position; more and more they

want" to take an active part in

social and especially in eco-

nomic and political life. Enjoy-

ing more leisure, as they some-

times do, men find that the re-
markable development of tech-

nology and scientific investiga-

tion and the new means of
communication offer them an

opportunity of attaining more

easily their cultural and spir-

itual inheritance and of fulfill-

ing one another in the closer

ties between groups and even

between peoples.

Consequently, attempts are

being made everywhere to pro-

mote more education. The

rights of men to an education,

particularly the primary rights

of children and parents, are be-

ing proclaimed and recognized

in public documents. As the

number of pupils rapidly in-

creases, schools are multiplied

and expanded far and wide and

other educational institutions

are established. New experi-
ments are conducted in meth-

ods of education and teaching.

Mighty attempts are being

made to obtain education for

all, even though vast numbers

of children and young people

are still deprived of even rudi-

mentary training and so many

others lack a suitable educa-

tion in which truth and love

are developed together.

To fulfill the mandate she

has received from her divine

founder of proclaiming the

3



mystery of salvation to all men

and of restoring all things in

Christ, Holy Mother the Church

must be concerned with the

whole of man’s life, even the

secular part of it insofar as it

has a bearing on his heavenly

calling. Therefore she has a

role in the progress and devel-

opment of education. Hence

this sacred synod declares cer-

tain fundamental principles of

Christian education especially

in schools. These principles will

have to be developed at greater

length by a special post-concil-

iar commission and applied by

episcopal conferences to vary-

ing local situations.

1. The meaning of the uni-

versal right to an educa-

tion

All men of every race, con-

dition and age, since they en-

joy the dignity of a human be-

ing, have an inalienable right to

an education that is in keeping

with their ultimate goal, their

ability, their sex, and the cul-

ture and tradition of their

country, and also in harmony

with their fraternal association

with other peoples in the fos-

tering of true unity and peace

on earth. For a true education

aims at the formation of the

human person in the pursuit of

his ultimate end and of the

good of the societies of which,

as man, he is a member, and in

whose obligations, as an adult,

he will share.

Therefore children and

(young people must be helped,

with the aid of the latest ad-

vances in psychology and the

arts and science of teaching, to

develop harmoniously their

physical, moral and intellectual

endowments so that they may

gradually acquire a mature

sense of responsibility in striv-

ing endlessly to form their own

lives properly and in pursuing

true freedom as they surmount

the vicissitudes of life with

courage and constancy. Let

them be given also, as they ad-

vance in years, a positive and

prudent sexual education.

Moreover they should be so

trained to take their part in so-

cial life that properly instruct-

ed in the necessary and oppor-

tune skills they can become ac-

tively involved in various com-

munity organizations, open to

discourse with others and will-

ing to do their best to promote

the common good.

This sacred synod likewise

declares that children and

young people have a right to

be motivated to appraise moral

values with a right conscience,

to embrace them with a per-

sonal adherence, together with;

a deeper knowledge and love of,

God. Consequently it earnestly*

entreats all those who hold a

position of public authority or

who are in charge of education

to see to it that youth is never

deprived of this sacred right.

It further exhorts the sons of

the Church to give their atten-

tion with generosity to the en-

tire field of education, having

4



especially in mind the need of

extending very soon the bene-

fits of a suitable education and

training to everyone in all parts

of the world.

2. Christian education

Since all Christians have be-

come by rebirth of water and

the Holy Spirit a new creature

so that they should be called

and should be children of God,

they have a right to a Christian

education. A Christian educa-
tion does nof~merel5Tsfrive for

file maturing of a human per-

son as just now described, but

has as its principal purpose this

goal: that the baptized, while

they are gradually introduced

to the knowledge of the mys-

tery of salvation, become ever

more aware of the gift of Faith

they have received, and that

they learn in addition how to
worship God the Father in

spirit and truth (cf. John 4:23)

especially in liturgical action,

and be conformed in their per-

sonal lives according to the

new man created in justice and
holiness of truth (Eph. 4:22-

24); also that they develop into

perfect manhood, to the mature

measure of the fullness of Christ

(cf. Eph. 4:13) and strive for

the growth of the Mystical

Body; moreover, that aware of

their calling, they learn not

only how to bear witness to the
hope that is in them (cf. Peter

3:15) but also how to help in
the Christian formation of the

world that takes place when
natural powers viewed in the

full consideration of man re-

deemed by Christ contribute to

the good of the whole of soci-

ety. Wherefore this sacred syn-

od recalls to pastors of souls

their most serious obligation to

see to it that all the faithful,

but especially the youth who

are the hope of the Church, en-

joy this Christian education.

3. The authors of education

Since parents have given

children "their life, they are

bound by the most serious ob-

ligation to educate their off-

spring and therefore must be

recognized as the primary and

principal educators. ThIs~roIe

in education Is" so important

that only with difficulty can it

be supplied where it is lacking.

Parents are the ones who must

create a family atmosphere an-

imated by love and respect for

God and man, in which the

well-rounded personal and so-

cial education of children is

fostered. Hence the family is

the first school of the social

virtues that every society

needs. It is particularly in the

Christian family, enriched by

the grace and office of the sac-

rament of matrimony, that

children should be taught from

their early years to have a

knowledge of God according to

the faith received in Baptism,

to worship Him, and to love

their neighbor. Here too they

find their first experience of a

wholesome human society and

of the Church. Finally, it is

through the family that they

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are gradually led to a compan-

ionship with their fellowmen

and with the people of God.

Let parents, then, recognize the

inestimable importance a truly

Christian family has for the life

and progress of God’s own
people.

The family which has the pri-

mary duty of imparting educa-

tion needs the help of the whole

community.
-

In addition, there-

fore, to the rights of parents

and others to whom the par-
ents entrust a share in the

work of education, certain

rights and duties belong indeed

to civil society, whose role is

to direct what is required for

the common temporal good. Its
function is to promote the edu-

cation of youth in many ways,
namely : to protect the duties

and rights of parents and oth-

ers who share in education and

to give them aid; according to

the principle of subsidiarity,

when the endeavors of parents

and other societies are lacking,

to carry out the work of edu-

cation in accordance with the

wishes of the parents; and,

moreover, as the common good

demands, to build schools and

institutions.

Finally, in a special way, the

duty of educating belongs to

the Church, not merely because

it must be recognized as a hu-

man society capable of educat-
ing, but especially because it

has the responsibility of an-

nouncing the way of salvation

to all men, of communicating

the life of Christ to those who
believe, and, in her unfailing

solicitude, of assisting men to
be able to come to the fullness

of this life. The Church is

bound as a mother to give to

these children of hers an edu-

cation by which their whole

life can be imbued with the

spirit of Christ and at the same

time do all she can to promote

for all peoples the complete

perfection of the human per-
son, the good of earthly society

and the building of a world

that is more human.

In fulfilling its educational

role, the Church, eager to em-

ploy all suitable aids, is con-

cerned especially about those

which are her very own. Fore-

most among these is catecheti-

cal instruction, which enlight-

ens and strengthens the faith,

nourishes life according to the

spirit of Christ, leads to intelli-

gent and active participation in

the liturgical mystery and

gives motivation for apostolic

activity. The Church esteems

highly and seeks to penetrate

and ennoble with her own spir-

it also other aids which belong

to the general heritage of man
and which are of great influ-

ence in forming souls and

molding men, such as the media

of communication, various

groups for mental and physical

development, youth associa-

tions, and, in particular,

schools.

4. The importance of schools

Among all educational in-

6



struments the school has a spe-

cial importance. It is designed

not only to develop with spe-

cial care the intellectual facul-

ties but also to form the abil-

ity to judge rightly, to hand on

the cultural legacy of previous

generations, to foster a sense of

values, to prepare for profes-

sional life. Between pupils of

different talents and back-

grounds it promotes friendly

relations and fosters a spirit of

mutual understanding; and it

establishes as it were a center

whose work and progress must

be shared together by families,

teachers, associations of vari-

ous types that foster cultural,

civic and religious life, as well

as by civil society and the en-

tire human community.

Beautiful indeed and of great

importance is the vocation of

all those who aid parents in

fulfilling their duties and who,

as representatives of the hu-

man community, undertake the
task of education in schools.

This vocation demands special

qualities of mind and heart,

very careful preparation, and

continuing readiness to renew

and to adapt.

5. The duties and rights of

parents

Parents who have the primary

and inalienable right and duty

to educate their children must

enjoy true liberty in their

choice of schools. Consequent-

ly, the public power, which has

the obligation to protect and

defend the rights of citizens,

must see to it, in its concern

for distributive justice, that

public subsidies are paid out in

such a way that parents are

truly free to choose according

to their conscience the schools

they want for their children.

In addition it is the task of

the state to see to it that all

citizens are able to come to a

suitable share in culture and

are properly prepared to exer-

cise their civic duties and

rights. Therefore the state must

protect the right of children to

an adequate school education,

check on the ability of teachers

and the excellence of their

training, look after the health

of the pupils and in general,

promote the whole school

project. But it must always keep

in mind the principle of sub-

sidiarity so that there is no

kind of school monopoly, for

this is opposed to the native

rights of the human person, to

the development and spread of

culture, to the peaceful asso-

ciation of citizens and to the

pluralism that exists today in

ever so many societies.

Therefore this sacred synod

exhorts the faithful to assist to

their utmost in finding suitable

methods of education and pro-

grams of study and in forming

teachers who can give youth a

true education. Through the

associations of parents in par-

ticular they should further with

their assistance all the work of

the school but especially the

7



moral education it must im-

part.

6. Moral and religious edu-

cation in all schools

Feeling very keenly the

weighty responsibility of dili-

gently caring for the moral and

religious education of all her

children, the Church must be

present with her own special

affection and help for the great

number who are being trained

in schools that are not Catholic.

This is possible by the witness

of the lives of those who teach
and direct them, by the apos-

tolic action of their fellow-

students, but especially by the

ministry of priests and laymen

who give them the doctrine of

salvation in a way suited to
their age and circumstances and

provide spiritual aid in every

way the times and conditions
allow.

The Church reminds parents

of the duty that is theirs to ar-

range and even demand that

their children be able to enjoy

these aids and advance in their

Christian formation to a degree

that is abreast of their devel-

opment in secular subjects.

Therefore the Church esteems

highly those civil authorities

and societies which, bearing in

mind the pluralism of contem-

porary society and respecting

religious freedom, assist fami-

lies so that the education of

their children can be imparted

in all schools according to the

individual moral and religious

principles of the families.

7. Catholic schools

The influence of the Church

in the field of education is

shown in a special manner by

the Catholic school. No less
than other schools does the

Catholic school pursue cultural

goals and the human formation
of youth. But its proper func-

tion is to create for the school

community a special atmos-

phere animated by the Gospel

spirit of freedom and charity,

to help youth grow according

to the new creatures they were
made through Baptism as they

develop their own personali-
ties, and finally to order the

whole of human culture to the
news of salvation so that the

knowledge the students gradu-

ally acquire of the world, life

and man is illumined by faith.
So indeed the Catholic school^

while it is open, as it must be,

to the situation of the contem-

porary world, leads its stu-

dents to promote efficaciously

the good of the earthly city

and also prepares them for

service in the spread of the

Kingdom of God, so that by

leading an exemplary apostolic

life they become, as it were, a

saving leaven in the human
community.

Since, therefore, the Catholic

school can be such an aid to the

fulfillment of the mission of

the People of God and to the

fostering of the dialogue be-

tween the Church and mankind,

to the benefit of both, it re-

8



tains even in our present cir-

cumstances the utmost impor-

tance. Consequently this sacred

synod proclaims anew what has

already been taught in several

documents of the magisterium,

namely: the right of the

Church freely to establish and

to conduct schools of every

type and level. And the council

calls to mind that the exercise

of a right of this kind contrib-

utes in the highest degree to

the protection of freedom of

conscience, the rights of par-

ents, as well as to the better-

ment of culture itself.

But let teachers recognize

that the Catholic school de-

pends upon them almost en-

tirely for the accomplishment

of its goals and programs. They

should therefore be very care-

fully prepared so that both in

secular and religious knowl-

edge they are equipped with

suitable qualifications and also

with a pedagogical skill that is

in keeping with the findings of

the contemporary world. Inti-

mately linked in charity to one

another and to their students

and endowed with an apostolic

spirit, may teachers by their
life as much as by their in-

struction bear witness to Christ

the unique Teacher. Let them

work as partners with parents

and together with them in ev-

ery phase of education give due

consideration to the difference

of sex and the proper ends Di-

vine Providence assigns to each

sex in the family and in soci-

ety. Let them do all they can

to stimulate their students to

act for themselves and even af-

ter graduation to continue to

assist them with advice, friend-

ship and by establishing spe-

cial associations imbued with

the true spirit of the Church.

The work of these teachers, this

sacred synod declares, is in the

real sense of the word an apos-

tolate most suited to and neces-

sary for our times and at once

a true service offered to soci-

ety. The Council also reminds

Catholic parents of the duty of

entrusting their children to

Catholic schools wherever and

whenever it is possible and of

supporting these schools to the

best of their ability and of co-

operating with them for the

education of their children.

8. Different types of Catholic

schools

To this concept of a Catholic

school all schools that are in

any way dependent on the

Church must conform as far as

possible, though the Catholic

school is to take on different

forms in keeping with local cir-

cumstances. Thus the Church

considers very dear to her

heart those Catholic schools,

found especially in the areas of

the new churches, which are at-

tended also by students who

are not Catholics.

Attention should be paid to

the needs of today in estab-

lishing and directing Catholic

schools. Therefore, though pri-

mary and secondary schools,

9



the foundation of education,

must still be fostered, great

importance is to be attached to

those which are required in a

particular way by contempo-

rary conditions, such as: pro-

fessional and technical schools,

centers for educating adults

and promoting social welfare,

or for the retarded in need of

special care, and also schools for

preparing teachers for religious

instruction and other types of

education.

This sacred council of the

Church earnestly entreats pas-

tors and all the faithful to

spare no sacrifice in helping

Catholic schools fulfill their

function in a continually more

perfect way, and especially in

caring for the needs of those

who are poor in the goods of

this world or who are deprived

of the assistance and affection

of a family or who are strang-

ers to the gift of Faith.

9. Catholic colleges and uni-

versities

The Church is concerned also

with schools of a higher level,

especially colleges and univer-

sities. In those schools depend-

ent on her she intends that by

their very constitution individ-

ual subjects be pursued accord-

ing to their own principles,

method, and liberty of scientif-

ic inquiry, in such a way that

an ever deeper understanding

in these fields will be obtained

and that, as questions that are

new and current are raised and

investigations carefully made

according to the example of the

doctors of the Church and es-

pecially of St. Thomas Aqui-

nas, there may be a deeper
realization of the harmony of

faith and science. Thus there is

accomplished a public, endur-

ing and pervasive influence of

the Christian mind in the fur-

therance of culture, and the

students of these institutions

are molded into men truly out-
standing in their training,

ready to undertake weighty re-

sponsibilities in society and

witness to the faith in the

world.

In Catholic universities

where there is no faculty of sa-

cred theology there should be

established an institute or chair

of sacred theology in which

there should be lectures suited

to lay students. Since science

advances by means of the in-

vestigations peculiar to higher

scientific studies, special atten-

tion should be given in Catholic

universities and colleges to in-

stitutes that serve primarily

the development of scientific

research.

The sacred synod heartily

recommends that Catholic col-

leges and universities be con-

veniently located in different^

parts of the world, but in such \

a way that they are outstand- \

ing not for their numbers but

for their pursuit of knowledge. J

Matriculation should be readily

available to students of real

promise, even though they be

of slender means, especially to

10



^students from the newly

'emerging nations.

Since the destiny of society

and of the Church itself is inti-

mately linked with the progress

of young people pursuing high-

er studies, the pastors of the

Church are to expend their en-

ergies not only on the spiritual

life of students who attend

Catholic universities, but, so-

licitous for the spiritual forma-

tion of all their children, they

must see to it, after consulta-

tions between bishops, that

even at universities that are

not Catholic there should be

associations and university

centers under Catholic auspices

in which priests, religious and

laity, carefully selected and

prepared, should give abiding

spiritual and intellectual as-

sistance to the youth of the

university. Whether in Catho-

lic universities or others, young

people of greater ability who

seem suited for teaching or re-

search should be specially

helped and encouraged to un-

dertake a teaching career.

10. Faculties of sacred sci-

ences

The Church expects much

from the zealous endeavors of

the faculties of the sacred sci-

ences. For to them she entrusts

the very serious responsibility

of preparing her own students
not only for the priestly min-

istry, but especially for teach-

ing in the seats of higher ec-

clesiastical studies or for pro-

moting learning on their own

or for undertaking the work of

a more rigorous intellectual

apostolate. Likewise it is the

role of these very faculties to

make more penetrating inquiry

into the various aspects of the

sacred sciences so that an ever

deepening understanding of sa-

cred Revelation is obtained, the

legacy of Christian wisdom

handed down by our forefa-

thers is more fully developed,

the dialogue with our separat-

ed brethren and with non-

Christians is fostered, and an-

swers are given to questions

arising from the development

of doctrine.

Therefore ecclesiastical fac-

ulties should reappraise their

own laws so that they can bet-

ter promote the sacred sciences

and those linked with them

and, by employing up-to-date

methods and aids, lead their

students to more penetrating

inquiry.

11. Coordination to be fos-

tered in scholastic mat-

ters

Cooperation is the order of

the day. It increases more and

more to supply the demand on

a diocesan, national and inter-

national level. Since it is alto-

gether necessary in scholastic

matters, every means should be

employed to foster suitable co-

operation between Catholic

schools, and between these and

other schools that collabora-

tion should be developed which

the good of all mankind re-

quires.

11



From greater coordination and

cooperative endeaver greater

fruits will be derived particu-

larly in the area of academic

institutions. Therefore in every

university let the various facul-

ties work mutually to this end,

insofar as their goal will per-

mit. In addition, let the uni-

versities also endeavor to work

together by promoting inter-

national gatherings, by sharing

scientific inquiries with one

another, by communicating

their discoveries to one anoth-

er, by having exchange of pro-

fessors for a time and by pro-

moting all else that is condu-

cive to greater assistance.

Conclusion

The sacred synod earnestly

entreats young people them-

selves to become aware of the

importance of the work of edu-

cation and to prepare them-

selves to take it up, especially

where because of a shortage of

teachers the education of

youth is in jeopardy.

This same sacred synod,

while professing its gratitude

to the priests, Religious men

and women, and the laity who

by their evangelical self-dedi-

cation are devoted to the no-

ble work of education and of

schools of every type and level,

exhorts them to persevere gen-

erously in the work they have

undertaken and, imbuing their

students with the spirit of

Christ, to strive to excel in

pedagogy and the pursuit of

knowledge in such a way that

they not merely advance the

internal renewal of the Church

but preserve and enhance its

beneficent influence upon to-

day’s world, especially the in-

tellectual world.

12