“Disarm words, elevate your gaze, nurture your hearts” to “restore trust in a world marked by fear and division.” This threefold appeal concludes the Apostolic Letter “Drawing New Maps of Hope”, released on the 60th anniversary of the Vatican II declaration Gravissimum Educationis. In addition to the conciliar declaration and the Global Compact on Education promoted by Pope Francis, a guiding star of the “constellations” that constitute the principles of Catholic education is St John Henry Newman, who will be proclaimed co-patron saint of Catholic education alongside St Thomas Aquinas on Saturday, 1 November. “Unarmed and disarmed peace education teaches to lay down the arms of aggressive language and words of judgement, replacing them with the language of mercy and reconciled justice,” assures Leo XIV. “Disarm your words: education does not thrive on controversy, but on gentle listening,” writes the Pope. “Raise your gaze. Ask yourselves where you are going and why.” “Cherish your feelings: relationships take precedence over opinions, as do people over programs.” Leo clearly outlines the challenges of education in the text: “Hyper-digitisation diminishes concentration; relationship crises can affect mental health; and social insecurity and inequality may stifle ambition.” “Catholic education, however, offers a beacon of hope, not a nostalgic refuge, providing a space for discernment, pedagogical innovation, and prophetic witness.” Addressing pastoral workers, consecrated persons, lay people and those who lead educational institutions, Leo requests that they “be servants of the world of education, choreographers of hope, tireless seekers of wisdom and credible creators of expressions of beauty”.
“Digital technology must serve humanity; not replace it. It should enrich the learning process, and not weaken human relationships and communities,”
writes the Pope, for whom “a Catholic university or school lacking vision risks producing soulless efficiency and the standardisation of knowledge, which eventually breeds spiritual impoverishment”. Pastoral creativity is needed to inhabit these spaces, which involves “enhancing digital literacy among teachers; promoting active teaching; encouraging service learning and responsible citizenship; while avoiding technophobia.” “Our attitude towards digital technology must never be hostile,” Pope Leo XIV points out. However, he notes,
“No algorithm can replace what makes education truly human: poetry, irony, love, art, imagination, the joy of discovery and learning from mistakes as an opportunity for growth.”
The Pontiff further explains that the key issue “is not digital technology per se, but rather the usage thereof.” “Artificial intelligence and digital environments should be directed towards safeguarding dignity, justice and work; they must be governed by principles of public ethics and participation; and they must be accompanied by theological and philosophical reflection at the appropriate level.” “A person cannot be confined to a set of measurable skills or to a predictable digital profile, but must be recognised in their uniqueness as an individual with a face, a story, and a vocation.”
In this context, Catholic universities are tasked with the significant responsibility of providing a diakonia of culture, fewer chairs and more tables, where people can convene without unnecessary hierarchies, with the aim of addressing the wounds of history and seeking, in the Spirit, the wisdom that emanates from human experience.
“Rapid and profound changes expose children, adolescents, and young people to unprecedented levels of fragility.”
In the context of the sixtieth anniversary of Gravissimum Educationis and the fifth anniversary of the Global Compact on Education, the Pope highlights that merely maintaining the status quo is insufficient; rather, there is a need for a process of renewal. ‘I call on all educational institutions to inaugurate a new season that speaks to the hearts of the new generations, with a view to rebuilding knowledge and meaning, competence and responsibility, faith and life.” Pope Prevost emphasises that the seven commitments set out in Pope Francis’ Global Compact on Education remain highly relevant today. These are: “Placing the person at the centre of every educational programme; listening to the voices of children and young people; encouraging the full participation of girls and young women in education; acknowledging the family as the primary educator; fostering welcoming and inclusive environments; rethinking economic and political systems in the service of humanity; and safeguarding our common home”. These “guiding stars” have inspired schools, universities, and educational communities around the world, producing effective processes of humanisation.” To these seven pathways, Pope Leo adds three priorities: The first concerns inner life: young people seek depth; they need spaces for silence, discernment and dialogue with their conscience and with God. The second concerns a humane digital culture: “We must educate people to use technology and AI wisely, prioritising the individual over the algorithm and harmonising technical, emotional, social, spiritual and ecological forms of intelligence. “The third concerns peace — unarmed and disarming. “Let us educate in non-violent language, reconciliation — building bridges, not walls.”
“The family remains the primary educator.”
The Pope further emphasises that Catholic schools collaborate with parents; they do not replace them.
“Education is not merely the transmission of content, but an apprenticeship in virtue. It forms citizens that are capable of serving, and believers that are capable of bearing witness. It forms men and women that are freer, not more isolated. Education cannot be done by improvisation.’ “This is why there is a need for “a common path of formation — both initial and ongoing — capable of meeting the educational challenges of the present moment and providing more effective tools for addressing them.” There is no place for “subordinating education to the labour market or to the frequently harsh and inhumane dictates of finance.” “Forgetting our common humanity has caused division and violence, and when the Earth suffers, the poor suffer most.” The call for responsibility towards creation is clear: “Catholic education cannot remain silent; it must combine social and environmental justice.” “Losing the poor is equivalent to the loss of education as a whole”, a warning that also applies to universities.
