Lineamenta on Education

Lineamenta on Education

EDUCATING THE PEOPLE OF GOD

Jesus Christ “went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach” (Mk 3:13). Leaving everything to follow him (Lk 14:26), this community of disciples undergo a gradual and thorough conversion wherein their actions and thoughts are shaped by him (Mt 12:30). What had been the unique way of formation of the disciples of the Lord (Mk 3:14) and then developed as a catechesis in the early Church is now continued at present as Christian Education and Evangelization process attuned to our times. This work of formation entrusted to the Church, as she is being sustained by the process of being evangelized by God’s presence in the Holy Spirit, “must be an integral Christian initiation open to all the other factors of Christian life” (Catechesi Tradendae, 21). She endeavors to develop every Christian into a person totally immersed in the mystery of the Holy Trinity where one’s attitudes, values, words, concerns, hopes, loves, choices and everything in the person’s life shall be in line with the Gospel of Jesus. As Vatican II states, “The Church must be concerned with the whole of man’s life, even the earthly part of it, in so far as that has a bearing on his heavenly calling” (GE, Introduction). To be concerned with the whole of man’s life, Christian education has the aspect of human and spiritual formation, doctrinal and apostolic formation and reaching to all levels from the individual, to the family, to the base communities and to the parish level.
Human formation enables the person to uphold his/her dignity as created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26-27) and develop his/her genuine basic values to empower him/her to overcome the brokenness of his/her life and to live his/her Christian faith in our secular world. To be well-informed about the contemporary world, well-balanced in his/her emotions and values, and well-motivated in Christian leadership, his/her education is a “human and well-rounded formation adapted to the natural abilities and circumstances”(AA, 29). The family has a crucial role in this holistic Christian formation. “Even amid the difficulties of the work of education…parents must trustingly and courageously train their children in the essential values of human life” (Familiaris Consortio, 37). The family prepares the Christian for his/her service to the various communities he is passing through towards the fulfillment of his/her life. Since the final fulfillment cannot be found in purely human realities, the Christian needs a spiritual formation as she/he is faced with the complexities of life in order to be attuned to the movements and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thus, a truly Christian education “aims at the formation of the human person with respect to his ultimate goal” (Gravissimum Educationis, 1). Man is looking for guidance in his lifelong process of formation. “The People of God believes that it is led by the Spirit of the Lord. Motivated by his faith, it labors to decipher authentic signs of God’ presence” (GS, 11).
In the Diocese of San Carlos, integral evangelization program is pursued by the ministries like catechesis, family life, mission, mass media, bible apostolate, renewal programs, catholic education and other programs of formation. Imbued with both the doctrinal and apostolic formation, our Christian leaders are prepared to confront the complexities of present day realities with a truly Christian Spirit and discernment based on the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Questions for small group discussion:
1. How shall we improve the education program of our parish and of our diocese?
2. What are the common problems we encounter in our formation or evangelization program?
3. How can we involve Christian families in catechesis and evangelization?