ANGELUS: SCHOOL, A PLACE OF GENUINE HUMAN MATURITY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 22, 2002 (VIS) - Before praying the Angelus with the faithful gathered in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo, the Pope recalled that in many countries school was re-opening after the summer break.

"Sometimes," affirmed the Holy Father, "it is said that the school, like the family, is in 'crisis.' With this expression, they are referring to the widespread perception that this institution, although recognized for its essential value, needs a complete transformation so that it can respond to the current demands of society."
John Paul II indicated that in order to reach this goal "it is not enough to modify programs and structures. The proper functioning of a school depends most of all on the formative quality of the relationship between teachers and students. Students feel motivated to give the best of themselves when teachers help them to understand the meaning of what they are studying, in terms of their growth and the realities that surround them. This is important for all schools, whether private or public, in all grades."

After recalling that "culture is the foundation of a people's identity," the Pope said that "the contribution that schools offer, subordinate to the family, is and continues to be indispensable in the transmission of the values of a culture."

The Holy Father concluded by asking that no one be excluded from "this fundamental area of formation and that all those who work in schools make a great effort so that they are a place of genuine human maturity."

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