This Saturday, the Pope sent a video message to the participants of the congress “Without identity there is no education”, held this Saturday at the Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Madrid. In his address, the Pontiff emphasized that the Church’s educational mission can only remain firm if it preserves the Christian identity as the center and criterion of all formative action.
The Christian identity, core of the educational process
The Pope began by expressing his gratitude for the daily work of educators, especially in a time marked by extreme digitalization and cultural fragmentation. He recalled that Christian education is a “living leaven” for new generations and a point of reference for communities.
Leo XIV insisted that identity is not an ornament or a superficial seal, but “the core that gives sense, method, and purpose” to all educational work. Without this reference, he stated, the mission becomes an automatism incapable of transforming, because “the compass is Christ.”
A warning against cultural drift
The Pope compared Christian identity to the North Star that guides navigators. When it is lost from sight, “the ship drifts away.” Without Christ, he warned, education becomes empty and exposed to the cultural, ethical, and social tensions of an era marked by polarization and violence.
He also alerted against an identity reduced to gestures or lifeless rituals: it must inspire pedagogical decisions, the way of teaching, evaluating, and acting.
Tradition and future: the heritage that sustains
Quoting the Spanish philosopher María Zambrano, the Pope recalled that the present and future cannot be detached from the past, because “the roots are greater than the branches that see the light.” He invited educators to maintain a hopeful gaze toward the future without losing the inherited wisdom.
Faith and reason: a necessary alliance
Leo XIV defended the harmonious integration between faith and reason as a sure path to understanding reality and forming character. For this reason, he called for educational methods that unite sciences, history, ethics, and spirituality, always within an educational community conceived as a home where family, parish, and school collaborate.
The Church, mother and teacher in its educational mission
Recalling the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, the Pope emphasized the maternal dimension of the Church, which generates, educates, and sustains its children. This maternity, he said, is reflected in Catholic schools, which must be open to dialogue and become instruments of peace and care for creation.
He asked to reread the declaration Gravissimum educationis on the 60th anniversary of its promulgation, highlighting its relevance and forward-looking vision.
An essential mission, not philanthropic
In his final message, Leo XIV affirmed that the Church’s educational work is not just another social work, but an essential part of its identity and mission. For this reason, he encouraged educators to commit with courage and hope, renewing their passion for teaching every day.
He concluded his message by thanking the teachers and sending his blessing.