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CV NEWS FEED // Archdiocese of Pittsburgh Archbishop Emeritus Charles Chaput has expressed strong support for Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, Bishop James Conley’s recently released pastoral letter, The Joy and Wonder of Catholic Education, highlighting the importance of wonder in traditionally liberal education.
In a guest column in the Southern Nebraska Register, Archbishop Chaput commended the new letter, asserting that authentic Catholic education must guide students toward truth, beauty, and goodness.
“Bishop Conley does us a great service in reminding us of the purpose of education,” Archbishop Chaput wrote. “It is a letter that should be read widely by educators, pastors, parents, and all people entrusted with the care of young hearts and minds.”
He pointed out that Bishop Conley’s vision is a necessary counter to the modern tendency to prioritize technical skills over the deeper purpose of education.
“The Joy and Wonder of Catholic Education reminds us that a genuine education is one that touches not just the intellect, but the imagination and heart,” Archbishop Chaput wrote.
Children are inspired to learn through their natural sense of wonder, according to the Archbishop, because “[c]hildren instinctively know there is something to which they are called that is greater than their experiences …. They know there is a world outside of their limited knowledge and they want someone to lead them there.”
“What we need from education is a renewed sense of wonder; a renewed sense of the sacred that is at the heart of what it means to be human,” Archbishop Chaput wrote, echoing Bishop Conley’s message.
The Archbishop noted that the pastoral letter outlines, in an accessible manner, five key marks of a truly Catholic education. He also reiterated that educators would benefit from reading, meditating on, and discussing The Joy and Wonder of Catholic Education.
“What a gift it would be if our schools could give to our students that wonder through which God enters the heart and gives it new life,” Archbishop Chaput concluded.
