 | | | Father Brian Shanley
(Photo courtesy of Providence College) | |
On Thursday afternoon, April 17 Pope Benedict XVI delivered a major address to college presidents and diocesan superintendents about the importance of Catholic Education. [For a full report of what Pope Benedict said, CLICK HERE.] Catholic Digest asked two participants -- Reverand Brian Shanley, OP, President of Providence College in Providence, RI, and Karen Ristau, President of the National Catholic Education Association, to share their thought on the pope's address and what it means for Catholic education today.
To read the Q&A with Karen Ristau, CLICK HERE. |
A Catholic Digest Papal Exclusive“Some people thought he was going to come and wag his finger. I came away thinking that the Holy Father really was here to encourage Catholic education in the United States.”CD: You were present when the pope gave his speech about education. What were your expectations going into the address?SHANLEY: I think, like a lot of people, I was wondering what he was going to say — some people thought he was going to come and wag his finger at higher education in America. Other people had been saying this was going to be more a message of encouragement. I was curious as to who had it right. And yesterday I came away thinking that the Holy Father really was here to encourage Catholic education in the United States.
CD: It certainly seems like that was true, based on what I’ve read. The Holy Father did mention that some people might doubt the necessity of Catholic education these days. Do you feel an increasing need to defend the Catholic educational institution?SHANLEY: No, I guess I feel like the importance of Catholic education is self–evident. I watch a lot of people at Providence College make great sacrifices for their children to provide that for them. I think that Catholics who are serious about Catholic education recognize its value. I believe even people who are not Catholic who come to Providence College or teach at Providence College appreciate that there’s a qualitative difference in a Catholic education.
CD: Do you feel that that the other educators present had an equally positive reaction to the Holy Father’s address?SHANLEY: Yes. I talked to some of my fellow presidents and educators afterwards, and I think everybody was impressed with the pope. All of us came away thinking,
We’ve got to read this (the address) because he’s deep. As an academic, I appreciate Pope Benedict enormously in terms of the intelligence and the thoughtfulness that he brings to just about everything he says. As I re-read it this morning, I thought,
Boy, he managed to cover quite a lot. It’s like he gave a very comprehensive overview of Catholic education, its goals, its purposes, and its challenges. There’s something in there for everybody whether you’re running a grade school or a college.
CD: That struck me as well. He offered some really nice insights into the connection between faith and reason and education and truth. But is it difficult to actually put some of these ideas into practice? Without a specific plan of action, will the inspiration he’s offered eventually just wear off? SHANLEY: As somebody whose been a philosopher and done metaphysics and first principles, I believe strongly that you have to have your first basic principles straight. I think in many ways that’s what the pope was trying to talk about yesterday: some of the broadest and deepest principles of Catholic education. I think it’s helpful for everybody to reflect on those and then it’s a matter of what I’ll call prudence to figure out how, practically, in the context of whatever school you’re in, you begin to work on trying to embody and embed
