Teaching is not the monopoly of religious nor of the State

It is a big mistake, the consequence perhaps of some people’s poorly-formed mentalities, to see education as the exclusive task of the religious. It is likewise a big mistake to think that it is the exclusive right of the State. First of all because this would gravely damage the rights of parents and of the Church;¹⁰ and also because education is a sector, like many others in social life, in which citizens have a right to act freely, if they so desire and with due regard for the common good.

On the other hand, and as a consequence of an anti-Catholic movement of universal proportions, though diverse in its forms, in recent centuries religious have been increasingly removed from the field of education; and this makes the training of good, Christian professionals, dedicated to teaching, all the more urgent and necessary.

Need for Christian, professional teachers

However, that is only a circumstantial and contingent reason, because we do not stand in for the religious – as I said, what has happened is just the opposite – and we should not and cannot stand in for them, in their teaching work. Their work is fundamentally an ecclesiastical task, if not simply filling a gap; and our work in teaching is essentially professional and secular work.

Even if the particular reason given above did not exist – indeed, even if, as we would wish, the religious were to find no obstacle to the fulfilment of their mission, which we view with joy and affection – it would always be necessary to work at and support the training of good Christian teachers and lecturers, who do this professional work as citizens.