Bishop Robert Finn and the Catholic Commitment of Catholic Educators

A Covenant of Faith

Catholic Schools exist to reveal and expose the Catholic faith. In a deeper sense they serves as vehicles for the promotion of all students to develop an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. This statement serves as the premise behind Bishop Robert Finn's recent article in his Diocesan newspaper (Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St.Joseph) the "Catholic Key" on the Catholic Commitment of all Catholic schools and Catholic school teachers. Two main areas of focus in his article are directed towards the teachers who instruct, and the parents who serve as the primary educators of their children. This article will concentrate on the teachers commitment.

The identity of a Catholic school rests on the active vibrant practice and open expression of Catholicism in every component of a Catholic School. As the identity of Catholic schools can be effectively argued has waned throughout the last forty-years, great efforts have been made through the catehetical movement within the Church e.g. the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), the development of the USCCB Ad-Hoc committee that oversees the use of the Catechism in religious education textbooks, the publication of the General Directory for Catechesis (1997).

These valuable resources do indeed assist in the auuthentic transmission of the faith. However, they are of no use, if those who have been placed in positions to transmit the Deposit of Faith do not faithfully or effectively use them.

Hence, Bishop Finn is calling on all Catholic teachers to make a firm Catholic commitment as authentic guardians of the faith to the children whom they instruct. As part of the teachers contract within the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, each teacher will know and understand that by signing their contract they are effectively adhering to the teachings of the Catholic Church. This Catholic commitment statement signifies that each teachers knows and understands the teachings of the Catholic Church and the fielity to uphold these teachings as revealed to us via Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture and carefully formulated through the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Code of Canon Law.

What this statement reflects is the teachers commitment to actively practice the faith and faithfully transmitt that faith as a witness of the Gospel. Pope Paul VI reminded us so clearly when he wrote Evangelii Nuntiandi(1975) the famous creed for all Catholic educators: "Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses." (41)

This type of statement should be nothing knew to anyone who knows and understands what the Church of Jesus Christ has always asked of its faithful. The Apostles knew all too well not to stray from what has been handed down to them i.e. the Deposit of Faith where the faithful carefullly received authentic instruction (Acts 2:39-42) St. Paul reminds us of the fidelity required of all God's children in Col 3:1-3 to set our minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.

The journey will continue, and the Church will continue to educate her children in the intimacy of Jesus Christ throughout all its instructional rigor and vigor. Let us pray for continual renewal of Catholic education for all and especially for the brave witness of Bishop Robert Finn.

What's in an Oath?

One of the greatest mysteries that exist within the very being of our soul is whether or not, to listen to someone. We as fallible human beings tend to stray in our own path. This phenomenon has been occurring since our first parents felt the need to ignore a Divine decree from God not to eat the fruit from the tree in the midst of the Garden see: (Gen 3:1-8). Thus, from the beginning man has insisted on ignoring the directives of his own creator. We see this practice continue with Cain in (Gen 4) and the wickedness of men in (Gen 6:1-9).
God asks man, because he is created in the image and likeness of God, to obey with a sincere heart and faithfully follow the path being laid before him. Intermittently between these historic events, Noah reveals to us as the first faithful servant who obeys God and forges a covenant with Him. This covenant in many ways reflects an oath of fidelity to the will of the Father. How, he builds an arc as directed by God to continue the lineage of his children, a path of salvation forever linked to the foreshadowing of the “new Adam” the Messiah Jesus Christ.
We see because of Noah’s faithfulness in constructing the arc, after the waters recede in (Gen 8:1-12) God makes a promise (Oath) to Noah that He will “. . . never curse the ground because of man . . .” (Gen 8:21). God blesses Noah for his faithfulness. We can continue with countless encounters throughout Salvation History as revealed to us by our Lord through His Sacred Word e.g. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob etc. but it leads us to a point very prevalent today. Should anyone who teaches in a Catholic school or religious education program be required to make a covenant i.e. sign an oath of fidelity that he/she will demonstrate fidelity to the teachings of the Church?
Is the mere mention of being a Catholic teacher sufficient affirmation to allow the instruction of the faithful? Is there a greater need for clarity to assure fidelity to the Church with one who is Catholic? Unfortunately in today’s current catechetical state, saying your Catholic is not a sufficient means to assure fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium(teaching office) anymore. Too often, we find and here Catholic educators within our Catholic institutions of learning promoting such things contradictory to the faith like abortion, contraception, in-vitro fertilization, cohabitation and I can go on. In the last forty-years, there has been a loss of the sense of obedience. The sense of freedom has been reduced to the “right” to so as I please and perform as I see fit.
The Catechism reminds us: “by faith man completely submits his intellect and his will to God. With his whole being man gives his assent to God, the author of revelation, ‘the obedience of faith’”. (CCC 143) Our responsibility rests on listening to the will of the Father and not our own. Assent to his love will lead us to love others and avoid the love of self. Obey, ob-audire meaning to hear or listen calls us to submit freely to the word that has been heard because it is God himself. (CCC 144) The letter to the Hebrews assists us to recall the importance of faith and obedience: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen.” (11:1) Hope rests in the very act of obedience because it is in hope where we as finite creatures surrender ourselves to the will of the Father because we know by our own volition only so much is accomplished. Our free assent, our oath to Christ and his Church cuts to the heart of our catechetical mission to instruct the hearts of the faithful in His love.

Ultimately, it is not the Gospel according to our own disposition. This is contrary to the very fiber of the Deposit of Faith. It is freedom to carry on the love of Christ and His Church for the whole world. Our love must be directed to the love that never ends. (CCC 25)