At 60 years, core principles of ‘Declaration on Christian Education’ remain vital

A reflection from Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.

As the Holy Year continues, the Church will celebrate the “Jubilee of the World of Education” in Rome on October 27-November 1 this year. The Jubilee will include several special events: the 60th anniversary celebration of the publication of the Second Vatican Council’s “Declaration on Christian Education (Gravissimum Educationis)” promulgated by Pope St. Paul VI on October 28,1965; the release of a yet to be named commemorative document by our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV regarding Catholic education on that anniversary; and the declaration of St. John Newman as a “Doctor of the Church (November 1, 2025)” and, along with St. Thomas Aquinas, as a “co-patron” of Catholic education.

At a press conference held in Rome on October 22, Cardinal Jose Tolentino de Mendonca, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, announced that more than 20,000 people from 124 nations have registered to join in this weeklong Jubilee celebration, a recognition of the Church’s universal commitment to Catholic education at every level. 

Pope Leo XIV’s new document, Cardinal Mendonca observed, will address Catholic schools of all types “not so much in terms of ‘institutions’ but, rather, as ‘educational communities’ for whom the 1965 Vatican declaration “continues to point the way.”  He continued, “rapid and profound changes are exposing children, adolescents and young people to unprecedented vulnerabilities” calling the Church in our age to “inaugurate a season that speaks to the hearts of the new generations, recomposing knowledge and meaning, competence and responsibility, faith and life.”

Regarding the Jubilee and the publication of the Holy Father’s new document, Cardinal Mendoca concluded, “These are important, I would say historical days for Catholic education, and it is the desire of the Holy Father to inaugurate a new season that involves educational institutions with a new spirit and new plans, asking them to become true maps of hope in today's world.  Education is the new name for peace and places hope on the map of the present and the future.”

Given the foundation established by the Second Vatican Council’s 1965 “Declaration on Christian Education (Gravissimum Educationis)” --- a document “not frozen in time,” according to Cardinal Mendonca --- we are invited to reflect on the enduring significance of this text for the Church’s mission in education. This anniversary offers an opportunity to look back on the visionary teaching of the Council and to assess how the principles outlined in Gravissimum Educationis (GE) continue to guide and shape Catholic education in our communities, dioceses and schools today.

In my capacity as the Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Catholic Education, I am mindful of the profound responsibility entrusted to the Church in the realm of education. The document’s emphasis on the holistic formation of the person — intellectual, spiritual, moral, and physical — remains as relevant today as it was in 1965. As a diocesan community in Trenton, we stand at the crossroads of a world marked by rapid technological advancements, shifting cultural values, and increasing challenges to the faith. The call of GE urges us to provide an education that is not only academically rigorous but also deeply rooted in the teachings of Christ and the Church, one that prepares young people to live as faithful disciples in a complex world.

At its heart, GE presents a vision of education as a means of human flourishing, grounded in the dignity of the human person created in the image of God. Vatican II emphasized that education is not merely a secular endeavor, but a deeply sacred one. The document opened with a fundamental affirmation: “Since the purpose of education is to help people develop their full potential — intellectually, morally, and spiritually — Catholic education is therefore not simply an academic pursuit, but a means of human and spiritual formation” (GE ,1). The role of the Church is not limited to the instruction of children in the faith, but also to ensuring that every student — regardless of background or circumstance — receives a broad and well-rounded education that prepares them for the fullness of life in Christ.

The document highlighted the right of every person to an education, emphasizing that no one should be excluded from receiving a Catholic education because of their social, economic, or cultural background. For us, as a diocese, this is a call to widen the reach of Catholic education, to make it accessible, and to ensure that all children — whether in parochial schools or in faith-based religious education programs — are provided with the opportunity to encounter Christ through their learning. The expansion of this vision must take into account the socioeconomic realities faced by many families today, and our commitment to ensuring that the promise of Catholic education is not a privilege for the few, but a gift to all.

The central role of the spiritual and moral formation of students is perhaps the most striking element of GE. Catholic education is intended not only to teach academic subjects but to form young people who will live out their faith in the world. Vatican II firmly placed the responsibility for this formation upon the entire educational community — teachers, administrators, families, and students alike. Education must be a collaborative effort, one that recognizes the crucial role of parents as the primary educators of their children, while also acknowledging the distinctive role of the Church and its schools in nurturing the faith of future generations.

The document outlined how the Church must provide an education that is “permeated by the spirit of Christ,” guiding students not just to understand the truths of the faith, but to internalize them, live them, and bring them to life in the world around them. In this way, Catholic education becomes a form of evangelization, drawing students ever closer to Christ and teaching them to engage the world with a heart of service, compassion, and love. It calls upon educators to be more than teachers --- they must be witnesses to the faith.

In this context, I urge our Catholic schools in the Diocese of Trenton to remember that their core mission is to form disciples, not merely scholars. Teachers must see themselves as catechists, helping to foster in students an encounter with the living Christ, guiding them in the practice of virtue, and instilling in them a sense of the Church’s moral teaching. The goal of Catholic education is to raise up not only individuals who can navigate the complexities of the world but who do so with a moral compass rooted in the Gospel.

The world of 2025 is far different from the world of 1965, yet the principles outlined in GE remain as vital as ever. Today’s students face challenges that the Council fathers could scarcely have anticipated: the rapid pace of technological change (e.g., AI), a society increasingly marked by secularism and relativism, and a globalized world that presents both extraordinary opportunities and daunting risks. Catholic schools must adapt to these new challenges without losing sight of their essential mission.

One of the most important aspects of GE is the call for Catholic education to engage with the modern world. The Church must not retreat into isolation, but must engage the questions, concerns, and issues that arise within society, bringing the light of the Gospel to bear on the pressing challenges of our time. Catholic schools today must prepare students not just for academic success, but to be thoughtful, ethical citizens who can contribute to the common good and bring Christian principles to bear on the issues of the day — whether in politics, economics, or social justice.
In this light, our diocesan schools must continue to reflect critically on the purpose and quality of the education they offer. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of GE, we are reminded that education is not simply a means of passing on information but a vehicle for transmitting the Gospel. Our schools must be places where faith and reason work together, where students are challenged to grow intellectually and spiritually, and where they are equipped to serve the world as agents of hope and change.

As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, I call upon the faithful in the Diocese of Trenton — parents, pastors and priests, educators, administrators, and students — to renew our commitment to the vision of GE that the idea that education is not simply about preparing students for careers or personal success but about forming them into disciples who will go forth and transform the world with the love of Christ. Our Catholic schools must remain vibrant centers of faith and learning, places where the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness is never separated from the practice of love, charity, and justice.

In celebrating the 60th anniversary of GE, Catholics need to recall that the Church’s mission in education is ultimately a call to help young people become who God has created them to be as we continue to build a culture of education that nurtures both the mind and the soul, equipping students to be true witnesses to the Lord Jesus Christ in every aspect of their lives.
May our Catholic schools at every level in our Diocese remain ever faithful to this noble calling, as we seek to follow the vision of Vatican II while awaiting the “new message” of Pope Leo XIV and his invitation to serve the mission of the Church in the world today.

Photo: A student from St. Jerome School, West Long Branch, prays during a Catholic Schools Week Mass celebrated earlier this year. John Batkowski photo