Catholic educators urged to create 'church of hope'

Published: 2004-04-19

BOSTON (CNS) - A speaker on the final day of the 2004 National Catholic Educational Association convention sent delegates home with the message that, despite the obstacles and challenges to their work, they can play a vital part in creating a "church of hope." In the closing session of the NCEA's 101st annual convention, held April 13-16 in Boston, Father J. Bryan Hehir, president of Catholic Charities in Boston, urged educators to go about their work with "confident modesty," assured that the church has "something to teach and much to learn." He encouraged them to draw upon the resources of the Catholic tradition which emphasizes that faith is connected to the world at large. "We aren't exclusively a church of faith, but a church of reason," he added, emphasizing the need to learn from others and to interpret Scriptures for modern challenges.

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