Pope says Catholic schools help develop responsible citizens

Published: 2007-09-13

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- Catholic schools and faith-based education benefit civil society by helping young people grow into responsible citizens, Pope Benedict XVI said. "It is important that states continue to guarantee the church the freedom to establish and administer Catholic schools, affording parents the opportunity to choose a means of education that fosters the Christian formation of their children," he said in a private audience with Slovakia's new ambassador to the Vatican. When Jozef Dravecky presented his letters of credential to the pope Sept. 13, Pope Benedict underlined the importance of offering young people "a solid education that nourishes all the dimensions of the human person, including the religious and spiritual," saying such education was "in the interest of both church and state." Christian teachings and values help young people "appreciate their personal dignity" and give them "a purpose and direction for their lives," he said, acknowledging that Slovakia had such a system.

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