On 10th November 2008, ZENIT reported the views of Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, that education is key for the future of humanity.  Education, the cardinal explained, is not just knowledge and technical capacities. This information can be “used for good or evil,” he said, as history shows.

Instead, “it’s necessary to educate people so they know how to and want to use what they have learned in favor of good and not evil,” Cardinal Grocholewski said.  True education “is not contrary to liberty and is not an imposition,” but instead “looks precisely toward forming free persons, who are not and will not become slaves of their vices,” he continued.

The Vatican official acknowledged that education is more difficult today than in the past, given the influence of schools and media on the “irreplaceable” role of the family.  Thus, Catholic education takes on an important role, he said, aiming at “favoring the physical, intellectual and moral development of the human person, toward the full awareness and dominion of himself, the taking on of responsibilities, participation in values and the common good.”

Cardinal Grocholewski said there are three fundamental goals for Catholic education: “the effective proclamation of the Gospel, entrance into the life of liturgy and prayer, and the religious, spiritual and moral maturing of the student.”