Catholic Commission for Social Justice
In my last article I shared the first four clauses of the 1960 Concordat. I now outline the last five clauses. Over the years a number of individuals have written about the Concordat, including Marion O’Callaghan and Prof John Spence whose excellent series (four in 2006 and four in December 2011) should inform our evaluation of Catholic Education.
“Among the many and grave duties of rulers who would do their best for their people, the first and chief is to act with justice – with that justice which is called in the schools distributive – towards each and every class” (Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum no. 27)
Since many Catholics may not be aware of the content of the 1960 Concordat, which governs the relationship between the Church and the State where Education is concerned, I wish to share with readers the content of this Concordat.
Gospel John 18:33b-37
Pilate said to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children” – Nelson Mandela.
On Tuesday, November 20, the world will commemorate Universal Children’s Day. It also marks the 22nd anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This day is celebrated each year “to put public initiatives and campaigns in place to raise awareness of children’s rights worldwide, awareness of their situation in life, problems, wishes, needs and longings as well as to enable exchanges and meetings between them” (UNRIC).
Gospel Mk 13:24-32
Jesus said to his disciples: “In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. “And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.