It is not the intention
of this statement to elucidate Catholic educational ethos in depth as
information on Catholic education is readily available. It will be sufficient
to indicate how Spiritan educational ethos is rooted in the mainstream
Catholic education tradition.
Neither will it
be possible to explore Irish educational ethos other than to mention
some of the contributions which the Congregation has made to Irish education.
It is worth noting that "Catholic education" does not mean
education for Catholics only. Spiritan colleges in Ireland and elsewhere
have always welcomed students of other religions. Parents are attracted
by the caring community ethos of the schools which respects the religious
beliefs of all students and bridges ethnic differences.
The
Holy Ghost Congregation
Tradition and Ethos
In any organisation, vision and ethos are central to its identity, because
they give it inspiration and direction. Where an apostolate has been
given a civil law identity separate from its religious sponsor, by virtue
of its establishment as an association registered as a non-profit company,
its identity is affirmed by means of its Memorandum and Articles of
Association and its Mission Statement, which incorporate the ethos of
the sponsor. This is the case with the DEA, which incorporates the education
ethos of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
Vision and ethos are two sides of the same coin. "Vision"
refers to how the leadership and members see the role and purpose of
the organization, whereas "ethos" refers to how the vision
is lived out in daily practice. In education other expressions are often
used for ethos and vision. Some educators speak of "ethos and educational
philosophy," which is the expression used in the Memorandum and
Articles of the DEA. The Mission Statement of the DEA uses the expression,
"education tradition of the Congregation." The Education Act
refers to school ethos as "the characteristic spirit" of a
school (Art. 9-d), while others speak of it as the school "climate."
In the business world, "corporate culture" is often used in
the same sense. By means of this statement of ethos, the Members of
the DEA wish to articulate our understanding of the education ethos
of the Congregation, with particular reference to the Irish context.
Another term often associated with ethos is "charism." One
definition of charism is: "an inspiration from the Spirit of God
which urges the individual to perform a special role in the community"
(Iglesias, 1984).
Rather than being
a set of directives, a charism is a vision which is handed on by the
individual recipient to his or her followers, as in the case of the
founders of religious orders and congregations. The Vatican Congregation
for Catholic Education notes that in Catholic schools belonging to religious
congregations, "each congregation brings the richness of its own
educational tradition to the school, found in its original charism"
(The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School, 1988).
The Spiritan tradition is understood here as a lived reality which embodies
the charism or vision of the Founders in different ways in different
times and circumstances. It is nourished by reflection and dialogue.
The DEA is one embodiment of the Spiritan tradition. The main thrust
of this statement, therefore, is not so much to attempt to identify
the differences between the Spiritan tradition and that of other congregations,
but rather to heighten our awareness of the Spiritan tradition and education
ethos.
This statement attempts to answer the question; "What is the ethos
of Spiritan education?" Three sources of Spiritan ethos are referred
to: the inspiration of the Founders, the lived tradition throughout
the three hundred years that the Congregation has been in existence,
and the Spiritan Rule of Life (SRL). The works of several authors used
in writing the statement are gratefully acknowledged and are listed
at the end. To avoid overloading the document with references, only
the sources of direct quotations are given in the text.
The Inspiration of the Founder
Claude Francis Poullart des Places
The Spiritan education story begins with Claude Francis Poullart des
Places, after whom our Association has been named. He was born in Rennes,
Brittany, on 26th February, 1679, the son of a rich merchant, François
Claude Poullart des Places. His mother, Jeanne, was a teacher and a
woman of deep Christian faith. Claude received his secondary education
in the Jesuit College of St. Thomas near his home in Rennes, where he
was ranked at the top of his class in his final year, 1698. He went
on to study law at the University of Nantes. However, instead of entering
the legal profession after graduation, he gave up a promising career
as a lawyer and decided to become a priest.As a young man aged twenty-two
he arrived in Paris to study for the priesthood. He had a profound concern
for the poor which found expression in helping the young chimney-sweeps
of Paris. In 1703, while still a student, he founded a house for disadvantaged
theological students. At the same time he and a few followers founded
a community consecrated to the Holy Spirit under the invocation of the
Blessed Virgin Conceived Without Sin, which later became the Congregation
of the Holy Spirit. These were to be the main achievements of his short
life. He was ordained priest, on 17th December, 1707. Two years later,
worn out with his efforts on behalf of his community, he died on 2nd
October, 1709 at the age of thirty years.
After Claude's death the congregation he had founded continued to flourish
and to maintain his tradition of high academic standards, a simple lifestyle
and a religious commitment to difficult ministries. It is a remarkable
fact that although Claude died so soon after the foundation of his community,
it has continued to exist up to the present day, having developed into
a seminary and later, the international Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
Francis Libermann
The second outstanding personality in the Spiritan story is Francis
Libermann. He was born Jacob Libermann in 1802 in Saverne, Alsace, the
son of a Jewish rabbi. He studied first at home and later at the Rabbinical
School in Metz. After a period of agnosticism, he went to Paris and
was baptised into the Catholic Church in 1826. Soon afterwards, he experienced
the call to become a priest and in 1827 entered the seminary of St.
Sulpice. However, the onset of epilepsy in 1828 meant that Francis'
ordination was postponed indefinitely. Having spent thirteen years in
various institutes of theological education, he became interested in
a project to establish a society for the pastoral care and education
of freed slaves. Francis was ordained priest in 1841 and the same year
opened the novitiate of the new society, the "Society of the Holy
Heart of Mary."
In 1848 an unusual event took place when, following negotiations between
the two congregations and the Holy See, all the members of the Society
of the Holy Heart of Mary joined the Congregation of the Holy Spirit
founded by Des Places, and Libermann became its Superior General. From
then on the Congregation has been known as the "Congregation of
the Holy Spirit under the Protection of the Immaculate Heart of Mary."
This union brought an infusion of new members who revitalized the older
congregation.
Under Libermann's leadership the Congregation continued to grow and
to develop its educational, missionary, and pastoral work in many countries
outside France and her colonies. Francis Libermann died on February
2nd, 1852, leaving behind him a reputation for holiness. The inspiration
provided by Fr. des Places and Fr. Libermann for education may best
be appreciated by considering some of the values and traditions which
they passed on to their Congregation.
Openness to the Spirit
An important core value inherited from the two Founders is openness
to the Spirit. In this they imitated Jesus, who was "led by the
Spirit" (Luke, 4:1). Des Places dedicated his community to the
Holy Spirit. Libermann regarded openness to the Spirit as the guiding
principle of his life and of the Congregation. This represented a departure
from the traditional emphasis on blind obedience. Two examples of their
openness to the Spirit are adaptability to change and respect for each
person's uniqueness.
First, they showed a deep respect for the light of the Holy Spirit manifesting
himself in the changing circumstances of life. In education this meant
responding to the most pressing educational needs of the people of their
times. Second, they respected each one's personal vocation as a manifestation
of the Spirit's guidance. In an educational context this meant respect
for each individual's personality and talents.
Libermann's respect for the Spirit at work in peoples and cultures led
him to adopt an innovative approach to cross-cultural education. In
sharp contrast to the "assimilation" policy of both Church
and State in the colonies of the time, he advocated respect for local
cultures in both educational and missionary activities. [The missionaries]
"must pay particular attention to which customs and habits are
characteristic of the people and the land. They must carefully avoid
disturbing these customs (unless they are against God's law) and modifying
them in a European fashion. They will simply try to make [the people]
more perfect in their own way of life and in accord with their own customs"
(Koren, 1983, p. 260).
A
Sense of Community
The motto of the Congregation is, "One heart and one soul,"
(Cor unam et anima una) evoking the first Christian community in Jerusalem.
As might be expected, therefore, a sense of community was a basic principle
for both des Places and Libermann. This is expressed in common living
with shared prayer, meals and work, and a simple lifestyle. In education
a sense of community translates into concern for the students, a family
spirit and accessibility.
It is interesting in the context of ethos to note that the Second Vatican
Council describes the distinguishing characteristic of a Catholic school
in terms of community: "What makes a Catholic school distinctive
is its attempt to generate a community climate in the school that is
permeated by the Gospel spirit of freedom and love" (Declaration
on Christian Education, Gravissimum Educationis, art. 8).
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Concern
for the Poor
It was his concern for the poor that led Des Places to found his community
for poor students. Libermann felt called by God to help the slaves and
freed slaves in the old French colonies, whose miserable condition had
been brought to his attention by two student friends, Eugene Tisserant
and Frederick Le Vavasseur. Concern for the poor remains a top priority
for the Congregation of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of its mission
"to follow Jesus and to announce the good news of the Kingdom"
(SRL1).Education is a potent means of translating that concern into
action. For many, education is the beginning of the good news, leading
to spiritual and social empowerment. Libermann had an inclusive approach
to education which combined concern for the disadvantaged with openness
to the needs of people from all walks of life.
The general aim of the Congregation is to preach the Gospel to the poor.
"We consider the missions our principal objective… We also
want to work for the salvation of the people of France, but always having
the poor as our principal objective, without neglecting those who are
not poor" (Daly, 1986, p. 34).
Global
Vision
The missionary outlook of the Congregation has given it's members a
global vision which inspires hope for the realization of one world united
in peace and justice in the Kingdom of God. In education it means working
for the empowerment of peoples and their liberation from injustice,
poverty and ignorance. Their global mission in the service of the Kingdom
of God enables members of the Congregation to bring to the poor empowerment
through education and to bring to the better off a consciousness of
their responsibility to work towards a global society where poverty
will be eliminated.
Commitment
to Service
Closely associated with concern for the disadvantaged was the Founders'
commitment to service. Des Places was not content simply to pursue his
theological studies in Paris oblivious to what was going on around him.
He was motivated by a spirit of service to others which inspired him
to help the young chimney-sweeps and impoverished theological students.
His untimely death in October 1709 was hastened by his prodigious efforts
to develop his young society and to provide food for his community during
the early months of the year when extremely cold weather caused disruption
of the food supply and widespread hunger in Paris.
Libermann also had a strong sense of service as shown by his total commitment
to the development of his society in the service of the poor and disadvantaged
people of his day. He continually emphasized the spirit of service in
his instructions to his missionaries. In the same spirit he carried
on a voluminous correspondence devoted to spiritual counseling in addition
to his responsibilities as Superior General of the Congregation. He
put service to others before his own welfare, regardless of his weak
health. He saw education as service to the Church and to people in need.
High Educational Standards
Des Places exemplified commitment to high educational standards in his
own life. Having graduated summa cum laude as the youngest and brightest
of several hundred students, he was chosen to represent his school in
a public disputation before the invited elite of the city of Rennes.
Later, when he had founded his Congregation, the standards set by Des
Places for the education of priests were remarkable for his time. Requirements
varied widely throughout the Church, in many cases amounting to no more
than one and a half years of theological studies. He required that the
course of study should extend over at least six years, to include two
years of philosophy and four years of theology. He insisted on high
academic standards from the students in his community, even insisting
on the study of science in addition to theology - a new idea at the
time.
Libermann at first was not convinced of the need for high educational
standards for members of his society. However, he changed his mind when
he came to know Fr. Gaultier, who was widely respected in academic circles
in Paris. Gaultier had endowed the seminary with a rich library and
had attracted a circle of prominent scholars that included the great
patrologist, J. P. Migne. Libermann's policy of encouragement for higher
studies from then onwards was to provide the Congregation with a number
of experts and specialists in various fields of study.
Personal Development
Both Claude Poullart des Places and Francis Libermann are outstanding
examples of personal development, although the Spirit led them by very
different and unforeseen paths. Claude had a good Catholic education
up to university level, but renounced a promising career as a lawyer
to become a priest and an educator of students for the priesthood. Francis,
on the other hand, was a child of two worlds. Born into the world of
traditional Judaism, he was led by the Spirit to become a Christian
and a priest in the world of early 19th century Christianity. He overcame
almost insuperable obstacles of education and health to become a founder
of a religious congregation, a priest and a renowned spiritual guide.
The community founded by Fr. des Places became a third-level seminary,
which, as mentioned earlier, maintained the highest academic standards
and fostered the faith development of the students. Later, the Congregation
expanded its educational activities to other levels and other types
of education in response to the developmental needs of the people whom
they served, including orphans, delinquents, refugees, and the unemployed.
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit inherited from its Founders a respect
for the Holy Spirit guiding each person's development, as He guided
Jesus our teacher and model. The concern of the Congregation for all,
whether Catholics or not, has been to promote personal development and
to facilitate spiritual growth. For Catholic learners, the goal has
been to help them to develop a knowledge of the mystery of salvation,
so that they may daily grow more conscious of the gift they have received,
to encourage them to adore God the Father in spirit and in truth, especially
through liturgical worship, to facilitate their moral and spiritual
development towards maturity in imitation of Jesus and as members of
his Mystical Body. They are also led to be witnesses to their faith
and to be active in the service of others in need (cf. Gravissimum Educationis,
Art. 2).
The foregoing brief survey shows some of the basic values flowing from
the living heritage left to us by Claude Poullart des Places and Francis
Libermann which inspire education in the schools of the Congregation
down to the present day: openness to the Spirit, a strong sense of community,
concern for the disadvantaged, a global vision, commitment to service,
high educational standards, and personal development.
The
Living Tradition in Education
When Libermann assumed his new position as Superior General of the Congregation
of the Holy Spirit he was obliged to face the question of assuming responsibility
for educational work, which had been the main focus of the Congregation's
work up to that time. Since its inception it had provided teachers to
seminaries and colleges both in France and overseas.
With his customary openness to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in
changing circumstances, Libermann quickly adapted to the new situation
and continued the tradition of supplying teachers for seminaries and
colleges. However, he was also interested in the education of the laity,
particularly in mission countries. Lay people were to be taught to become
teachers, farmers and master craftsmen. They should likewise be given
a more advanced knowledge of religious principles and careful training
in moral conduct.
Education 1852-1925
The first new educational project undertaken following Libermann's death
was the establishment of a national senior seminary for the French clergy
in Rome in 1853. This was in the tradition of Des Places' interest in
the education of the clergy. That the seminary was faithful to the spiritual
and educational values of the Congregation's founders was demonstrated
when it celebrated its first centennial in 1953. By then more than 3000
priests had been educated within its walls and a considerable number
had been raised to the ranks of bishop and cardinal.
The French seminary
in Rome continues to be a respected centre of higher education for the
French Church today, under the management of the Congregation of the
Holy Spirit.
The same values inspired the expansion of educational works during the
thirty years' administration of Libermann's successor, Father Schwindenhammer.
Under his leadership the Congregation opened 31 junior and senior seminaries
and colleges, of which only one - Chevilly, near Paris - was reserved
exclusively for future members. These included Beauvais and Mesnières
in France, Braga in Portugal, St. Mary's in Trinidad and Holy Ghost
College (Duquesne University) in Pittsburgh. In addition, it established
15 trade and agricultural schools, mostly staffed by Brothers, who were
officially recognized by the government of France as teachers.
Ireland (1860-1925)
The first school to be established in Ireland was Blackrock College,
founded in 1860 by Fr. Jules Leman. The original intention had been
that the Irish foundation would be confined to recruiting members for
the Holy Ghost Congregation. However, Fr. Leman, following the Congregation's
tradition of openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, soon saw the
great need for secondary education in Ireland. He also felt that the
Congregation should not only take from the Christian community in Ireland,
but should contribute to it in a spirit of service.
This was followed in 1864 by the opening of Rockwell College which also
combined a secondary school with a junior seminary for future members
of the Congregation. By virtue of their concern for high educational
standards, both colleges soon gained a high reputation for their contribution
to Irish education. Blackrock College was even affiliated to the Royal
University for a time. A third college, St. Mary's, was opened in Ireland
in 1890 at Rathmines, Dublin. It closed in 1916 but reopened ten years
later.
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The Irish colleges
promoted a global vision of education. Almost from the beginning, Irish
members of the Congregation were active in education abroad. As early
as 1862 a newly-professed Brother, John Carey (Brother Francis Joseph),
was teaching English in Chandernagore, near Calcutta. He taught in a
trade school staffed by Brothers which the Congregation had founded
in a spirit of concern for the poor. Another example of service to education
abroad was Fr. Patrick William Power whose first appointment was to
Chandernagore. He next served in Mauritius and in Trinidad before being
appointed
President of the newly-opened Holy Ghost College in Pittsburgh, later
to become Duquesne University. Education 1926-2001
Under successive Superiors General, the same values have guided the
many educational undertakings of the Congregation worldwide. The scope
of these undertakings has been on a massive scale, particularly from
1926, when Archbishop Louis Le Hunsec became Superior General.
Ireland
In Ireland, St. Michael's College was founded in 1943 and Templeogue
College in 1966.Missions dependent on the Irish Province of the Congregation
played a leading part in the expansion of educational undertakings,
bringing to young people in the developing countries wider horizons
and increased opportunities for personal development. In West Africa,
a leading figure in this development was Bishop Joseph Shanahan of Southern
Nigeria. Thus, the Onitsha diocese of Nigeria alone had 4000 schools
in 1932. In 1950 the total number of students being educated in the
two Spiritan dioceses of Onitsha and Owerri exceeded that of all government
and mission schools in French West Africa, which had five times the
population of the two dioceses.
In East Africa, a Teacher
Education College was founded at Kabaa, Kenya, in 1924. This became a
high school in 1930 and from then on was staffed mainly by Spiritans from
Ireland. Other high schools soon followed in Kenya, such as Mangu, near
Thika and St. Mary's School, Nairobi, both opened in 1939. Pugu, near
Dar-es Salaam in Tanzania opened in 1950. During the period after World
War II, many secondary schools and hundreds of primary schools were opened
under the management of the Holy Ghost Missions in Kenya and Tanzania.
Educational development was not confined to Africa. In Mauritius, Collège
du Saint-Esprit was reopened in 1926 by Bishop James Leen. In Trinidad,
members of the Irish Province replaced their French confrères from
1914 onwards at St. Mary's, Port of Spain. In 1945 a second college, Fatima
College, was opened, also staffed mainly by the Irish Province.
There was a similar, though less massive expansion of higher education.
In the late 1950s members of the Congregation had responsibility for thirty
colleges, teachers' colleges, and seminaries in British-controlled Africa
and nineteen others in French, Belgian and Portuguese territories. Altogether,
by the time of Vatican II, the Congregation's educational commitments
extended to about eighty seminaries and colleges for the general public,
in addition to about fifty houses of study reserved for its own aspirants.
The Irish Province has conducted third-level courses in Philosophy since
1911 and in Theology from 1917, for students who were members of the Congregation.
Some members of the Congregation have studied for degrees at University
College Dublin, Fribourg University Switzerland and The Gregorian University,
Rome. In the missions dependent on the Irish Province, many third-level
Colleges of Education have been managed by the Congregation, particularly
in East and West Africa. In some cases members of the Congregation have
taught in secular universities.
As already mentioned, the Irish Province supported the development of
Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, from its earliest beginnings. It was
under the leadership of Fr. Martin A. Hehir, a native of Killaloe diocese,
that Holy Ghost College became, in 1911, Duquesne University, the first
Catholic university in Pennsylvania. Fr. Hehir spent a record 31 years
as President of Duquesne as a college and as a university.
Looking to the Future
When an international symposium of Spiritan educators and their lay
colleagues met at Duquesne in June, 1991, a survey indicated that 304
members of the Congregation still had responsibility for involvement
with 222 schools, 141, 000 students and 7,000 teachers. These figures
are evidence of a very considerable commitment to education. Moreover,
reports from various countries showed the Spirit at work inspiring new
initiatives in education, particularly in the area of "alternative"
education for unemployed youth and leadership training for socioeconomic
development.
The emergence of many newly-independent nations in recent years has
enabled the Congregation to relinquish responsibility for many schools
and colleges to public education systems. Des Places and Libermann would
have been happy to know that members of their Congregation, by making
such an outstanding contribution to education, had helped to build the
national education systems of many of the African countries which became
independent since the 1960s. In other cases, as with Duquesne University
in the USA, the Des Places Educational Association in Ireland, and the
Auteuil Foundation in France, the Congregation has entered into a collaborative
arrangement with lay administrators and Boards of Trustees for the administration
of its schools and colleges.
The Written Tradition
The written tradition as a source of the Holy Ghost vision and ethos
is exemplified in the rule of life of the Congregation (Spiritan Rule
of Life). Like that of all religious orders and congregations in the
Catholic Church, the Rule of Life is inspired by the life and teachings
of Jesus. It has had a varied history going back to the first version
written by Claude Poullart des Places. The Rule has been updated at
intervals to meet changing conditions in the religious and secular world,
the latest update being in 1987.
The Spiritan Rule of Life has three aspects. It describes the mission
of the Congregation, articulates the charisms of the Founders, and describes
the commitments made by members of the Congregation in living out their
mission. It has a total of 235 constitutions in seven chapters. The
small number of constitutions referring directly to education is discussed
here as well as those relating to the work of the Congregation in general
which are applicable to education. Chapter 1 describes the mission of
the Congregation in the Church as a continuation of the mission of Jesus
to announce the Good News of the Kingdom of God in the world - an era
of truth, love, justice and peace. In Constitution 2 the mission is
described as a creative response to the spiritual and human needs of
our time, inspired by the charisms of the Founders and fidelity to the
traditions of the Congregation.
Constitution 4 and Constitution 12 point to those people in most need
as the preferred focus of the Congregation's mission and to a willingness
to serve in difficult situations. While Constitutions 4 and 12 do not
exclude any group of people from the Congregation's mission, it is generally
accepted that these constitutions are to be interpreted as meaning that
a criterion for any work to be undertaken is that the work and its effects
must be seen from the perspective of the poor.
Education is recognised as an apostolate within the mission of the Congregation
because it meets the following general criteria. It furthers the spiritual
and moral values of the Kingdom of God, meets an urgent need in today's
world and is a means of empowering the neediest people on a worldwide
scale.
Constitution 13 emphasizes the universality of the Congregation's mission.
This is another constitution of a general nature which nonetheless has
implications for education. The five aspects of mission to which it
refers may be applied education as follows:
Universality: Education for global co-operation and the fulfillment
of global human aspirations.
Proclamation: Education proclaiming the spiritual and moral values of
God's Kingdom.
Service and Liberation: Education offering service to society and access
to empowering knowledge, skills, and means of expression to the poor
and powerless.
Dialogue: Education for dialogue, fostering respect for people of other
religions and cultures.
Inculturation: Education for peace and harmony between cultures by offering
opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue.
The Spiritan Rule of Life refers specifically to education in Constitutions
18 and 142. Constitution 18 puts education in the context of service
to the local Church by fostering Christian communities, listing its
principal activities as:
1. The education of a committed and responsible
laity;
2. Training for ministries and for the missionary and religious life;
3. Engaging in educational work in line with the Spiritan calling;
4. Awakening an understanding of the universal mission, of justice,
and of kinship between peoples;
5. The education of young people, because the present situation is crying
out more than ever for social and educational works;
6. Educational work with refugees, with immigrants and with those who
are on the margins of society.
Constitution 142 emphasises the need for
ongoing or continuing education of the members of the Congregation:
"It is a necessity for all of us to re-train ourselves without
fail if we are to remain true to our calling in the world and in the
Church" (SRL 142).
The revised Rule of Life, therefore, confirms the traditional role of
education in the mission of the Congregation, as an apostolate worthy
of the dedication of its members and as a service to the local Churches
and to peoples throughout the world. In addition to the Rule of Life,
other forms of the written tradition include biographies, histories,
theological and philosophical works and the mission statements of our
educational institutions, including that of the Des Places Educational
Association.
Mission Statements
The mission statements of the Spiritan colleges in Ireland incorporate
and interpret the ethos and educational philosophy of the Congregation.
The format of the mission statements is in two parts: a preamble and
the statement of mission either as a continuous text or as a list of
aims and goals. The preamble refers to the history of the school and
its commitment to the ethos and vision of the Congregation of the Holy
Spirit. The second part, containing the statement of mission, varies
somewhat from college to college in emphasis and to a lesser extent
in content. The following list shows the main aims mentioned in the
mission statements.
1.An environment supportive of Christian faith
2.Harmonious development of the whole person
3.A caring community environment
4.High academic standards
5.Social and moral development
6.Community service and social justice
7.Preparation for a career
8.Cultural and physical education
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