By Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone
“Habemus papam!” What a joy it was to see the excitement with which our Catholic schools received the news of the election of Pope Leo XIV! In the days leading up to his election, students had been praying for the cardinals in conclave and found creative ways to celebrate the election of the new successor to St. Peter such as with prayer bouquets, the creation of holy cards and learning about the Peruvian culture where the new pontiff spent nearly 20 years as a missionary and bishop. It was a moment in their Catholic school formation that I know they will remember for the rest of their lives. I was just as surprised as anyone to hear that the first American Pope had been elected, but, as Pope Francis was fond of reminding us, “God is the God who surprises!” (Morning Meditation, May 8, 2017) It was no doubt just as much of a surprise to the first Pope, St. Peter, to be called by Christ from his life as a fisherman to be a fisher of men (Mt 4:18-20) as it was for Cardinal Robert Prevost to be called to fill the “shoes of the fisherman” as Pope Leo XIV.
The modern world is filled with so many voices competing for the minds and hearts of young people. In addition to forming the whole person by imparting knowledge and cultivating virtue, Catholic schools teach students to tune the ear of their hearts to that same voice of Christ calling them to discipleship and vocation. The word “vocation” comes from the Latin “vocare” – to call. Vocation awareness is not something that happens once a year during Vocations Awareness Week in Catholic schools (Nov. 2-8). Fostering a sense of vocation, that is, developing the habit of listening for God’s voice with the heart, is essential to Catholic education.
Dedicating time for silence and reflection are essential for hearing God speak. Catholic schools provide a sacred space where students can learn to be attentive to the gentle voice of Christ, the Good Shepherd. They do this through prayer, spending time reflecting on Scripture, and especially through the encounter with Christ in the sacred liturgy. Daily prayer and regular Mass allow students to recognize the presence and voice of Christ not as something distant or abstract, but as personal, living and present.
Catholic education also emphasizes the integration of faith and reason, helping students see all truth as God’s truth. In the study of the natural world, they are invited to “discern in the voice of the universe the Creator whom it reveals.” (Congregation for Catholic Education, “The Catholic School,” 46) This holistic vision of the world fosters a sense of wonder and gratitude that tunes the heart to recognize God in creation and in every moment of the day. Through the witness of faithful teachers and peers, as well as the lived example of the saints, students learn what it means to be a disciple who hears and responds to the call of Christ. This lived faith witness nurtures a disposition of attentiveness — of looking and listening for where God might be calling them to serve. Students in Catholic schools are encouraged not only to know about Christ, but to encounter Him in the poor, in one another and in the Eucharist and, like the saints, to be transformed by that encounter.
The election of Pope Leo XIV reminds us of the need to tune the ear of our own hearts to hear the voice of Christ — the same voice of Christ who called St. Peter, a humble fisherman, and who called Pope Leo XIV, a White Sox fan from Chicago, to serve His Church. Catholic education forms students who are still and attentive, who listen for the voice of Christ. It tunes the ear of the heart by shaping young people to be wise rather than merely knowledgeable, holy rather than merely successful in the eyes of the world, and to be ready to respond to Christ’s call. In doing so, it prepares them not just for college or career, but for vocation — for hearing and responding to the call of Christ. May our Catholic schools continue to tune the ear of the hearts of young people to hear His voice and respond!
