Pope Pius XI, Encyclical on Education, 1929
“In fact it must never be forgotten that the subject of
Christian education is man whole and entire, soul united to body in unity of
nature, with all his faculties natural and supernatural, such as right reason
and revelation show him to be…”
“Since however the younger generations must be trained in
the arts and sciences for the advantage and prosperity of civil society, and
since the family of itself is unequal to this task, it was necessary to create
that social institution, the school… the school is by its very nature an
institution subsidiary and complementary to the family and to the Church.”
“…it is necessary
that all the teaching and the whole organization of the school, and its
teachers, syllabus and text-books in every branch, be regulated by the
Christian spirit, under the direction and maternal supervision of the Church;
so that Religion may be in very truth the foundation and crown of the youth's
entire training; and this in every grade of school, not only the elementary,
but the intermediate and the higher institutions of learning as well.”
