Ivory Coast: pilgrimage of Catholic education actors

Vatican News with Marcel Ariston Blé (Abidjan)

The national pilgrimage which brought together the actors of Catholic education in Côte d’Ivoire, from December 2 to 3 in Yamoussoukro, was the initiative of the Ivorian Episcopal Conference, implemented by its commission for Catholic education. This time of spiritual renewal around the theme: “Education in Côte d’Ivoire at the service of evangelization and integral human development» included several activities, including the recitation of the rosary, teachings, exchanges in crossroads, mass and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Education and integral training

Allowing the actors of Catholic education to fully live their faith, rediscover the foundations of their vocation in the mission entrusted to them by the Church, this is what motivated the organization of this pilgrimage. Because we are seeing a relaxation of the education system and “this was one of the major points widely supported by all during the preparations for the reform of the Catholic education system», said Father Jean-Luc Assoi N’Dreman, national executive secretary of Catholic education in Côte d’Ivoire.

In its communication focusing on the sub-theme “Education in the Magisterium of Pope Francis», Father Artur Kola, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the Apostolic Nunciature in Côte d’Ivoire, invited educators and teachers to keep an open mind to reality. Indeed, according to him, students are attracted to teachers who are open-minded, unfinished, who seek something more and who transmit this attitude to learners. “This allows to educate to the true, the good and the beautiful, because in education one thing is very important: a clean failure is always more beautiful than a dirty victory», he insisted.

A values-based education

The pilgrimage ended with a mass presided over by Bishop Gaspard Beby Gnéba. “That the Catholic school in Côte d’Ivoire does not become a commercial school », exhorted in his homily the bishop of Man. L‘catholic schoolmust put respect for the human person more at the center of its approach, support children to grow and become actors in society“, he underlined.

Bishop Beby Gnéba invited the Ivorian Catholic education staff to work in hope despite the difficulties of the moment. The prelate urged Catholic teachers to have a spirit of collaboration to “face and overcome the difficulties of the present time”. Continuing his exhortation, the president of the episcopal commission for education insisted on the dimension of faith. He called on the actors of the Ivorian Catholic education system to live it in all aspects of their daily lives. Because, “it is with God that we can truly succeed, be happy and build an integral, balanced society“. He finally invited the actors of Ivorian Catholic education to “restore to Catholic education its true identity: an inclusive school, open to all, to the poor, to the rich, to believers and non-believers».