COMPETENCES OF THE DICASTERY

 

Directly reporting to superiors and in synergy with the other components of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the Schools Office provides a service in support of the mission of the Roman Pontiff and the diocesan/eparchial bishops, Episcopal Conferences, and Eastern hierarchical structures, taking care of the following areas, as indicated in the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium:

Promoting Catholic education

  • Developing and deepening the fundamental principles of education, with particular reference to Catholic Schools
  • Collaborating with local Churches so that these principles are implemented in different cultural contexts
  • Promoting the teaching of the Catholic religion in Schools

Enhancing the identity of Catholic Schools

  • Supporting Bishops in defining the criteria for promoting the Catholic identity of Schools and the norms according to which Catholic Schools of all orders and degrees should be erected
  • Monitoring, together with Bishops, that the integrity of the Catholic faith is safeguarded in doctrinal teaching
  • Examining hierarchical appeals in the school context

Promoting educational pastoral care

  • Supporting Bishops so that in Catholic Schools provision is made for educational pastoral care as part of evangelization
  • Promoting, also in coordination with the action of other Dicasteries and Bodies, models of inclusion in pastoral care and projects for school education
  • Collaborating in a network with the various entities operating at the international level in the field of education and schooling, in particular with regard to the reality of Catholic Schools