India: Prelate calls for spiritual renewal and unity in Catholic education

At the concluding Eucharistic celebration of the 56th National Convention of the All India Association of Catholic Schools (AINACS), held at the Park Regis Convention Centre, Arpora, Goa, from October 7–10, 2025, Archbishop Elias Gonsalves of Nagpur, central India,  urged Catholic educators to renew the heart of education through faith, unity, and mission-driven leadership. 

Speaking on the theme “Renewing the Heart of Catholic Educationists: Standing United in Christ and Faithful in Mission” the archbishop called on teachers, principals, and administrators to embrace a holistic approach to Catholic education that integrates spiritual formation, ethical leadership, and personal witness. 

Archbishop Gonsalves, Chairman of CBCI Office for Education and Culture, compared the prophetic cry for repentance in Joel 1:13–15; 2:1–2 to the present situation in Catholic education, noting that secularism, consumerism, and the erosion of values often threaten the Church’s educational mission. He emphasized that renewal must begin with leadership, stating, “When faith becomes institutional and mission loses fire, God calls His people to repent, renew, and return.” 

Referring to Luke 11:15–26, the prelate highlighted Jesus’ warning that “every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste,” and urged Catholic schools to remain united in Christ and focused on their spiritual core. “A divided school system or staff cannot stand. The stronger one, Christ, must reign in every institution,” he said. 

The prelate invited the AINACS community to view Catholic education not merely as administration but as a sacred ministry. “Our classrooms are altars of transformation,” he declared, calling educators to holiness, simplicity, and a renewed sense of mission. He further stressed the importance of personal witness: “The trumpet of Joel calls teachers to become witnesses before they are instructors. Our students must see Christ in us, in integrity, compassion, and faith.”

Addressing the digital challenges of the post-pandemic era, the archbishop reflected on the “Age of Technology, Digitalization, and Artificial Intelligence.” While acknowledging the benefits of digital learning, he cautioned against the risk of commodifying education. “AI and technology must make learning accessible to all, not exclude the poor from participation,” he said, urging educators to adopt a balanced and ethical approach to innovation. 

Archbishop Gonsalves called the AINACS assembly to be both a trumpet of awakening and a promise of hope. “Joel sounds the alarm, ‘Blow the trumpet!’, but Jesus gives the assurance, ‘The Kingdom of God has come upon you.’ Let this convention be a trumpet blast calling us to examine, repent, and rebuild,” he proclaimed. He prayed that every Catholic school in India may become “a house not empty but filled, with faith, compassion, and the presence of Christ, so that we may not only educate minds but renew the very soul of our nation.” 

(Br. John Malvino Alfonso, OCD, is a member of the Karnataka-Goa Province of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, based at Avila Jyothi, Mapusa, Goa, India.)