Archbishop denounces religious indifference of Catholic teachers in Argentina

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sep 17, 2010 / 12:05 pm

Archbishop Agustin Radrizzani of Mercedes-Lujan in Argentina exhorted Catholic teachers this week to fulfill their mission as disciples of Christ, as some have fallen prey to religious indifference and atheism.

The prelate noted that he would be “failing the truth” if did not share his concern and sorrow, that in some Catholic institutions, there exists “a religious indifference and even an atheism.”

The archbishop made his comments during a Mass for members of the Institute of Teachers from the city of Mercedes.

Education is not only the imparting of knowledge, but also the formation in values, the archbishop continued, adding that in the case of Catholic teachers, they are also responsible for bearing Christian witness to the new generations.

He also lamented the “lack of a clear Christian commitment” and obliviousness to God that often leads teachers to see their educational task as merely a means of sustenance, a “job” or “a place of prestige.”

“We need to understand our identity as missionary disciples of Jesus Christ in his Church to bring the Good News to world. It is essential that our starting point be the awareness of our own vocation as evangelizers,” the archbishop said.

Embracing this vocation, he continued, will enable teachers to help young people “escape from the relativistic snares that lead to a misguided understanding of freedom.”