Caption Pope Leo XIV greets (from left to right) Bishop Paul Connell of Ardagh & Clonmacnois, Archbishop William Nolan of Glasgow and teachers from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales (photo credit: Vatican Media).
- Bishop Connell: “We came to Rome hoping to strengthen our faith and reflect on the work we do as teachers in Catholic schools”
Today, in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV met with a delegation of teachers from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, describing their vocational role as “models of faith.”
The group is being led by Bishop Paul Connell of Ardagh & Clonmacnois, Ireland, and Archbishop William Nolan of Glasgow, Scotland. Some students from Denmark were also in attendance. 2025 is the celebratory ‘Jubilee Year of Hope’ for Catholics around the world, and the purpose of the teachers’ pilgrimage is to share experiences and reflect on the value and contribution of their vocation to the school community.
Directly addressing teachers, the Holy Father said, “Children will look up to you as models of faith, particularly in how you teach and live. I hope that, each day, you will nurture your relationship with Christ, who gives us the pattern of all authentic, so that, in turn, you may guide and encourage those entrusted to your care to follow Christ in their own lives.”
To the students present Pope Leo said, “Remember that God has created each one of you with a purpose and a mission in this life … Use this opportunity for listening, for prayer, so that you may hear more clearly God’s voice calling you deep within your hearts. I would add that today, so often, we lose the ability to listen, to really listen. We listen to music, we have our ears flooded constantly with all kinds of digital input, but sometimes we forget to listen to our own hearts and it’s in our hearts that God speaks to us, that God calls us and invites us to know him better and to live in his love. And through that listening you might be open to allowing God’s grace to strengthen your faith in Jesus, so that you might more readily share that gift with others.”
Pope Leo concluded, “When all of you return home, please remember that a pilgrimage does not end, it shifts its focus to the daily ‘pilgrimage of discipleship.’ We are all pilgrims and we are always pilgrims, walking as we seek to follow the Lord, and as we seek the path that is truly ours in life. That’s certainly not easy, but with the help of the Lord, the intercession of the saints, and by encouraging one another, you can be certain that, as long as you remain faithful, trusting always in God’s mercy, the experience of this pilgrimage will continue to bear fruit throughout your lives.”
Following the papal audience Bishop Connell said, “We came to Rome hoping to strengthen our faith and reflect on the work we do as teachers in Catholic schools. Since our arrival, there has been a wonderful bonding among the entire group from across our islands. The education context is different in each of our countries, but we are learning so much from each other. Today the Holy Father, Pope Leo, spoke so tellingly about our vocation – to always put our students and school communities first – and to be inspired by the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Archbishop Nolan stated in his homily after our audience, when we celebrated Mass together at the tomb of Pope Francis: each of us is called to bring the light of Christ to others. When everything seems at times difficult Christ will always find a way to stand with us. While our pilgrimage is only beginning, it has been a faith enriching experience so far.”
ENDS
- Bishop Paul Connell is Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnois and a member of the Commission for Catholic Education and Formation of the Irish Bishops’ Conference. Also on the pilgrimage is Mr Alan Hynes, chief executive officer of the Catholic Education Partnership. Seventeen of the teacher-pilgrims from Ireland are representing the dioceses of Derry, Down & Connor, Armagh, Raphoe, Clogher, Ardagh & Clonmacnois, Meath, Dublin, Kildare & Leighlin, Cashel & Emily, and Cloyne The pilgrimage is named ‘Called to Teach’, and is taking place in the context of the universal 2025 ‘Jubilee Year of Hope’.