The view from CREDI – Oct 30 |
A major intention of CREDI is making real its potential as an agency in revitalising Catholic faith and through this, values and possibly a form of Catholic culture and identity, in an environment that is very different from what gave birth to the old values and identifiable cultural norms in the first place. However, effecting this intention is the issue. As a start and in line with the Church’s teaching in “Education for the New Millennium”, all CREDI programmes are focussed around a philosophy and standard in which the human being, created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1), is worthy. This acceptance brings with it a value to the person and a concomitant awareness that the human being has talent and potential (hidden or overt) and those who take on the responsibility to educate (to lead out) must also respect the human person as a son or daughter of God regardless of the student’s life situation and even more so in a Church that refers to itself as “the Church of the poor”. That valuation also lifts teacher expectation levels of the student and in turn, the student’s expectation of self. CREDI therefore starts with the lived example of Christ and a vision which is the development of “servant leaders” and the values of “servant leadership”. This includes, inter alia, the ability to cultivate in self and others: • Imagination and Creativity – Enabling participants to think of the awe creation inspires; the blessing of imagination and creativity to the human person. Through study, participants are encouraged to awaken and use these gifts in themselves and others; • Inclusivity – knowing that every human being is of equal worth before God, practitioners within the CREDI education environment are encouraged to reflect acceptance of this value by living it: celebrating all; teaching all; praying for all; embracing all. • Martyrdom – learning to espouse the dictum: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12). In the teaching and learning sessions, they are given the model of a willingness to serve, to die to self for the other, the grain of wheat which dies to bring forth a rich harvest; • Availability – Being “present to” others; experiencing and learning first- hand, the value of this “student-other”, “student-teacher” interaction to person “formation”. – CREDI |
Last Updated on Friday, 11 November 2011 14:57 |