Spirituality: Predisposition toward education

John O’Malley, S.J., in “Jesuit Schools and the Humanities: Yesterday and Today,” says that the Society must foster a predisposition toward education so that students”

a. expand their minds beyond their experience,
b. understand that the past is relevant and gives perspective,
c. realize that they are not born for themselves alone,
d. develop effective communication patterns,
e. engage creatively with the mystery of being human.

Reason is universal: people can improve through education; people can reason; people can have a high standard of moral continuity.

In the Ignatian charism for dialogue, Jesuits must keep five things in mind:

a. an ongoing commitment to education;
b. pastoral care of souls;
c. accompaniment of others [as Pope Francis speaks of friendship], listening to the stories of others, and no one is excluded
d. spiritual formation as a preparation for dialogue and tending the inner dialogue for dialogue for others
e. communicating the message in new ways.