As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton and a lifelong Catholic educator, I write with deep gratitude and renewed hope following the release of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic letter, “Drawing New Maps of Hope.” Issued on October 28, 2025, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on Christian Education (Gravissimum educationis), this letter is a profound and timely reflection on the mission of Catholic education in our rapidly changing world.
Pope Leo XIV’s message is clear: Catholic schools are not static institutions but dynamic communities of formation, communion, and hope. They are called to be rooted in tradition, responsive to the present, and visionary about the future. In a world overwhelmed by fragmented information and digital overload, the Holy Father urges educators to restore a “unified gaze”— one that integrates faith, spirituality, and intellectual inquiry. He writes, “Today we have become experts in the smallest details of reality, but we have lost the capacity of seeing the big picture again.”
This critique of modern education’s hyper-specialization is paired with a call to reawaken students’ hunger for truth, meaning, and hope. Education, Pope Leo insists, is not a side ministry — it is “the very fabric of evangelization.” Catholic schools must be places where knowledge is not only transmitted but transformed by love, conscience and community.
In a historic move, Pope Leo names St. John Henry Newman as co-patron of Catholic education alongside St. Thomas Aquinas and announces his declaration as the 38th Doctor of the Church. Newman’s legacy — his emphasis on conscience, liberal education and the harmony of faith and reason — deeply informs the letter’s vision.
The release of “Drawing New Maps of Hope” also marks the beginning of the Jubilee of the World of Education, a weeklong celebration involving over 20,000 students, educators and clergy. It is a moment of reflection, recommitment and renewal and a chance to chart new paths of hope for generations to come.
Here in the Diocese of Trenton, we are blessed with vibrant Catholic schools that embody the spirit of this letter. I invite all educators, administrators, parents and students to reflect on the eight themes Pope Leo offers as guiding lights for our journey:
- Be a constellation of hope — Catholic schools are like stars in a constellation—each with its own light, yet united in mission. Together, they chart a course through turbulent times.
- Form the whole person — Catholic education must develop the entire human being—mind, body, spirit, emotions, and relationships. Our schools are gardens for saints, not factories for workers.
- Create living environments of Christian vision — Every subject — from math to literature — should be taught in light of truth, beauty and goodness. Schools must be places where the Christian vision permeates every discipline and interaction.
- Support families, not replace them — Parents are the primary educators of their children. Catholic schools must walk alongside families, respecting and supporting their sacred role.
- Practice subsidiarity and influence society — Decisions should be made by those closest to the school community. At the same time, schools must engage the wider world with courage and creativity.
- Promote ecological and social justice — Catholic education must form students who care for creation, live ethically, and choose what is right over what is merely convenient.
- Navigate the digital revolution wisely — Schools must guide students to use digital tools ethically and responsibly, avoiding technophobia while upholding human dignity.
- Embrace the Global Compact on Education — Building on Pope Francis’s initiative, Pope Leo adds three priorities:
- Cultivate students’ inner lives
- Equip them to use AI wisely
- Promote peace through education
Let us take this opportunity to renew our shared mission in Catholic education —to form young people who are not only academically prepared but spiritually grounded, morally courageous and joyfully committed to the Gospel.
May our Catholic schools in the Diocese of Trenton continue to draw new maps of hope, illuminating the path for generations to come.