A Reflection from Educators of the Heart at Istituto Cabrini in Rome
What is Education of the Heart?
“Educating of the Heart” is the founding principle of Mother Cabrini’s educational method. The Saint’s pedagogical intuition is based on the use of persuasion as a means of influencing people and catalyzing profound changes. This educational work is facilitated only when God’s love is present and guides our actions to involve children without any form of imposition in their own process of growth. Education of the Heart corresponds to a transformation of one’s heart, making it as close as possible to the Heart of Jesus, and contributing to the formation of one’s character and a strong personality.
The Importance of Education of the Heart in Today’s World
Mother Cabrini gave the following advice to one of her Superiors who had difficulties in her relationship with another sister:
“Another time try not to impose the changes needed, but advise and imply. You will get far and could tell the sisters anything without hurting them. I have always been happy after acting in this way when I have had to deal with difficult characters; but when using abrupt and severe ways I never got anywhere. We are missionaries of the heart of Jesus and we must imitate the meekness of this adorable heart in order to do a good work with souls” (Saint Francesca Saverio Cabrini, Epistolario, Vol. 1, Lett. n.416, p. 614).
Today, more than ever, living in a society lacking fundamental values and facing a difficult historical period, it becomes increasingly necessary to follow Mother Cabrini’s educational undertakings. Religion and faith are the only ways able to achieve a superhuman vision of life. They give meaning to the obstacles that we find on our journey, restoring that inalienable hope that fights against the resignation that comes from facing the darkest moments of our lives.
Families and Schools Working Together in Educating the Heart of the Child
Family and school have different but complementary functions in the education of children. Even if the family is the primary educational agency, the school comes alongside and supports the family. More and more we find it often ends up being its fundamental substitute, therefore it is makes it so necessarily for us to communicate the principles of religion, faith, honesty, and a sense of responsibility. For Mother Cabrini these principles were at the basis of the formation of good citizens and good Christians. School must allow children to learn, but above all to grow as “humans”: the formation of character is possible through Education of the Heart, which combines faith and reason.
How can faith and reason support and prepare children of today? The answer to this question lies in the union between spirituality and organizational intelligence, which sets young people free to make mindful and responsible choices which are based on values that will allow them to more effectively navigate the world they are living in. During this period of the covid-19 health emergency, families had to manage the tasks usually carried out by schools, thus becoming a fundamental support in ensuring their child could ‘distance learn’. Collaboration between the school and the family has become more necessary than ever before, and we have found that our mutual trust has been built on those principles of solidarity and generosity that were the pillar of the values of our beloved Saint.
During the pandemic, we saw that parents who found hope in God’s love despite an uncertain future were the ones who could find the strength to adjust to a difficult and completely unexpected moment, thus revealing the resilience that turned the crisis into an opportunity for some. Faith therefore becomes the driving force for achieving a constructive view of life. Religion offers the family the possibility of understanding the extraordinary nature of a critical event in fact as a moment for growth, finding security and protection in the love of Jesus.
~ Deborah Pucci
~ Stefania Caragnano
~ STEFANIA CARAGNANO
Graduate in Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapist, she occupies of special didactics and of the interventions, for the scholastic purview, in the disability area. For this reason she continues her training enabling herself in the teaching with the Degree in Primary Education Sciences. She has been working for 4 years as support teacher in the Primary Area of Cabrini Institute in Rome, devoting her profession in exclusive way to this field.“Enhancing the words written above is a beautiful poem also coming from Mater Gratia Province, Colegio San Pedro Apòstol, Bilbao, Spain.
This poem expresses the Love of God encapsulated in an Education of the Heart” approach.”
In God’s Love School
The Heart of Jesus is reflected in the unlimited and open School,
this is where Mother Cabrini found God’s love.
Mother Cabrini penetrated, lived and embraced Jesus Heart,
and put Him in charge of her life o lead what will forever be her mission.
Love of God, a gifted and free love,
a love that repairs and forgives, that restores the pains and offers to fill in the gaps every morning.
In contemplation and in deep prayer,
Cabrini discovers the greatness of a School of Love,
of a Pedagogy of Love, of an Education of the Heart!
She looks at the world and discovers the pain and the condition of the orphans, their lost gazes, their disorientation, their loneliness, lack of understanding, abandonment and obliviousness of God.
She starts to walk at a steady pace, without fear, with Jesus leading there is nothing she can lack,
maybe just the time for all she wants to offer.
From this love her schools were born, welcoming and bright schools everywhere, full of hope,
of generosity, life-stories telling, speaking of love and truth.
Hundreds of children, none without a piece of bread,
no-one without a lesson, an answer, a kiss,
without a school bag containing all that is required to equip them for the future.
Excellent organization, austerity, a lot of passion,
patience and forgiveness, intimacy and personal witness,
God is in them; they must lack for nothing!
And her schools increase in time and space…
and survive great storms and gales,
because ” I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”
In the great School of the Heart of Jesus,
a small difficulty or a major pandemic
are always presented as a great opportunity.
An opportunity to completely empty ourselves of our selfishness,
approaching the needs of others and finding in this a sufficient reason for a happy life.
A chance to forget the prayer that sounds like a lullaby,
and rather practice the prayer that changes things,
the prayer that can turn every life into a miracle, and allow us to penetrate the unfathomable Love of Jesus’ Heart, just as Mother Cabrini did.
~ MERCEDES FERNÁNDEZ
Born in Cantabria, Spain, on July 15, 1950. A teacher by profession, she has spent her entire working life (since 1973) at the Colegio San Pedro Apóstol in Bilbao. The Cabrinian ideals, which she has known and integrated, with passion and dedication, over the years, have gradually shaped all her teaching activity, her commitment to the MSC and her own personal life.