Church schools must inculcate spiritual, moral values in students: Pope

Church-run educational institutions in India must inculcate in students strong spiritual, intellectual and moral values, Pope Benedict XVI told a group of visiting Bishops on Thursday.

Schools managed by the Catholic Church must "help pupils to develop their spiritual, intellectual and moral faculties, as well as fomenting their capacity for sound judgment," the Pope said.

On Thursday, the head of the Catholic Church received a group of twenty-three prelates from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India who were on their "ad limina" visit.

Speaking to the group, Pope recalled how the Church in India is blessed with a multitude of institutions which he said were "intended to be expressions of God's love for humanity through the charity and example of the clergy, religious and lay faithful".

"By means of her parishes, schools and orphanages, as well as her hospitals, clinics and dispensaries, the Church makes an invaluable contribution to the well-being not only of Catholics, but of society at large," he said.

The Catholic Church runs about 20,000 educational institutions, including schools, colleges, nursing schools, hospitals, health clinics, technical schools and medical colleges. About 180 Bishops, 100,000 nuns and 25,000 priests render their services in the field.

The work carried out by the religious in India, the Pope said, was "a source of spiritual fruitfulness as they inspire others to respond with trust, humility and joy to the invitation of the Lord to follow Him".

In his remarks, the Pope also stressed the need for the truth of salvation to remain at the foundation of all the Church's endeavours.

This, he said, would enable Church to "bear witness to the love of God for all humanity as they enter into contact with the world, providing a solid Christian testimony in friendship, respect and love, and striving not to condemn the world but to offer it the gift of salvation" through word and example.