On October 27, 2025, I had the privilege of witnessing a historic moment in the life of the Church: the signing of Drawing New Maps of Hope, the Apostolic Letter from Pope Leo XIV on education, celebrating the 60th anniversary of Gravissimum Educationis. As an educator, the experience was both humbling and inspiring, prompting me to reflect not only on the significance of the letter itself, but on our shared vocation as contributors to a living tradition of Catholic education, rooted in hope, mission, and renewal.
It has been nearly one hundred years since Pius XI wrote the first papal document exclusively focused on Catholic education, Divini Illius Magistri, published in 1929. Today, the Catholic Church provides the world once again with the living tradition for Catholic schools. The Apostolic Letter Drawing New Maps of Hope by Pope Leo XIV arrives in an age characterized by the division of the world through digitalization, the challenges of demographics, the burden of the economy, and, above all, the concern affecting children and young people.
During the past 100 years, one constant and fundamental aspect of papal teaching on education appears—the conviction that education lies at the core of the evangelizing mission of the Church. While the teaching of the Holy See regarding educating the young has remained constant, the interpretation of the religious and cultural pluralism that the Christian community inhabits and the implications of such pluralism for the Catholic tradition of education keep changing. Together, Divini Illius Magistri (1929), the Second Vatican Council’s Gravissimum educationis (1965), Pope Francis’s Global Compact on Education (2019), and now Drawing New Maps of Hope form a living tradition—a continuous reflection on how Catholic education can accompany young people and serve the common good.
Pius XI’s Divini Illius Magistri defended the existence of Catholic schools during times of strong secularization and state control. He pinpointed the basic elements that continue to shape Catholic education today: the central role of parents as the first and foremost educators, the Church’s duty to provide religious instruction, and the fundamentally Christian purpose of education.
By the time of the Second Vatican Council, the Church had entered a new phase. Gravissimum educationis expanded the Church’s educational perspective toward engagement with the world. It called for openness, dialogue, intellectual depth, and the formation of the whole person. According to the Council, Catholic education should be inclusive and mission-oriented—serving both Church and society by forming people committed to justice, solidarity, and service.
In the Global Compact on Education, Pope Francis pushed this vision even further, emphasizing global solidarity, ecological responsibility, and intercultural dialogue. His call to rebuild the “educational village” reminds educators that their identity and mission are not solitary endeavors—they must be lived out together, in collaboration with families, parishes, civic leaders, and marginalized communities.
Leo XIV’s insights are grounded in the vast educational tradition of the Catholic Church—from the deep theological thought of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas to the monastic and mendicant orders, teaching congregations, and the many religious sisters and brothers who founded Catholic schools across the globe. In the American context, their efforts transformed the lives of immigrants and the poor, establishing one of the largest private education networks in the world.
Drawing New Maps of Hope continues in this tradition but speaks directly to today’s realities. The document recognizes the struggles young people face—loneliness, digital overload, a loss of purpose, growing divisions, and economic hardship. Yet the Pope strongly affirms that Catholic education must be a laboratory of hope, where connection is cultivated, meaning is rediscovered, and future possibilities come to life
What characterizes Drawing New Maps of Hope most is its blend of pastoral realism and visionary imagination. The Pope doesn’t romanticize the past or fear the future. Instead, he urges Catholic school educators to read the signs of the times with courage and faith. Catholic schools should be communities where hope is lived out daily—through relationships, accompaniment, and shared life.
In a world where many young people feel vulnerable, Catholic schools are called to be countercultural spaces—places where dignity is upheld, unique gifts are affirmed, and purpose is cultivated. The Pope’s call is not merely to preserve institutions but to boldly reimagine them.
He highlights several key areas needing attention. Catholic schools must avoid reducing their mission to surface-level symbols. True identity is expressed in the depth of relationships, the personal attention given to each student, the integration of faith and reason, and a culture grounded in service, compassion, and accompaniment. Teachers and leaders are not just staff—they are witnesses. Their ongoing spiritual, intellectual, and professional development is essential. A Catholic school’s mission lives or dies by the people who embody it.
Pope Leo XIV also calls for schools that welcome families on the margins—economically, culturally, or religiously—and encourages educators to create classrooms that embrace diversity and honor every student’s unique story.
Photos by Vatican Media
Drawing New Maps of Hope presents both challenges and opportunities for Catholic schools in the United States. Historically and even today, American Catholic schools have led in academics, moral formation, and service. They often operate with limited resources while serving increasingly diverse communities—but remain vibrant hubs of faith and learning, especially in cities and underserved areas.
The new Apostolic Letter urges Catholic school educators in the United States to sharpen their focus on mission. Schools must clearly express—rather than assume—their Catholic identity, ensuring that every decision, policy, curriculum, and governance structure reflects the gospel. The formation of teachers and leaders must take priority, blending theology, spirituality, pedagogy, and leadership development. Equally important is fostering a strong, intentional partnership with families, supporting them as the primary educators of their children.
For the United States, these “new maps” might include:
Expanding access for low-income families
Building intercultural competence
Developing human-centered approaches to AI and digital citizenship
Strengthening leadership pipelines
Deepening spiritual and theological formation for educators
Renewing schools as spaces of belonging and authentic personal encounter
Ultimately, Drawing New Maps of Hope is not just a document—it’s a call to action. Pope Leo XIV invites educators to become “cartographers of hope,” leaders who can read the landscape of today’s world and guide young people toward a future shaped by faith, meaning, and community. He reminds us that Catholic education isn’t a side project of the Church’s mission—it’s one of its most vital, visible expressions.
As we approach the 100th anniversary of Divini Illius Magistri, Catholic school educators face a defining moment. The challenges are real, but so are the opportunities. If approached with creativity, courage, and deep faithfulness to the gospel, this new map of hope can lead Catholic schools into a future where they don’t just survive—but truly thrive as communities of formation, encounter, and joyful witness.
The letter concludes with an appeal to Mary, Sedes Sapientiae (Seat of Wisdom), and to all those who have dedicated their lives to Catholic education. It’s a reminder that this mission continues—not out of fear, but with fidelity and imagination. Every educator—teachers, principals, superintendents, pastors, board members—has a part to play. The work is demanding, but the reward is extraordinary: a generation formed not just by knowledge, but by wisdom; not only for success, but for holiness; not just for the world as it is, but for the world as it
Gerald M. Cattaro, Ed.D.
is professor of educational leadership at Fordham University and executive director of the Center for Catholic School Leadership and Faith-Based Education.cattaro@fordham.edu
Long before DEALS helped shape the conversation around Catholic school leadership, this story begins with a 25-year-old Gerald “Jerry” Cattaro, Ed.D., becoming principal of Sacred Heart School in New York. Three years into his teaching career, he was tapped to be principal. What followed was not just a career, but a vocation deeply intertwined with the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). From early involvement as a school leader to helping expand research at national conventions, his work steadily grew in passion, scope, and influence. An early CHESCS (Catholic Higher Education Supporting Catholic Schools) participant and a founding member of the Journal of Catholic Education, he helped create a lasting platform for scholarship in the field—bridging research and practice.
Today, his mission continues at Fordham University, where leadership development and real-world application intersect through the Center for Catholic School Leadership. But the reach of Jerry’s work extends beyond the U.S.
“We are living at a pivotal moment for Catholic education.”
Appointed by Pope Francis and later reappointed by Pope Leo XIV, he serves as a Consultor to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education—a role he cherishes and one placing him at the heart of global conversations shaping Catholic education. From ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence/ technology, to the connection between school and home, from attending to the marginalized, to implementing the Church’s Global Compact on Education, his work is both timely and transformative.
Jerry recounts one message that stood out while recently meeting in Rome: Catholic education must return to its roots in relationship—placing human dignity at the center while responding to a rapidly changing world. He ruminates that the future calls for leaders grounded in faith, equipped to navigate uncertainty, and ready to engage culture and technology with wisdom. “We are living at a pivotal moment for Catholic education,” Jerry explains in his classic New York candor. “The convergence of faith, culture, and technology presents profound challenges, but also extraordinary opportunities.”
That vision is already taking shape. Drawing New Maps of Hope outlines what could be seen as a new “Decalogue” for Catholic education—expanding the call to cultural dialogue, ethical technology use, and integral human development.
In October 2026, Jerry and other global leaders will again gather at the Vatican to continue their work, focusing on pastoral care as the very foundation of Catholic education. Foundational texts like Gravissimum Educationis are being revisited with fresh eyes for a rewrite—reimagined for a world now shaped by AI, migration, and profound cultural shifts.
If there is a throughline, it is this, according to Jerry: “Catholic education is at a pivotal moment. And those of us helping to guide it are not just responding to change—we are working to shape what comes next.”