JOURNEYING WITH YOUTH
By Fr Ross Jones SJ, Rector of St Aloysius’ College, Milsons Point
Our staff have recently been exploring the so-called 4Cs – the reference points for our Jesuit pedagogy.
The Society of Jesus defined and published The Characteristics of Jesuit Education (twenty-eight of them) in 1987. Soon after, Father General Peter-Hans Kolvenbach SJ reminded us of the humanistic grounding and enduring goal in our schools which lead to so-called “human excellence”. “This is what we mean,” he said, “when we say that the goal of Jesuit education is the formation of men and women for others, people of competence, conscience and compassionate commitment.” Teased out into “the Four Cs”, these are the four cardinal points in any Jesuit school worthy of its name.
Competence is capacity and ability, proficiency, mastery and depth. Naturally, this is a fundamental purpose in any school. But in our tradition, it is never narrowed only to the academic realm – or, indeed, to any other domain in the current era of “specialist high schools”. Jesuit education is always holistic. And, interpreting the magis properly, competence simply asks for a student’s “personal best’”
Artistic competencies embrace music and song, stage, the creativity in the Visual Arts studios. Imagination, wonder and creativity have always been cultivated in Jesuit schools.
Then there are sporting proficiencies. This broad spectrum includes physical fitness and conditioning, honing the skills and technicalities of particular games, learning teamwork and the support of your mates, growing through both wins and losses.
Technical proficiencies are also included. IT skills of course, but also activities like set construction and lighting in Drama, all those practical skills in Cadets, the new STEM programs, or experimental work in the sciences.
Then communicative competence. For nearly five centuries, our schools in that humanistic tradition have cultivated polished communication. The importance of the written and the spoken word. An eloquence. The earliest Jesuit schoolmasters believed that the proper use of language was the surest index of sound understanding. This includes an ability to listen, to find consensus and common ground. The expression of this will be seen in essays, composing poems, writing reflections, class discussions, oratory and public speaking and debates. Students will even learn to communicate through the medium of art or drama. Pastoral care is even a dimension of this.
Finally, a competency in “how to learn”. This is forming our young men to be lifelong learners. To be actively discerning in what they will take on board – especially in a post-Truth era. To strive to be ahead of the game, reading the signs of the times, as new contexts demand new skill sets and ways of accommodating.
Conscience is where we stand alone before God and say, “This is what I hold to be true or good or just.” Sometimes a decision in conscience might have us stand apart from others, or reject the sway of public opinion, or even the legitimacy of law (be it church or state). Here we try to cultivate a formed and informed conscience at two levels:
The personal conscience concerns itself with “how will I act?” in any given circumstance of moral choice, or even moral dilemma. Like one of our batsmen once leaving the wicket and walking when he knew he was out, even though the umpire didn’t see it. Or a student choosing not to plagiarise even though he desperately needs the marks. Or saying no to groupthink.
Then there is the social conscience. This is where a group might ask itself, “How will we collectively act?” This might, say, be mates in a year cluster deciding to act in response to an issue of bullying. It might be boys in the Benenson Society petitioning to advocate in the face of a perceived human rights abuse.
Conscience is taking a stand, being prophetic – even when that might come with a cost. It is all about values and integrity. Conscience resides in the invitation (which both parents and the school share) to help a young man respond to the call of that core of human integrity and identity: “Know thyself.” That is, “What ought I to do?”, or “What kind of person do I want to be?”
Compassion is walking with those on the edge. It is seeking to understand, with love and not judgement, those who struggle. It is the motivation to serve those who have the greatest claim on us because of their need and our abundance. Compassion is not simply “feeling sorry for”. It is empathy in action.
Compassion might be expressed when someone in the school community suffers a significant loss. It might be the motivation for charitable outreach to people in crisis here or abroad. It might be that deep stirring felt within a boy on an immersion experience. It is being that “man for others” we speak of regularly. A person in solidarity.
Compassion is being drawn to serve the least, the lonely, the last, the lost and the left out.
And finally, Commitment. Here we point to three dimensions of commitment.
It is commitment to others with whom there is a bond of affection, of belonging, of common enterprise. For example, commitment to mates, to the sports team, to a group project done together, to relationships. Not being a “fair weather friend”. Not letting someone down.
It is also commitment to tasks. Seeing them through to the end. Not giving up and backing out.
It is commitment to values. Not ditching one’s principles for convenience or advantage.
Commitment is what people sometimes call “staying power”. Reliability. Resilience. It is being as good as one’s word. Neither giving up, nor giving in. Commitment is resilience, being able to get up again after life has dealt you a blow, a disappointment, or a failure – like a poor grade or being dropped from a team.
It is sticking to long-term goals and not giving way to short-term payoffs and distractions. Not looking at one’s phone, waiting for a better offer after saying yes to someone else. Committed people mean what they say.
Benedictine theologian Sr Joan Chittister speaks of “the sacrament of commitment”. She described it so well when she wrote: “We do what we do, not because we are sure to succeed at it, but because it brings out something good in us that nothing else can touch. We can endure anything for the sake of the things we love. We can endure years at a bedside, years of study, a lifetime of practice, a career of service, the denial of good things we consider less worthy than the things we really care about.”
So these are our Four Cs. Four compass points. Four bearings for school life and beyond. Through them, striving to be as we say here, “directed for the best”.
This article was originally published in a recent edition of ‘The Gonzagan’ newsletter for St Aloysius’ College, Milsons Point.
Banner image by poupoune05, Canva.
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