Saint Chavara, the Herald of Modern Catholic Education
Keywords:
Women Empowerment, Catholic education centres, Catholic education, Saint Chavara, St ChavaraAbstract
St. Chavara was a herald who defined education not only for his contemporaries but for the forthcoming generations. The paper looks into Chavara’s perspectives of education with special emphasis on higher education in a Catholic outlook and the different steps through which Chavara’s education vision became visible in the history of India. The vision became possible through a band of enlightened leaders, systematic education and spiritual development programmes for priests, use of the printing press, spreading knowledge through creative writings, the establishment of a Sanskrit school, women empowerment through education, and with the establishment of universities and integral education which blends secular sciences and spiritual sciences. Catholic higher education centres provide opportunities for people of all faith or atheists to take benefit from the curricular and co-curricular educational programs, individual support, and Christian spirit which our varied Catholic institutions provide.
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