Catholic education as ongoing translation

Abstract

Two features of this particular moment in time prompt fresh reflection on what is at stake in articulating a Catholic philosophy of education. These two features are, respectively, the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of Vatican II (1962–1965) and the introduction in 2011 of the new translation of the missal, a process that focuses attention once again on the salient role of Latin in the life of the church. After commenting on these two features, I explore how the metaphor of translation casts light on the delicate balancing acts that accompany the task of Catholic education. Translators seek to represent faithfully the text they convey in a different language. At the same time, they hope to make that text meaningful and ‘alive’ for their readers or hearers. Catholic educators face the same twin task, of faithful representation and of creative interpretation. Translators and educators always run the risks of betrayal, of falling short, either in the task of faithful representation or in the imperative to render what is passed on as relevant, attractive and transformational.