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A School of Solidarity
Prospectus
To rediscover and make others rediscover the inviolable dignity of every human person makes up an essential task, in a certain sense, the central and unifying task of the service which the Church and the lay faithful in her are called to render to the human family.
Pope John Paul II, Christifideles Laid
The purpose of the proposed school of solidarity is to teach young Americans about the sacred and supreme dignity of every human person in every phase of development and in every condition. The school would bring the value and meaning of man to the gates of that most private domain, the realm of conscience. It would be hoped that such a revelation would lead American students to commit or, perhaps, to recommit themselves to lives of selfless service.
The school would be imbued with the spirit of Christian humanism with particular attention to contemporary Christian anthropology. As an institution, the school could be sponsored by a university or operated as an independent entity. Courses would combine the study of the dignity of man and the consequences of authentic human solidarity with activities aimed at the application and verification of principles. These activities would vary according to the preparation, make—up and timetable of the participants. Americans might engage in simple construction projects, basic language instruction, sports clinics, etc. The common denominator would be validity of the activity (Is it a good idea?) and active participation of the intended beneficiaries (Do they think it’s good for them?).
It is proposed that the school of solidarity be located in Mexico for the sake of economy and efficacy. The economic rationale is self-evident. The grounds for efficacy are closely related to the guiding purpose of the endeavor. The school seeks to have an impact on young Americans. By having the school in Mexico, students will have to step out of the First World and step into the Third World. The school .would not take students to the Mexico of beaches and “Bamba.” Rather, the school would immerse students in the Mexico where most Mexicans live, what might be thought of as the “flip—side” of North America: full of people and full of pathos.
Before the very heart of “underdevelopment,” students will experience a powerful impact. They might react like Joseph Conrad’s adventurer Mr. Kurtz in crying, “The horror. The horror.” They would thus return home without discovering the dignity of each person. Quite the contrary, they would believe their neighbor belongs to a monstrous, inferior species which menaces America’s future.
The school of solidarity would work to lead students to discover the true dignity of man in circumstances where his dignity has been most violated. There where against all odds man still endures is where each student must make his choice. If he can see through a mindset darkly the flickering image of immortal love, he might be moved to whisper, “The wonder. The wonder.” Before such a discovery, the awestruck student might let down the drawbridge of Fortress American.
DRAFT
5/1/89
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