Summary
When it comes to educational self-criticism, what must happen for us to recognize that education of children and adolescents is no longer sustainable in this society? According to statistics provided by the Italian Society of Neuropsychiatry for Children and Adolescents, approximately one in five (around 2 million) people in Italy suffer from a neuropsychiatric disorder. There has been a sharp increase in visits to emergency departments at Bambino Gesù Hospital (+500% in ten years), with rates doubling every fifteen years. Globally, one out of seven teenagers aged 10-19 lives with a diagnosed mental health condition, primarily anxiety and depression. In Italy, 65 percent of young victims are bullied, while almost 374,000 minors were involved in social services in 2023. There has also been an increase in family crimes, which have increased dramatically over the last decade. Young people show a distorted perception of sexuality and face high rates of cyberbullying. These alarming numbers highlight growing personal and relational imbalances among young people and acts of violence—both verbal, physical, and online—which are on the rise. In response to these issues, there is an increasing reliance on scientific remedies through psychological visits, pharmaceutical treatments, and social service support. However, no one is addressing the root causes of these phenomena, which have clear yet hidden origins. Historically, it was the Catholic Church that began educating people through evangelical teachings to promote respect, honesty, good manners, and personal virtues, which then spread into Western civilization’s cultural framework. The Church initiated the establishment of schools and universities as well. Today, how many spaces remain for this invaluable teacher who once advocated for education based on Christian thought, a source that gave birth to European civilization? Some wonder if traditional Catholic educational objectives are still relevant today.
Key Topics
Rise of Mental Health Issues, School Violence, Societal Imbalances
