A ‘learning community’ as a social justice model for Catholic education in Thailand

Abstract

Inspired by Paul VI’s Octogesima Adveniens regarding the Church’s urgent response to social issues, in his speech to Jesuit alumni in Valencia in July 1973, Fr. Pedro Arrupe reflected on the concept of ‘social justice’ and its implications for Jesuit schools. He spoke about how Jesuit education could assist students to become ‘men and women for others’, men and women who can bring about change for the better in their societies. Since then, promoting ‘social justice’ has become one of the Jesuit educational priorities and has brought about significant reform within Jesuit educational institutions worldwide. This includes the newly established institution of a ‘learning community’ that addresses educational inequality for poor indigenous students in Thailand. This research paper reflects on how this institution can be a model that promotes justice in education and forms our students to become ‘agents of change.’ This paper begins by revisiting Fr. Arrupe’s concept of ‘social justice’ and philosophically analyses the learning formation of a new Jesuit institution, called the Xavier Learning Community (XLC). Drawing from this analysis, I argue that the model of ‘learning community’ may also inspire other Catholic schools to address common social issues in Thailand based on the Christian values of continual conversion, fraternal and sororal relationship, and discernment.