Itaka-Escolapios: 25 candles and a wish

The start of a new year always brings with it an atmosphere of renewal and hope. And this year that has just begun has a special significance for our network. On March 9, the Itaka-Escolapios Network will celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary, consolidating its position as an educational platform for social transformation.

Five decades ago, those who laid the foundations of the Network lit a flame that they surely never imagined would last, multiply, and spread so far. Today, it will no longer be just one lit candle, but twenty-five. And today, Itaka-Escolapios continues to extend Calasanz's mission through a network that connects people, countries, and projects. We are not simply celebrating the passage of time, the number of candles lit for each year, but everything they illuminate; we are celebrating the vitality of a platform that currently supports educational works, pastoral processes, cultural centers, shelters, and care programs for the most impoverished sectors on several continents.

Celebrating a birthday means looking back at the past and taking stock with gratitude. For those who began this story and those who continue it, because in every corner where Itaka-Escolapios is present, there is a community that firmly believes that a more just world is possible if we invest in the present of children and young people. For the volunteers who give their time to transform reality.

Celebrating a birthday means looking back on the past and giving thanks. For those who began this story and those who continue it, because in every corner where Itaka-Escolapios is present, there is a community that firmly believes that a more just world is possible if we invest in the present of children and young people. For the volunteers who give their time to transform realities, for all those who share the mission, for the Fraternities that are part of the soul of the Network, for those who share their resources, and for God who has been a faithful companion along the way.

As we approach our central date, we invite everyone, every educator and every young person, to feel part of this story. The anniversary on March 9 is an invitation to a celebration of “going forth” that is evident in a network that wants to continue growing and giving of itself by serving those it encounters. I would say—if you understand the expression—that not only do we not want to blow out the candles to extinguish them, but we want to light many more.

We begin this year with the joy of knowing that there are many of us who share this journey. May our wish on this anniversary be that we may be more united, committed, and convinced that educating and evangelizing is the best way to change the world. Happy anniversary to the entire Itaka-Escolapios Network family!

Juan Alfonzo Serra, president of the Itaka-Escolapios Network