An online gathering to celebrate 25 yeras of the Itaka- Escolapios network

Nearly 250 people took part last Saturday in an online gathering marking the 25th anniversary of the Itaka-Escolapios Network, a time for celebration, gratitude, and renewal of the shared commitment to the Piarist mission.

Several people who have played a particularly significant role in the history and present of the network spoke during the gathering, including Juan Alfonso Serra, current president of the Itaka-Escolapios Network; Carles Gil, Superior General of the Order of the Pious Schools; Javier Aguirregabiria, who helped launch the network in its early days; and Ilona Rudka, representing the General Council of the Fraternity. Their words helped highlight the journey made over these 25 years and, at the same time, encouraged everyone to look to the future with hope and shared responsibility.

Throughout the celebration, several key aspects defining the identity and vocation of Itaka-Escolapios were emphasized. First, the importance of being a network that generates Piarist life was underlined — a network capable of sustaining living, open, and attentive communities. The call to continue being a transformative network, present on the peripheries, was also placed at the center, wherever an educational, evangelizing, and close presence is most needed. On the social, existential, and educational frontiers, Itaka-Escolapios wants to continue standing alongside those who need it most, convinced that education can change the course of a life.

The gathering concluded with eyes fixed on the future and with a shared dream for Itaka-Escolapios: to continue building a network with a Gospel-centered heart, Calasanz-inspired missionary boldness, and an irrepressible joy.

These 25 years are a reason for gratitude, but also an invitation to keep walking together, making possible a shared mission that generates life, hope, and transformation.