Educating in the Assumption today means continuing to seek new ways of forming people and building a future rooted in hope, responsibility and transformation. This shared commitment brought seventeen representatives from Spain, France, Belgium, Italy and Lithuania to Madrid on 8–9 October for the second European meeting of the Religious of the Assumption schools, bringing together provincial leadership in Europe, school directors and teachers.
Following the first meeting in Rome in October 2025, this gathering continues a shared journey of reflection, listening and preparation for the European Assumption Education Congress in 2028.
The meeting began with a simple but meaningful gesture: each participant located their school on a map of Europe and chose one word to express its identity. Mission, Passion, Heritage, Commitment, Growth, Community and Inclusion were among the words that emerged. Different languages, histories and contexts, yet a shared desire to make education a source of life, hope and change.
Rooted in the vision of Saint Marie Eugénie, the Assumption educational mission looks beyond academic achievement. It seeks to form people who can think freely, act responsibly, build meaningful relationships and contribute to a more just and humane world.
An important part of the Madrid meeting has been listening to the voices of our educational communities. Drawing on surveys completed by teachers, students and families, participants are exploring what these voices reveal: what inspires us, what challenges our experience and what invites us to look afresh at our mission. Listening becomes an opportunity to learn from one another, recognise shared concerns and discern new possibilities.
And this is only part of the journey!
The European Assumption Education Congress planned for 2028 will open a wider space for encounter and participation. It will bring together members of our educational communities, including students, families, teachers, support staff and Religious of the Assumption. Participants will have the opportunity to share experiences, celebrate the richness of our different contexts and explore jointly what Assumption education is called to become in the years ahead.
What might emerge when so many voices are assembled? What dreams, questions and new horizons will take shape? How can we continue to make our schools places where every person is welcomed, encouraged to grow and inspired to contribute to the common good?
As the journey continues, one invitation remains at its heart: “Dare to be light.” The road to 2028 invites us to listen more deeply, strengthen our shared commitment and imagine the future together. The conversation has begun, and there is much more still to come.
