(NewsNation) — Pope Leo XIV is pushing Catholic teachers to take a different approach in educating parochial school students.

On Tuesday, the pontiff encouraged educators to focus less on pre-professional outcomes and explain more about having rich spiritual lives.

The marching orders came during a special Holy Year celebration that brought thousands of teachers, students and administrators to Rome.

“Educators are called to a responsibility that goes beyond their work contract: their witness is worth as much as their lessons,” the pontiff said.

Pope Leo also acknowledged parents are the primary educators for their children and that Catholic schools must cooperate with them, not take their place. Catholic teachers themselves must also be models for their students, he added

“The Catholic school is a place where faith, culture and life cross paths,” he added.

“It’s not just an institution, but a living environment in which the Christian vision permeates every discipline and every interaction.”

The Catholic Church is one of the world’s leading players in education, and according to Vatican statistics, it operates more than 225,000 primary and secondary schools and enrolls some 2.5 million students at Catholic universities around the world.