P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H
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INTENTION : |
That Catholic Universities may more and more be places where, in the light of the Gospel, it is possible to experience the harmonious unity existing between faith and reason.
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What should be the specific contribution of a Catholic university to society and to the evangelising task of the Church? What characteristics should distinguish a university bearing the adjective 'Catholic'? Is it enough for there to be chapels available, and for it to offer its students daily Mass? Or is its task, rather, to form agents of social change, inspired by Gospel criteria? On the one hand the religious and liturgical dimension, on the other, social conscience which strives for the justice of God's Kingdom? Both dimensions seem important and necessary. To achieve this, what specific traits should characterise the curricular framework and the different courses? How should the university chaplaincy be organised on campus?
These are some of the questions to be answered by a university that calls itself Catholic. It is the subject of the Pope's intention for prayer this month. Undoubtedly he hopes for the Catholic universities to be places where Christian culture is developed, where humanity's great problems are treated in depth and with academic excellence. They should be platforms for dialogue with today's society, demonstrating "the harmonious unity which exists between faith and reason" according to his words, which is another way of speaking about inculturation. The university is called to be the place for the encounter of faith in dialogue with the human sciences and contemporary philosophy, with the scientific and artistic world. It must offer to the modern world, in an intelligent way, reason enlightened by faith. It must work out a convincing answer to contemporary secularism and materialism, offering reasoned and reasonable faith. It must keep in view and seek solutions to the problems that confront daily the poorest members of society. It must be able to question the deep roots of the social and economic structures that keep a great part of humanity in poverty and underdevelopment, and propose alternatives to make progress towards a more just world.
Thus "A university is not worthy of the name if it keeps silent on what is inhuman in the present global affluence, or if it looks away so as not to see the iniquities crying out to heaven. Nor is it enough to denounce poverty, injustice, or the deterioration of the environment. It is necessary to do it in the way proper to a university, with spiritual wisdom, and with up-to-date knowledge of the sciences needed to build new, more just and human, realities. We must order the means to their appropriate ends. For this reason, today more than ever we need a university which, in the formation of young people, in research, and in its voice in society, is outstanding for its connection with the needs of the poor and their legitimate aspirations, at the same time as it forms a bridge with the business world and with public life, so that together they may build an inclusive society with opportunities for dignity in life for everyone."
Rev Fr Peter Hans Kolvenbach's speech in Mexico on 16th February 2003.
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