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Skriven 2006-11-06 22:13:50 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
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                               VIS-Press releases

POPE VISITS THE PONTIFICAL GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY

VATICAN CITY, NOV 3, 2006 (VIS) - This morning, Benedict XVI travelled to
Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University. On arrival, he visited the chapel for
an interval of prayer, then moved on to the university's covered courtyard
where he met with professors, students and benefactors.

After greetings from the university rector, Fr. Gianfranco Ghirlanda S.J., the
students' representative, Fr. Bryan Lobo S.J., and the secretary general, Luigi
Allena, the Pope delivered his address.

In opening his remarks, the Pope recalled how in 1972 he was invited to teach a
course on the Blessed Eucharist, and he reminded professors and students that
"the effort of study and teaching, in order to be meaningful with regard to the
Kingdom of God, must be supported by the theological virtues. The immediate
objective of theological science, in its various aspects, is God Who revealed
Himself in Jesus Christ, God with a human face."

"Today," he continued, "we cannot fail to take account of the confrontation
with secular culture, which in many parts of the world tends ... not only to
deny all signs of God's presence in the life of society and of individuals,
but, with various means that disorient and confuse man's correct understanding,
seeks to undermine his capacity to listen to God.

"Nor can we ignore," he added, "relations with other religions." Such relations
"are constructive only if they avoid all ambiguities that in any way weaken the
essential contents of Christian faith in Christ, the only Savior of all
mankind, and in the Church, a necessary sacrament for the salvation of all
humanity."

Other human sciences such as psychology, social science and communications,
"precisely because they concern human beings, cannot omit a reference to God.
Indeed, man, both in his interior and exterior aspects, cannot be fully
understood if he is not recognized as being open to transcendence."

He continued: "Deprived of his reference to God, man cannot respond to the
fundamental questions that disturb, and always will disturb, his heart;
questions that concern the aim and, hence, the meaning of existence. ... Man's
destiny, without reference to God, cannot but be the desolation of anguish that
leads to desperation. Only with reference to God-Love, revealed in Jesus
Christ, can man discover the meaning of his life, and live in hope, even while
experiencing the evils that injure his personal life and the society in which
he lives. Hope ensures that man does not close himself in a stagnant and
sterile nihilism, but opens himself to generous commitment in the society in
which he lives in order to improve it."

Highlighting the fact that the integral formation of young people "is one of
the traditional forms of the apostolate of Company of Jesus," the Holy Father
recalled how the university's statutes and general regulations are currently
being renewed, in order, he said, "to define the identity of the Gregorian
University more clearly, facilitating the preparation of the most appropriate
academic programs for carrying out its mission."

"As an ecclesial pontifical university, this academic institution is committed
to 'sentire in Ecclesia et cum Ecclesia.' This is a commitment that arises from
love for the Church, our Mother and Bride of Christ."

Following the ceremony and before returning to the Vatican, the Pope visited
the "Matteo Ricci" congress center where he greeted the religious community of
Jesuits.
BXVI-VISIT/GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY/GHIRLANDA VIS 061103 (560)

SUMMARY

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