PRESENTATION OF JUBILEE FOR UNIVERSITY TEACHERS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 9, 2000 (VIS) - The Jubilee for University Teachers, scheduled for September 3-10, was presented in the Holy See Press Office this morning by Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture and by Archbishops Zenon Grocholewski and Giuseppe Pittau, S.J., respectively, prefect and secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

Cardinal Poupard, in introductory remarks, recalled that "in 1994 the Pontifical Council for Culture, in collaboration with the Congregation for Catholic Education and the Pontifical Council for the Laity, published a document on the theme 'The Presence of the Church in the University and in University Culture' which underlined the 'pressing need' to reach a new synthesis between culture and faith, and a new humanism enlightened and promoted by the Gospel."

The Jubilee Year 2000, he said, "offers a providential occasion to favor and support such a commitment." He also underlined how the Jubilee for University teachers would be both a religious moment and "a moment of exceptional cultural dialogue and exchange of experiences. ... The university ... is called to become ever more a true research laboratory in which a universal and integral humanism, open to the spiritual dimension of man, is laid out and developed."

Archbishop Grocholewski, recalling that Pope John Paul himself had been a university teacher, underlined the pastoral nature of this Jubilee event. He said that the university Jubilee "must not and should not end" with the celebration in September, including the closing papal Mass. "It is a favorable occasion to increase the university pastoral ministry in the local Churches."

"Within this context, ... I would like to point out that, at the end of the September 10 Eucharistic celebration, the Holy Father will entrust to each delegation of the five continents a copy of the 'Sedes Sapientiae' (Seat of Wisdom) Madonna so that it can travel throughout university chaplaincies."

Archbishop Sepe of the central Jubilee committee remarked that this is the first time in the history of Holy Years that a Jubilee of universities is being celebrated. He added that "the significant presence of universities is part of the long and fecund tradition of the Church and has become, in these last decades, a constant dialogue that John Paul II has with the university world every year."

For his part, Archbishop Pittau, observing that there are 950 Catholic universities throughout the world, said that "right from the choice of the theme, 'The University for a New Humanism,' the organizing committee (for this Jubilee) showed its concern that the event be truly 'university-centered', that is, that it respect the ideals and ends of the university: inter-disciplinarity, universality, scientific research, academic rigor, an openness to dialogue and therefore willingness to listen and to change one's own position."

Antonio Cicchetti, president of the organizational committee for the Jubilee, spoke about the initiatives being prepared for September 7 to 9.

On September 7 and 8:
- World meeting of administrative directors, on the theme: "University and the Future: the Development of Human Resources at the Service of Society."

On September 8:

- World meeting of rectors at Rome's La Sapienza University. They will discuss the theme: "the Role of the University in the Third Millennium for the Development of a New Humanism." The gathering was promoted by the rectors of Rome's La Sapienza, Tor Vergata and Roma Tre Universities and by the committee of rectors of the pontifical universities.

- World meeting of chaplains in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, on the theme: "the Priestly Mission in the World of the University and Culture." The meeting will be presided by Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua, archbishop of Philadelphia, U.S.A.

- World forum of students, to take place at the Pontifical Lateran University. The theme will be "Gospel and Culture in the University, the Role of Students." The gathering will be presided by Cardinal Vinko Puljic, archbishop of Vrhbosna-Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

On September 9:

- World meeting of government ministers for the university, promoted by the Italian ministry for the university and scientific and technological research.

Furthermore, Cicchetti announced, there is an Internet site on the Jubilee which may be consulted at www.universitas2000.com.

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