VATICAN CITY, NOV 9, 2000 (VIS) - Pope John Paul this morning went to the Rome campus of Italy's Sacred Heart Catholic University to mark the opening of the academic year and the 80th anniversaries of both the university and the Giuseppe Toniolo Institute of Higher Learning.
In his talk to students, teachers, and religious and civil authorities, John Paul II observed that the university, "dedicated with holy audacity to the Sacred Heart, lives to show the intimate harmony between faith and reason and to form at the same time professionals and scientists who know how to effect a synthesis between Gospel and culture, endeavoring to make cultural commitment a way to sanctity."
He went on to say that "cultural commitments and spiritual commitments, far from being mutually exclusive or being in tension among themselves, mutually sustain each other. ... Man cannot be divided! If the old saying 'a sound mind in a sound body' still has value, all the more so one can say: 'a sound mind in a holy life'. ... Culture and holiness is therefore a 'winning' binomial for building that plenary humanism of which Christ .... is the supreme model."
The Holy Father then pointed out that it was 10 years ago that he signed the Apostolic Constitution "Ex corde Ecclesiae" in which he "delineated the necessary characteristics of a Catholic university, defining it as 'a primary and privileged place for a fruitful dialogue between the Gospel and culture'." He told those present that the ideal expressed in this document "does not separate you from the fabric of other universities, and even less so from a constructive dialogue with civil society, but rather asks you to be present with a specific contribution, keeping you anchored in Christian and ecclesial exigencies inscribed in your identity."
The Pope proceeded to congratulate the university on two initiatives: the Paul VI International Scientific Institute of Research on Human Fertility and Infertility, and the signing of a document entitled "Scientific Development and the Respect of Man" which treats the use of human embryos in stem cell research. He highlighted the importance of "rigorous" scientific research, but warned researchers to be "attentive to the dimension of ethics, the demands of faith, the promotion of man. ... Universities endeavor not only to help one grow in knowledge, but also to form persons."
Pope John Paul's concluding words were dedicated to the students upon the start of the academic year: "You will be the leaders of tomorrow, workers in the world of culture, of society, and health care in coming decades. Apply yourselves with love to the tasks of study and research, not limiting yourselves to rightfully legitimate professional success, but also looking at the beauty of the service you can give towards building a more just society, marked by greater solidarity."
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