Vatican City, 29 January 2014 (VIS) –
Yesterday afternoon in the Great Hall of the St. Pius X Palace the
Pontifical Academies celebrated their 18th Public Session, the theme
of which was “Occulata Fides. Reading Truth with the eyes of
Christ”. The work of the Session was introduced by Cardinal
Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture
and the Council for Co-ordination between the Pontifical Academies.
During the session, Archbishop Pietro
Parolin, secretary of State, read a message from Pope Francis to the
participants, recalling that this year's theme is drawn from a phrase
of St. Thomas Aquinas, cited in the encyclical Lumen Fidei and which
the Pontifical Academies debate in this document and the recent
Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium”.
“In both documents, I invite
reflection on the 'enlightening' dimension of faith and on the
connection between faith and truth, to be investigated not only with
the mind's eye, but also that of the heart, that is, from the
perspective of love”, writes the Pope. Faith knows because it is
tied to love, because love itself brings light. The comprehension of
faith is that which is born when we receive God's great love which
transforms us within and gives us new eyes through which we see
reality. … This has important consequences both in terms of how
believers act, and for the way theologians work. 'Truth nowadays is
often reduced to the subjective authenticity of the individual. A
common truth intimidates us, for we identify it with the intransigent
demands of totalitarian systems. But if truth is a truth of love, if
it is a truth disclosed in personal encounter with the Other and with
others, then it can be set free from its enclosure in individuals and
become part of the common good. … Far from making us inflexible,
the security of faith sets us on a journey; it enables witness and
dialogue with all”.
“This vision – of a journeying
missionary Church – is that which is developed in the Apostolic
Exhortation on the proclamation of the Gospel in today's world. The
'dream of a … missionary impulse capable of transforming
everything' relates to the entire Church and every part of her. The
Pontifical Academies are also called to this transformation, so that
the contribution of this ecclesiastical Body is not lacking. This is
not a matter of external operations, of a 'facade', however. It is,
rather, also for you, a question of concentrating increasingly on the
the essentials, on what is most beautiful, most grand, most appealing
and at the same time most necessary'”.
The Holy Father concluded his message
by announcing that this year's Pontifical Academies Prize, dedicated
this year to theological research, will be awarded to two young
scholars for their contribution to the promotion of a new Christian
humanism: Rev. Professor Alessandro Clemenzia, for his work “In the
Trinity as Church. In dialogue with Heribert Muhlen”, and Professor
Maria Silvia Vaccarezza for the work “The reasons of the
contingent. Practical wisdom from Aristotle to St. Thomas Aquinas”.
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