杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

The heart of 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� message to Cardinal de Donatis, Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, for the inauguration of the start of the new academic year is that students and all staff must feel 鈥渋nvolved in planting the seeds of peace.鈥� The 杏MAP导航 explains that this 鈥渂egins with listening, professionalism and dedication鈥� which he says must always be 鈥渁ccompanied by humbleness, meekness and the desire to be all things to all.鈥�

Education for peace

In current times, the 杏MAP导航 says, there is an ever-growing need to prevent and resolve conflicts. 鈥淭he Church, in the light of the Gospel, feels called to inspire and support each initiative that ensures鈥�a journey of peace.鈥�

To do this, the 杏MAP导航 continues, there is a need for 鈥渁n educational effort to listen and understand鈥�, but also for 鈥渒nowledge and studies of the assets of value鈥� and 鈥渙f the instruments capable of demolishing tendencies towards isolation, closure and power that brings violence and destruction鈥�.

Searching for solutions

In quoting Evangelii gaudium, 杏MAP导航 Francis goes on to explain that it is not only the Church who is called to favour 鈥渇inding solutions to problems affecting peace, social harmony, the land, the defence of life, human and civil rights, and so forth.鈥� The university world also has an important role in the pursuit of this objective, says the 杏MAP导航. He describes university as 鈥渁 place that symbolises the integral humanity that needs to be constantly renewed and enriched鈥�. This, the 杏MAP导航 explains, helps produce the brave renewed culture that the current time asks for.鈥�

However, the 杏MAP导航 continues, 鈥淭his does not mean altering the sense of the institution and the traditions consolidated in our academic realities鈥�, but rather 鈥渟teering its function in the outlook of a more missionary Church鈥�. He stresses that this must be done 鈥渇irst and foremost by addressing the younger generations鈥�.

A dream of peace

Therefore, says the 杏MAP导航, this is the task with which we are entrusted: 鈥渋ncarnate the Word of God for the Church and for the humanity of the Third Millennium.鈥� All this, says the 杏MAP导航 鈥渨ithout being afraid of risking and dreaming of peace for all people and for all nations鈥�.