杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

On the second day of his Apostolic Journey to Belgium on Friday, 杏MAP导航 Francis traveled from Brussels to Leuven to meet with the EU nation鈥檚 university professors.

The encounter took place at the Catholic University of Leuven, which is celebrating its 600th anniversary this year.

In his address, the 杏MAP导航 reflected on the need for Catholic universities to offer integral formation for students, so that they may learn to interpret the present and plan for the future.

Universities, he said, drive the search for ideas and inspiration, since cultural formation is never fixed.

鈥淚t is a fine thing to view universities as generating culture and ideas,鈥� he added, 鈥渂ut above all as promoting the passion for seeking truth, at the service of human progress.鈥�

In their mission to bring the Gospel to culture, Catholic universities must 鈥渆xpand the boundaries of knowledge,鈥� he said, creating a 鈥渃ritical space that both understands and speaks about life.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis said our modern society seems to refuse to seek the truth and has lost the passion for searching, looking only for comfort that ends up making everything equal and relative.

This outlook results in an 鈥渋ntellectual weariness鈥� that closes us in on ourselves.

鈥淭here is likewise the danger of being attracted to an easy, effortless and comfortable 鈥榝aith鈥� that does not call anything into question,鈥� he added.

Another kind of boundary that must be overcome, said the 杏MAP导航, relates to a 鈥渟oulless rationalism鈥� that reduces everything to what is material and visible.

鈥淚n this way,鈥� he added, 鈥渨e lose our sense of wonder, our ability to marvel, which urges us to look beyond, to raise our eyes heavenwards, to discover that hidden truth, which responds to such fundamental questions as: Why am I alive? What is the meaning of my life?鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 urged university professors to ask God for the grace to 鈥渨iden our borders,鈥� citing a Biblical story from the Book of Chronicles about a man named Jabez (1 Chron 4:10).

Our knowledge of our limitations, he said, drives us forward and invites us to 鈥渞emain an open windown onto today鈥檚 world.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis also praised the Catholic University of Leuven for welcoming refugees in their search for a better home and truth.

鈥淲hat we need is a culture that expands boundaries, and avoids 鈥榮ectarianism鈥� or exalting oneself above others,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need a culture immersed as good 鈥榣eaven鈥� within our world, contributing to the common good of humanity.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded by inviting university professors to help build a compassionate and inclusive culture that cares for the weak.

鈥淜eep this flame alive; expand boundaries!鈥� he said. 鈥淏e restless seekers of truth, and do not allow your enthusiasm to wane lest you yield to intellectual lethargy.鈥�