VATICAN - Pope Francis: The Pontifical Urban University "has an identity of its own" and should not be "blended" with other universities

Vatican City (Fides News Agency) - "We do not live in a Christian society, but we are called to live as Christians in today’s pluralistic society." And a historical and prestigious institution such as the Pontifical Urban University, which "has an identity of its own", can "respond to the challenges presently facing the Church and our world", starting with, precisely, its "missionary specificity". This was said by Pope Francis to the participants to the Extraordinary Plenary Assembly of the Section for the First Evangelization and the new particular Churches of the Dicastery for Evangelization, who convened in Rome from the various continents to reflect on the identity, mission, expectations and future of the Pontifical Urban University (see Fides 29/8/2024).

The Extraordinary Plenary Assembly had been convened with the acceptance of an invitation by the Pope himself to carefully examine the possibility of creating effective, stable and organic synergies between the University institutions which are administratively dependent on the Holy See.

In his speech, Pope Francis explained to members of the Missionary Dicastery those guiding and operational criteria that should be followed to outline the present and future paths of the Pontifical University located on the Janiculum Hill. "There is some plan afoot to 'blend' it with other universities; no, this is not right." the Pontiff began, speaking off the cuff.

The Bishop of Rome thus reiterated that the identity and vocation of the academic institute, genetically linked to the Missionary Dicastery - descending from the Congregation of Propaganda Fide - consists in "missionarity". An identity that is always connected to the life of the local Churches, always open and never definitive. An identity that just like mission, needs "to be guided constantly by the breath of the Spirit who directs history and who calls us to read the signs of the times in which we live". “And to do so with proper criteria.” he added off the cuff.

In his speech, the Pontiff then expressed words of praise both for the specific question at the center of the Plenary's work, and for the synodal consultation procedure initiated by the Missionary Dicastery which, prior to the Assembly, gathered requests, evaluations, expectations and suggestions expressed by the Episcopal Conferences regarding the present and future of the Pontifical Urban University. The Pope also recalled that "the Urban University responds to the authority and activity of the Dicastery for Evangelization, in accordance with the organizational plan laid down by the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium". "The Urban University has an identity of its own," he extemporaneously noted once more.

Precisely in order to continue walking the path of its "founding values", the Urban University is also called upon to combine "improving the quality of education and research, and the judicious use of human and economic resources". To this end, going into detail about the concrete choices possible, the Successor of Peter, citing the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, recalled that "a proposal of goals without an adequate communal search for the means of achieving them will inevitably prove illusory". Instead, there is a need for "that healthy creativity which avoids all emotional strain to find suitable paths". "Never be afraid of creativity – he added, once again deviating from his prepared speech -, we need a healthy creativity".

Making an academic institution attractive and competitive - explained Pope Francis – "requires dedicated instructors, scientific research and the means needed to make a significant contribution to scholarship". Whereas "making good use of resources", he added, mentioning possible examples of synergies between academic institutions accredited by the Holy See, "entails eliminating duplication, sharing lecturers across the six institutions, eliminating unnecessary spending, planning activities wisely and abandoning outdated practices and programmes. ".

"For this, I want to thank the Cardinal and the Secretary who are working hard to avoid these ugly, dirty things that I just mentioned. Thank you for what you are doing ” he said, once again in the spur of the moment, addressing Cardinal Tagle and Archbishop Nwachukwu.

For the Urban University specifically - the Pope clarified - the desired increase in the academic offer must ensure "that its missionary and intercultural specificity be seen even more clearly in the quality of the formation that it offers, so that its graduates can be creative in mediating the Christian message vis-à-vis other cultures and religions.", because there is great need "for priests, consecrated persons and lay people filled with missionary zeal for evangelizing cultures and thus inculturating the Gospel!". "These two things always go together - he added - the evangelization of culture and the inculturation of the Gospel."

Pope Francis also said it was his hope that, "as has already happened in places in Asia and in China", within the Urban University, "more research centers can be set up for the different geographical and cultural regions, while strengthening those already existing. He furthermore added that "encouragement should also be given to affiliating the seminaries and schools of theology present in missionary territories. Where this is not possible, a different yet constant form of accompaniment ought to be ensured." (GV) (Fides News Agency 30/8/2024)

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