Seminar to be held on responsibilities of Catholic universities
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Vatican City, Nov 13, 2009 / 05:28 pm (CNA).- The Vatican announced today that the Pontifical Gregorian University will host an upcoming event to discuss the responsibilities of Catholic universities.

The event, titled “The Catholic University in post-modern societies” will be held at Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University from Nov. 16-20, and is presented by the International Federation of Catholic Universities (FIUC).

The Federation is known for it's contribution to the Apostolic Constitution “Ex corde Ecclesiae,” which was approved by the late Pope John Paul II in 1990. The document outlines the essentials that a Catholic university must have in order to “guarantee a Christian presence in the academic world, in the face of the great problems of society and culture.”

During today's press conference, Pedro Nel Medina Varon, adjunct secretary general of FIUC, discussed the three main responsibilities that the Catholic university has.

The first is “preserving the Catholic tradition,” he said, explaining that this means preserving “the reflection that the Christian community has been developing for the last two thousand years concerning the most profound questions about life and the human condition, as well as the beliefs and values transmitted by the gospel.” Varon went on to say that the second purpose of the Catholic university “is the integral education of the person.” The third purpose, he stated, is “service to the Church, and the preservation of the Catholic intellectual tradition through the integral education of the person.”

Some of the other themes to be discussed during the upcoming event are: the Catholic university in dialogue with cultures and religions, the Catholic university and the Christian intellectual tradition, the political and social responsibility of the Catholic university and the future of the Catholic university.

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: William Dempsey
Arlington VA 11/16/2009 02:04 PM EST
It is well and good to discuss even further what a Catholic university should be, but none of the major universities except perhaps Catholic University are coming close to these goals despite all the talk and writing and exhortation. Would it not be more useful for the Vatican and the bishops to discuss what if anything can be done to induce change? And whether the laity should not be informed of how these institutions fall far short of the mark so that they can make informed decisions about where their children should be educated? As a starter, why should they not agree to make public the degree to which the mandamus requirement for theology professors is met at each institution? Is it not time that the Church dispel the illusion that the fact that an institution calls itself Catholic and has been so in the past means anything today?
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Published by: Little Bear
USA 11/14/2009 09:26 PM EST
Before a college/university is called "Catholic," it should first be "Christian". Some authorities would have the schools, tell people how they should think, rather than than equip them to make Christ-like decisions.
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Published by: Everett
USA 11/14/2009 11:25 AM EST
Someone invite Fr. Jenkins from ND.
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Published by: Stephen
USA 11/13/2009 06:25 PM EST
Regaining their catholicity by promoting the Gospel message of love, hope and mercy should be the number one responsibility of Catholic Universities around the entire globe. All too often Catholic Universities are only Catholic in name only.
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