On the Church's Institutions of Higher Learning

Interview With Rector of Regina Apostolorum

ROME, APRIL 4, 2007 (Zenit) - The role of Church-related institutions of higher learning is to provide quality formation so the world will come to know Jesus Christ, says the new rector of the Regina Apostolorum university.

Legionary of Christ Father Pedro Barrajón was recently chosen as the rector, succeeding Father Paolo Scarafoni, a member of the same congregation.

Pontifical universities and athenaeums are Catholic higher-education, degree-granting institutions overseen by the Vatican. An athenaeum has two faculties, normally philosophy and theology, while a university has at least three.

Q: What is the greatest service a Roman athenaeum offers the Church?

Father Barrajón: The services a Roman athenaeum offers the Church are varied. I would like to enumerate only a few.

In the first place, every university or athenaeum has the mission to orient the teaching staff and student community in the sincere search of truth and this is done by each discipline according to its own methodology, knowing that there isn't a double or triple truth but only one, and that truth isn't against truth.

In regard to the specific study of theology, which animates the heart of every original contribution of the pontifical universities to the Church, I like to recall the phrase of St. Bonaventure who said that theology must begin with faith, continue with the heart and end in contemplation.

Theology is not fruitful if it does not begin with the faith of the Church, gathered in sacred Scripture and the living Tradition as interpreted authentically by the magisterium.

Therefore, I think that an athenaeum must be a place of sincere, common and systematic search of truth in the different fields of learning. Christianity, as Benedict XVI has highlighted in many of his interventions, does not fear the "logos," given that it is the "Logos" himself who is the center of its faith.

There can be no schizophrenia between faith and reason. On the contrary, they are two wings to rise to the contemplation of truth.

In the second place, an athenaeum is a place of creation of Christian culture. Pope Benedict XVI himself has spoken in his books of the role that creative minorities will have in the Church of the future. Those minorities must have a superior intellectual formation and it is the universities and athenaeums that offer the possibility.

In the third place, the Roman athenaeums have the particular vocation to form priests.

Thanks be to God, there is in them a growing number of lay people, but the great majority continue to be priests who will eventually return to their respective dioceses in which they will contribute with their specific competency to the growth and strengthening of the local Church.

It is a great joy for me to know that every year more than 100 priests are ordained, from some 20 or 30 various countries, who have been formed in our athenaeum.

Q: Do you have a concrete project or specific priority in mind?

Father Barrajón: Historically, our athenaeum arose after a conversation of Pope John Paul II with the founder of the Legion of Christ, Father Marcial Maciel, on the need to forge apostles, priests and laity, of the new evangelization who would be at the unconditional service of the Church.

This apostolic initiative arose with this end in mind and it was entrusted to the special protection of Mary, Queen of the Apostles. I believe that my mission is to be faithful to this foundational origin to help forge these apostles of the new evangelization who can be present in the great areopagi from where Christ must be preached today. And to do so in the most absolute fidelity to the magisterium of the Church and of the Pope.

The rectors who preceded me, Father Álvaro Corcuera, at present director general of the congregation, and Father Paolo Scarafoni, who continues to function as rector of the European University of Rome, have been faithful to these foundational origins and have given the athenaeum great stimulation in all fields.

My present task, I believe, is to continue to work in that same direction, collaborating intensely with the Holy Father and the Holy See, with the other Roman pontifical universities and athenaeums in the delicate task of evangelization of the culture and in the high-level formation of priests and Catholic laity who are to take to the world the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Q: You are also involved in subjects related to the relationship between science and faith. Of what importance is this kind of subject from the theological point of view?

Father Barrajón: I am convinced that faith does not have to be afraid of science; rather a fruitful dialogue between them is very valuable, both for science as well as theology.

However, the mutual dialogue needs mediation -- philosophy, a philosophy of being, open to truth. In this way, the athenaeum has been collaborating actively in the STOQ -- Science and Theology and the Ontological Quest -- project in which several Roman ecclesiastical universities are involved and the Pontifical Council for Culture.

Within the master's, I offer a course on "Christian Anthropology in the Face of Science" in which, after a few initial theoretical bases, I pause to consider some present-day subjects, such as the embryo's soul, death and immortality, mind-brain relationship, the process of animation in evolution, etc.

Contact

Catholic Online
http://www.catholic.org CA, US
Catholic Online - Publisher, 661 869-1000

Email

info@yourcatholicvoice.org

Keywords

Education, Jesus, Barrajon, Universities

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,718

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• »