Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale704

VIII

Conventus Europaeus Docentium apud Universitates.*

Your Eminence,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends!

I am particularly pleased to receive you during the first European Meet-

ing of University Lecturers, sponsored by the Council of European Episcopal

Conferences and organized by teachers from the Roman universities, coordi-

nated by the Vicariate of Rome's Office for the Pastoral Care of Universities.

It is taking place on the fiftieth anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which

gave rise to the present European Union, and its participants include uni-

versity lecturers from every country on the continent, including those of the

Caucasus: Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. I thank Cardinal Péter Erdő,

President of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences, for his kind

words of introduction. I greet the representatives of the Italian government,

particularly those from the Ministry for Universities and Research, and from

the Ministry for Italy's Cultural Heritage, as well as the representatives of

the Region of Lazio and the Province and City of Rome. My greeting also

goes to the other civil and religious authorities, the Rectors and the teachers

of the various universities, as well as the chaplains and students present.

The theme of your meeting - "A New Humanism for Europe. The Role of

the Universities" - invites a disciplined assessment of contemporary culture

on the continent. Europe is presently experiencing a certain social instability

and diffidence in the face of traditional values, yet her distinguished history

and her established academic institutions have much to contribute to shaping

a future of hope. The "question of man", which is central to your discussions,

is essential for a correct understanding of current cultural processes. It also

provides a solid point of departure for the effort of universities to create a

new cultural presence and activity in the service of a more united Europe.

Promoting a new humanism, in fact, requires a clear understanding of what

this "newness" actually embodies. Far from being the fruit of a superficial

desire for novelty, the quest for a new humanism must take serious account

of the fact that Europe today is experiencing a massive cultural shift, one in

* Die 23 Iunii 2007.