‘Be evangelized so as to evangelize,’ Pope tells Peru’s Catholic university

April 03, 2017

Five months after the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru recovered its pontifical status, Pope Francis called upon members of the university community to “be evangelized so as to evangelize.”

The Pope made his remarks in a letter, dated March 19 and released April 1, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the university’s founding.

Pope Francis wrote that the university “is primarily a community, which means recognizing members of the same family who share a common history based on the same principles that gave rise to and motivated them.”

Reflecting on the role of the teacher, he added that “he who is called to teach must do so in imitation of Jesus, the good teacher, Who went out to sow every day with His Word, and was patient with those who followed Him and humble in his dealings with them. If we look at his example, we realize that in order to teach one has first to learn and to be a disciple.”

“Finally, this community has the challenge of seeking and striving towards the essential purpose of a Catholic university institution; that is, to be evangelized so as to evangelize,” the Pope concluded. “We are missionary disciples and are called to become a living gospel for the world … To achieve this end, the truth must be ardently and rigorously pursued, as well as its adequate transmission, thus contributing to the promotion of the human person and to the construction of society.”

 

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Further information:

• Lettera del Santo Padre all’Em.mo Card. Giuseppe Versaldi, Gran Cancelliere dell’Università Cattolica del Perù, in occasione del primo centenario dell’Ateneo, 01.04.2017 (Holy See Press Office)
• Pope writes to Peru's Catholic University on its 100 year anniversary (Vatican Radio)
• Catholic University of Peru reaches agreement with Vatican to recover pontifical status (CWN, 10/25/16)