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Rome -- Cardinal Parolin Inaugurates the Academic Year at the Campus Bio-medico

The Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, celebrated Holy Mass in the chapel of Rome’s Campus Bio-medico during the inauguration of the 2015-2016 academic year. In his homily, he encouraged the university community to “make the Campus Bio-medico a place where a culture of encounter is fostered and solidarity is strengthened.” Directing himself first of all to the students, the cardinal said that “young people at a university need a permanent program for attaining the truth,” a program that “requires study and perseverance, and demands generosity and self-denial.” He stressed that, along with personal effort, we Christians have to remain open to the action of the Holy Spirit, who leads us to knowledge of the truth. He pointed to some words of Pope Francis from his homily in St. Martha’s chapel on September 2, 2014, spoken “with his simple and expressive language.” “It may be that a person has five university degrees, but does not possess the Spirit of God. What gives us authority, what gives us identity, is the Holy Spirit,” the Holy Father said.

After referring to the example of docility to the Paraclete transmitted to us by saints in the Church, with special mention of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, the cardinal concluded by encouraging everyone to strengthen their union with God, in order to put into practice each day the motto of the Campus Bio-medico: Science at the service of the person. “From an intimate encounter with God we attain the strength needed for generous and joyful service of our neighbor.”

Romana, n. 61, July-December 2015, p. 327-328.

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