Romana

On Friday, July 5, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz, Chancellor of the University of Navarra, participated in the conference on “The Company and its Social Responsibilities,” which concluded the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the University of Navarra's IESE Business School.

IESE Dean Franz Heukamp opened the congress by welcoming the participants. The Prelate of Opus Dei then gave a lecture entitled “IESE and the Social Role of Business.”

The Prelate also met with the directors of the schools of the Institució Familiar d'Educació, whose pastoral care is entrusted to the Prelature. This institute is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

In the morning of Saturday, July 6, the Prelate met with a number of families. He asked them to pray for Pope Francis and reminded them that the Church is a large family open to the whole world, and encouraged them to transmit the great joy of Christianity.

Msgr. Ocáriz then met with representatives from the 16 business schools associated with IESE. He stressed that these schools should “be forgers of human progress, not only materially but also spiritually.” During the meeting with professors and directors of these schools, they shared experiences and anecdotes on ways to transmit their Christian identity. In regard to this concern shown by all those present, Msgr. Ocáriz reflected on friendship: “Personal contact, treating people with affection, that is what transmitting the Gospel involves.” And he added that a “business school that wants to be Christian must live charity, and prior to that, justice.”

On the 6th, the Prelate spent time with student volunteers from the Bonaigua University Residence who had been involved in a recent traffic accident in Ivory Coast, in which Teresa Cardona, a member of the board of directors of the Residence, had lost her life. Families of the volunteers and Teresa's relatives were also present. During the encounter Msgr. Ocáriz offered them words of encouragement: “You have suffered and we have all suffered with you. I have also suffered for Teresa and for all of them, for the families... One wonders why these things happen. Humanly we can’t understand it. But we need to have faith that God's love accompanies us, precedes us, and always follows us closely. The loss of Teresa is great, but with faith we know that she has completed her journey and reached her goal.”