Pope Francis says "Saint John Paul II, he stressed the need...through which university circles join the Church's mission to spread Christ's message to the world." FULL TEXT

MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS

FOR THE 625th ANNIVERSARY OF THE
THEOLOGICAL FACULTY OF THE
PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY JOHN PAUL II IN KRAKOW

To Venerable Brother
Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski
Grand Chancellor
of the Pontifical John Paul II University
in Krakow 

On 11 January 1397, at the request of Queen Saint Edwige and her husband Ladislao, Pope Boniface IX , with the Bull " Eximiae devotionis affectus ", he erected the Faculty of Theology of the then Academy of Krakow, later the Jagiellonian University. Its continuation is the current Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical John Paul II University. 625 years have therefore passed since this epochal event, which marks the beginning of the history of your relatively young Athenaeum. Together with you I thank God for this tradition of more than six centuries, with all its scientific and didactic achievements, as well as its own spirituality created by its holy founders, professors and students.

The story on which you are building the present is remarkable and important, but at the same time challenging. Today's times require all of us not to forget tradition, but at the same time to look with hope to the future and to create the future. The motto of your university is the call "Go and make disciples" ( Mt 28:19), and the document on its mission affirms that the activity consists in scientific reflection on the content of Revelation, using classical and contemporary research methods. Saint John Paul II, he stressed the need for such a "ministry of thought", through which university circles join the Church's mission to spread Christ's message to the world. Therefore, faithful to centuries of tradition, read the signs of the times, courageously accept new challenges to effectively bring the truth of the Gospel to contemporary man and to the world. May your university be a place of formation for new generations of Christians, not only through scientific study and the search for truth, but also through the social witness of living the faith. May it be a community in which the acquisition of knowledge is combined with the promotion of respect for every man, for the love of God who created him, and with the care of the formation of hearts, opening them to what is most important, what is lasting and does not pass. Young people have their dreams and their goals, and a Catholic University should help them realize them on the basis of the truth, good and beauty that have their source in God. His ministry of thought and search for truth is necessary. today to the Church in Poland and in the world. Carry it forward with a sense of responsibility to be faithful to your mission: go and make disciples!

In prayer I entrust to God You, Dear Brother, the Rector and Professors, the students and staff of the University, invoking the intercession of Saint Hedwig the Queen, founder of the Faculty, and of Saint John Paul II, and I cordially impart the Apostolic Blessing on all of you.

Vatican City, January 6, Solemnity of the Epiphany, 2022.
 

FRANCISCUS

Source: Vatican.va - Unofficial Translation from Italian