universities" "
Preparing the Symposium to be held in Rome, from 24 to 27 July 2003, on the theme: “Church and university in Europe”: that’s the main objective of the meeting of the national delegates of university apostolate and of the coordination Group of the European Committee of university chaplains, scheduled to be held in Madrid from 27 to 29 September (cf. SirEurope no. 30/2002). The delegates at the meeting will also include a significant representation of the Churches of Eastern Europe. “In Slovakia explains Msgr. Tomas Galis, auxiliary bishop of Banska Bystrica and national delegate for education, in a statement to SirEurope the conditions of freedom permitted various positive changes to be made following the collapse of the Communist regime in 1989: the school system was reformed, new universities were founded and the Church was entitled to play her own active role in this field. In particular, the Catholic Church is trying to promote the integral formation of youth mainly through university pastoral centres, that exist on almost all campuses. The first Catholic University was founded at Ruzomberok, in central Slovakia, in 2000″. Overcoming “the psychological isolation” of youth, legacy of the Communist regime; inserting “the human formation of teachers and students” among the priorities; and aiming “at the formation of experts, especially among teaching staff and in the humanistic field”: these, according to Bishop Galis, are the “most urgent challenges that need to be tackled in the relation between faith and culture. Concerning the contribution that the Catholic universities may make to the “construction” of the new Europe, Bishop Galis pointed out that “the Catholic universities in the former Communist countries (Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine) foster ‘a freshness of spirit’. The specific involvement of priests, consecrated persons and active laity and faithful throughout the educational process helps the integral formation of university students and gives a positive and encouraging response to young people in search of ‘ways out’ and appropriate responses to their deepest and most genuine needs”. During the meeting in Madrid, a working document for the Symposium in 2003 will be presented, and a “European vademecum” for university chaplains discussed. “This is the first time explains Msgr. Lorenzo Leuzzi, coordinator of the European Committee active within the CCEE (Council of the European Episcopal Conferences), referring to the forthcoming Symposium in Rome, preparations for which will begin in Spain that the European Churches are promoting a meeting of all the representatives of the dioceses that operate in the university field”. Also in Madrid delegates will be presented with a review of European university apostolate for 2002-2003 which in view of the Symposium of July 2003 envisages, among other events, the Forum of the oldest Universities of Europe (Rome, 8-10 December 2002) and the European Day of prayer for university students which will be held on 15 March 2003 on the theme “intellectual charity”. M.M.N.
