The Catholic students of Louvain the New are not afraid to ask questions. In the French-speaking headquarters, which was founded more recently than the historic one where the Pontiff met the teachers, they gave Francis a long letter with many questions. One above all, starting from Laudato si’ on «what the notion of “integral development” means for the Catholic Church». The researchers ask if «the Church is ready to use this notion in an intersectional perspective. In other words, taking into account class, gender and racial inequalities.” According to the students «The appeal for integral development seems to us to be incompatible with the positions on homosexuality and the place of women in the Catholic Church. Dear Pope Francis”, they write, “where is the place of women in the Encyclical? Women are the great absentees of Laudato si’. You might say that the question of “care” of our “common home”, Mother Earth, is a direct challenge to the female vocation. But isn’t this the same for men too? In so doing, are we not still living in an unjust division of labor in the name of a supposed “natural” propensity that leads to a sexual division of labor? Catholic theology tends to reinforce this division through its “theology of women”, which exalts her maternal role and prohibits her access to ordained ministries. So what is the place of women in the Church?”.
The Pope, however, ignores, as he already did yesterday, the similar question of female priesthood posed yesterday by the rector of the University of Louvain. And, while he encourages us to “expand the frontiers, to be restless and not to extinguish the passion for research”, he tries to weave a dialogue with them. At the end of the meeting, a harsh press release “deplores” the Pope’s words and underlines that, on the question of homosexuals and the role of women, the positions remain distant.
In the morning, after the meeting in the Basilica of Koekelberg, going to the royal crypt, beneath the Church of Our Lady of Laeken, where the tombs of many members of the Royal House of Belgium are collected, stopping in front of the tomb of King Baudouin, he praised his courage openly when he chose to «leave his place as King so as not to sign a murderous law». In 1992, in fact, he had abdicated for 36 hours so as not to sign the law that allowed abortion beyond 12 weeks of gestation. The Pope invites Belgians to remember that king at this time when “criminal laws” are making their way. On some issues, however, the distance between the words of the Pontiff and Belgian society is palpable. After the outbreak of the abuse scandal, in 2010, citizens increasingly began to distance themselves from religious practice, so much so that today just 22 percent of newborns are baptized.
Francesco, however, is not discouraged. Indeed, in the words of the young people he feels “passion and hope, desire for justice, search for truth”. It takes up the considerations on the environment and on the evil “that destroys the environment and peoples”. The Pope speaks of the war and «in a country that I will not name», he explains, «the investments that give the most profit are those in the production of weapons».
«War is its most brutal expression; as are corruption and modern forms of slavery. Sometimes these evils pollute religion itself, which becomes an instrument of domination. But this is blasphemy. The union of men with God, which is saving Love, becomes slavery. Even the father’s name, which is a revelation of care, becomes an expression of arrogance. God is Father, not master; he is Son and Brother, not dictator; he is the Spirit of love, not of domination.”
Francis divides his speech by talking about three attitudes: gratitude, mission, faithfulness.
«Gratitude, because this house is given to us: we are not masters, we are guests and pilgrims on earth. The first to take care of it is God: we are first of all cared for by God, who created the earth – says Isaiah – “not as a horrid region, but to be inhabited”. The second attitude «is the mission: we are in the world to safeguard its beauty and cultivate it for the good of all, especially posterity, the near future. Here is the “ecological program” of the Church. But no development plan will be able to succeed if arrogance, violence and rivalry remain in our consciences even in our society. We need to go to the source of the question, which is the heart of man. The dramatic urgency of the ecological theme also comes from the heart of man: from the arrogant indifference of the powerful, who always put economic interest first. Economic interest, money. I always remember something my grandmother said: be careful in life because the devil enters through your pockets”, says Francesco. «As long as this is the case, every appeal will be silenced or will be accepted only to the extent that it is convenient for the market. This “spirituality” of the market. And as long as the market remains first, our common home will suffer injustice. The beauty of the gift demands our responsibility: we are guests, not despots. In this regard, dear students, consider culture as the cultivation of the world, not just of ideas.”
Finally, fidelity, «fidelity to God and fidelity to man. This development in fact concerns all people in all aspects of their lives: physical, moral, cultural, sociopolitical; and any form of oppression and waste is opposed to it. The Church denounces these abuses, committing itself first of all to the conversion of each of its members, of ourselves, to justice and truth. In this sense, integral development appeals to our holiness: it is a vocation to a just and happy life for everyone.”
But we must choose between the option «between manipulating nature and cultivating nature. Starting from our human nature – think of eugenics, cybernetic organisms, artificial intelligence. The option between manipulating or cultivating also affects our inner world. Thinking about human ecology leads us to touch on a topic that is close to the heart of you and even before me and my predecessors: the role of women in the Church.” The Pope turns to the student who presented the letter: “I like what you said,” he insists. «Violence and injustice weigh heavily here, together with ideological prejudices. Therefore we need to rediscover the starting point: who is the woman and who is the Church. The Church is woman, it is not the Church, it is the Church, the bride. The Church is the people of God, not a multinational corporation. The woman, among the people of God, is daughter, sister, mother. As I am son, brother, father. These are relationships, which express our being in the image of God, man and woman, together, not separately! In fact, women and men are people, not individuals; they are called from the “beginning” to love and be loved. A vocation that is a mission. And from here comes their role in society and in the Church.” But, he continues, «what is characteristic of women, what is feminine, is not sanctioned by consensus or ideologies. And dignity is ensured by an original law, not written on paper, but in the flesh. Dignity is a priceless asset, an original quality, which no human law can give or take away. Starting from this common and shared dignity, Christian culture always elaborates anew, in different contexts, the mission in the life of man and woman and their mutual being for each other, in communion. Not one against the other, this would be chauvinism or feminism in opposing claims, but one for the other, man and woman together.” And again: «Let us remember that women are at the heart of the salvific event. It is from Mary’s “yes” that God himself comes into the world. Woman is fruitful welcome, care, vital dedication. This is why women are more important than men. But it’s bad when the woman wants to be the man. Let us open our eyes to the many daily examples of love, from friendship to work, from study to social and ecclesial responsibility, from spousality to motherhood, to virginity for the Kingdom of God and for service. And let’s not forget, I repeat, the Church is female, not male. You yourselves are here to grow as women and as men. You are on a journey, in formation as people. Therefore your academic path includes different areas: research, friendship, social service, civil and political responsibility, artistic expressions…”.
Finally he asks us to ask ourselves “how to study? why study? who to study for?”. Meanwhile «how to study: there is not only a method, as in every science, but a style. Each person can cultivate their own. In fact, study is always a way to knowledge of oneself and of others. But there is also a common style, which can be shared in the university community. We study together: thanks to those who studied before me – teachers, later classmates -, with those who study alongside me, in the classroom. Culture as self-care involves mutual care. There is no war between students and professors, there is a dialogue, a dialogue that is sometimes a bit intense, but dialogue. Dialogue makes the learning community grow.”
Second: “Why study?”. There is «a reason that drives us and an objective that attracts us. They must be good, because the meaning of study, the direction of our life, depends on them. Sometimes I study to find that type of job, but I end up living according to it. We become the “commodity”, living as a function of working. You don’t live to work, but you work to live; It’s easy to say, but it requires commitment to put it into practice consistently. This word coherence is important for everyone, but especially for you students. You must learn this attitude of coherence, be coherent.”
Third: «who should you study for? For themselves? To be accountable to others? We study to be able to educate and serve others, first and foremost with the service of competence and authority. Before asking ourselves whether studying is of any use, let’s worry about serving someone. One question a college student may ask is who do I study for? For me, to work, to be useful, for the common good? Then the university degree attests to an ability for the common good.”
And he speaks to them of the truth that “it is a greater reality that enlightens us and surpasses us”. «What is truth? Pilate had asked this question. Without the truth, our life loses meaning. Study makes sense when it seeks the truth, when it tries to find it, with a critical soul, to find it this attitude of criticality is needed. Study makes sense when it seeks the truth and by seeking it understands that we are made to find it.
The truth can be found: it is welcoming, it is available, it is generous. If we give up searching for the truth together, study becomes an instrument of power, of control over others. I confess to you that it saddens me when I find universities in different parts of the world that prepare one to earn, to have power. There is no use studying without being together, it is no use, but it dominates. Instead the truth sets us free. Dear students, do you want freedom? Be researchers and witnesses of truth! Trying to be credible and coherent through the simplest daily choices. So this becomes, every day, what it wants to be: a Catholic University! And go ahead and don’t get into fights or ideological dichotomies and don’t forget the Church is female and this will help us a lot.”
