NEWS ABOUT BENEDICT

I spoke too soon. My last comment above said no Italian scientist has so far come out to speak in defense of the Pope. The Italian serVice of Vatican Radio in fact has the following interview with a genetics professor at La Sapienza. However, the interviewer did not ask him to comment on the Galileo case.

There is now a flood of commentary on this issue, pro and con, in the Italian media who salivate, feast and thrive on any controversy involving the Pope or the Church.

Translated from the
Italian service of


A SCIENTIST AND A STUDENT
SPEAK OUT FROM LA SAPIENZA

Benedict XVI's first event in 2008 outside the Vatican will take place Thursday at La Sapienza University when he takes part in ceremonies to inaugurate the academic year.

While the university community looks forward in general to this meeting with the Pope and what he has to say to them, there have been public protests and censorious initiatives.

"Benedict XVI should not speak at this university" was the supposedly 'tolerant appeal' sent by 67 professors of a university that was founded by a Pope in 1303. Meanwhile, various student groups have announced various protest manifestations including a sit-in on Thursday.

Alessandro Gisotti interviewed the geneticist Bruno Dallapiccola, professor of medical genetics at La Sapienza:

DALLAPICCOLA: I must say that this is a shameful episode that certainly does not do honor to a university as great and important as La Sapienza, to which I belong.

And yet, this is a university that several years ago welcomed a group of Raelians who advocate human cloning [and in fact falsely claimed to have done so]. In other times, this university has always been open to politicians of every kind and even to show business people who have acquired celebrity.

Are those who now oppose the Pope's visit not ashamed that they can even think of preventing someone of the Pope's stature and universal esteem from speaking or coming here?

Where is the simple respect for any person who may have views we do not share? Most of all, in an arena of thought as great as a university, which should welcome any opportunity to have an outstanding thinker come to us.


Is it not surprising that a Pope who has precisely made the dialog between faith and reason a distinctive mark of his Pontificate is now being opposed from speaking by professors who are, in a certain sense, his colleagues, since he was a university professor himself for a long time?
I think the only reason is that they are afraid to hear what he might have to say. I think they are fearful of another powerful and important statement by the Pope. But I am sure that the doors of the university will remain open to him, because otherwise, that would be truly the end to the historical La Sapienza as Rome has known it.


Among other things, those who want to keep the Pope away have obviously not even read the lecture they are objecting to. They are already prejudiced, to begin with.
Exactly. They have an a priori prejudice. some are afraid of the Church, especially since more people are now listening to the Church than in recent times. So those who think different from the Church or are hostile to it are afraid to give more space and visibility to a Church which, to begin with, does not need La Sapienza to have this visibility.

But the visit is an extraordinary opportunity for this university or any university, to welcome a man of great learning and culture like the Pope, who is also a great ethical reference point.


In such a climate that will be far from calm, what are the possible results of this visit by the Pope?
I think a man who is not only the spiritual leader of the Church but also a great man of philosophy and culture, certainly contributes to the discussion of all the problems that weigh on mankind today, and so his words will certainly provide points of reflection.

The preventive 'veto' by his critics is motivated by fear as well as to symbolize a stand against the Church. Instead, they should see it as an extraordinary opportunity to draw some lessons to reflect on.

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Gisotti also interviewed Caterina Laurieri, a student at La Sapienza who works with the department for pastoral care of universities of the Vicariate of Rome.

LAURIERI: I think that the presence of the Holy Father would represent the encounter between the Biblical message and the historical, literary and scientific thought that the university promotes.

It is part of an entire European heritage, which includes a Tradition of thought for which a correspondence between faith, truth and reason is essential.

The dignity and value of any culture are shown by its openness, its capacity to to give and to receive - in this case, to receive a great figure of our times such as the Pope is.


Everyone knows that Benedict XVI was a university professor himself for a long time, and therefore, someone used to interacting with students, and that the Pope often lays stress on a 'pastoral ministry of intelligence'...
In an environment like La Sapienza, and in particular, within some scientific faculties - I myself study in the faculty of biology - there is a tendency to put a clear separation between science and faith. But often without even trying to understand - in the scientific sense - that faith is not simply a catalyst. And that it is not possible to separate science and faith completely, much less not have anything to do with each other.


But in an ideological environment like universities often are, how does one testify to the faith with one's own contemporaries?
Seeing that at La Sapienza, most of the students come from other places, they need social encounters where there can be a free and authentic exchange, where they can express their beliefs, their doubts, their problems - but also to learn and understand.

The Pope is someone who can help us to build a desirable society, that society of love about which he often speaks.


About these pre-announced demonstrations against the Pope, what would you advise your fellow students?
To listen fully to the Pope, and put his words into practice in the different faculties, especially in the scientific ones.



Now, Gisotti has also posted an account of his interview with the rector of La Sapienza:


AN INTERVIEW WITH THE RECTOR
OF LA SAPIENZA

Translated from the
Italian service of




"It will be a moment of high culture, of a confrontation of ideas which will be fruitful for the entire university community of La Sapienza."

That is the view of Prof. Renato Guarini, rector of the university on the Pope's visit on Thusrday morning.

GUARINI: I, personally, and the academic community are preparing to welcome the Pope, who is a messenger of peace, but above all, a man of great culture and profound philosophical thought. It will certainly be beneficial for us to meet him and listen to his reflections.


The academic year is opening in the name of abolishing the death penalty, an issue dear to the Pope, who recently called for a public debate on the more general issue of the sacredness of human life. What can the academic world do in this respect?
A lot, because we educate the future generation., and we should sensitize them to these problems. Indeed, the purpose for our invitation to the Pope was linked to this fundamental theme, one might call it, of the new academic year.

In fact, I would like that after the Pope's visit, our students may learn to help sensitize other students in otehr univerrsities and other countries to these problems.


Benedict XVI was a university professor himself for a long time. What do your professors think of such an exceptional colleague?
La Sapienza is a very big and complex university. Obviously, it includes believers, non-believers, people with different ideologies. I think everyone should look on the Pope above all as a man of great culture and a former professor, independent of his ideas.

But I am aware that some have made statements that seem to show they have not read any of what Benedict XVI has written.


You are referring obviously to the letter by a few dozen professors who have asked you to cancel the Pope's visit. What did you say to them?
First, I must reaffirm that they are a distinct minority, since La Sa Pienza has 4500 professors. [That should correct previous news reports which said it had more than 5000.]Therefore, those who sent the letter are a decidedly tiny minority.

I respect the ideas of everyone, but I would also remind them that this requires dialog, above all, to have reason prevail over ideologies, especially ideologies which have outlived their time.


It is also well-known that one of the distinctive marks of Benedict's Pontificate is his commitment for a frutiful dialog between faith and reason. What difficulties - or progress - do you see in this?
I am a man of reason, and I hope that dialog and exploring issues in depth will lead to fruitful reflection. But as long as matters are only considered generically - and I repeat that many of his critics have never even read the Pope - then it is easy to simply take preconceived positions. So I hope the Pope's visit will open such a dialog between faith and reason. [If the other side bothers to listen! But they will play deaf and blind.]


In his recent address to the local administrators of Rome and Lazio, the Pope emphasized the centrality of education in forming the human being. What is the role of the university here?
A very important one, especially the universities of Rome, like La Sapienza, which are great centers of attraction for students from all over Italy and the Mediterranean region.

The role is great and so is the responsibility. I hope that the universities, besides preparing young people professionally and scientifically, also prepares them in their human formation, beginning with committing themselves to great ideals.