Year XXVI – n. 58 | Summer 2021
Virtus et Scientia Poste Italiane S.p.A. - Spedizione in abbonamento postale - D.L. 353/2003 - (conv. in L. 27/02/2004 n. 46) art. I, comma 2 e 3 - Roma/Aut. n. 52/2009 - tassa pagata - Taxa perçue
Information Magazine of the Pontifical Gregorian University
TO SEE ALL THINGS NEW IN CHRIST PHILOSOPHY
NEW LICENTIATE PROGRAMME
JUDAIC STUDIES AND JEWISH-CHRISTIAN RELATIONS
A NEW LICENTIATE
THE INSTITUTE of ANTHROPOLOGY IS BORN
1
EDITORIAL 1
With renewed confidence | Fr. N. da Silva Gonçalves, S.J.
FOCUS 2
Ignatian Jubilee Year, opportunity for the Gregorian | Johan Verschueren, S.J.
ACADEMIC LIFE 5 8 11
5
Philosophy, a faculty on the move | Interview with Fr. Gaetano Piccolo, S.J. Men and women growing ever more free in Christ | Interview with Fr. Pavulraj Michael, S.J. The Institute of Anthropology is born. Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care (IADC) | Meghan Allen - Annalisa Pisu A comprehensive understanding of the value of the human person.
13
Interview with Fr. Hans Zollner, S.J.
14 17 19
Jews and Christians, new training programmess | Maddalena Schiavo Penal Jurisprudence, Training for legal practice | Interview with Fr. Damián Guillermo Astigueta, S.J. Christian and Medieval Antiquities, a Diploma for enhancing knowledge of Rome | Paolo Pegoraro Teaching Discernment for Family growth | Miguel Yáñez, S.J.
22
FROM PASTE TO FUTURE 24
Fr. René Latourelle S.J., “father of Fundamental Theology” | Carmen Aparicio
GREG COMMUNITY
26
26
Robert Bellarmine: Jesuit, Intellectual, Saint | Massimo Carlo Giannini
28
Robert Bellarmine in the Historical Archives of the Gregoriana | Martín M. Morales, S.J.
29
Institute of Psychology. A 50-year journey (1971-2021) | Stanisław Morgalla, S.J.
32
Thank you for your support
34
Information
35
Books & Periodicals
36
Social media
Editor-in-Chief
Year XXVI – n. 58 | www.unigre.it/LaGregoriana
Francesco Occhetta, SJ
Editor Paolo Pegoraro lagregoriana@unigre.it
Editorial staff Maria Rita Marcotulli redazione@unigre.it
Pontifical Gregorian University
Graphic project and layout e-designer.it | Emiliano De Ascentiis
Printing Abilgraph 2.0 srl Via Pietro Ottoboni, 11 | Roma Cover photo Massimiliano Correa
Piazza della Pilotta, 4 | 00187 Roma | Italy Tel. +39 06 6701.1 | Fax +39 06 6701.5419 CF 80093970582 Banca Popolare Etica: IBAN IT82 A 05018 03200 000011180791 Postal Account n. 10304020
Printed in July 2021 Registration at the Court of Rome n. 134 March 29, 1996
EDITORIAL
With renewed confidence by NUNO DA SILVA GONÇALVES, S.J. Rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University
We still live moments of uncertainty, but we have now reasons to look at the future with renewed confidence. In the next academic year, we will gradually approach normality, even if the flexibility with which we have faced the difficulties will still be necessary. Looking at the future, we have rolled up our sleeves to offer new formative proposals responding to the needs of the Church and society
T
he impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was more widespread than anticipated a year ago, and it is still severely affecting many countries. These include the home countries of many of our students. Our thoughts, prayers and sympathy go out to them. Despite the persisting uncertainties, we have good reasons to look ahead with renewed confidence. Indeed, scientific and technological progress has made vaccines and new treatments available to us in record time, providing grounds for hope that the ongoing global health crisis will be overcome. Now is the time to globalise solidarity, so that everyone, even the poorest, may have access to the preventive and therapeutic services they need. These are days when it is necessary to continue cultivating hope, while at the same time renewing our commitment not to leave anyone behind and not to leave anyone alone. We are confident that the 2021-2022 Academic Year will usher in a progressive return to normality, in the awareness that flexibility will still be needed, and that our ultimate objective is not to go back to doing everything as before. In fact, it will be necessary to continue tackling the challenges that lie ahead with the same creativity we displayed until now. This approach will bear fruits with regard to research and teaching, and it will foster increased interaction between teachers and students, enhanced by the learning and communication technologies that are likely to become a consistent part of our daily lives, even when in-person teaching will be fully resumed. As we look ahead, we have been working towards offering new educational proposals that respond to the needs of the Church and of society. These include the Licentiate in Judaic Studies and Jewish-Christian Relations, the Licentiate in Leadership and Management, the Diploma in Penal Jurisprudence and the reform of the Faculty of Philosophy’s Licentiate programme. The most recent innovations include the creation of the Institute of Anthropology, which will absorb and expand the mission hitherto entrusted to the Centre for the Child Protection. The academic year 2021-2022 coincides with a Jubilee Year marking 500 years since the conversion of St Ignatius of Loyola and the fourth centenary of his canonisation. The Gregorian University participates in these celebrations with joy, pledging its commitment to the common desire to “see all things new in Christ”, the mo o of this Ignatian Year. With equal joy we celebrate the fourth centenary of the death of St Robert Bellarmine, professor and rector of the Roman College, and the fourth centenary of the death of St John Berchmans, a student of the same College, on whose foundations the Gregorian University was erected. In the following pages you will find many other reasons for renewed confidence; a confidence that we wish to share with our readers and friends, looking forward to building a be er future together. We wish you a good read!
58/2021
|1
FOCUS
Ignatian Jubilee Year, opportunity for the Gregorian In his address at the conference organised by the Institute of Spirituality to mark the opening of the Ignatian Year, Fr. Verschueren suggests that the process for integrating the Pontifical Oriental Institute and the Pontifical Biblical Institute into the Gregorian be viewed in the light of individual and community conversion
2|
58/2021
by JOHAN VERSCHUEREN, S.J. Delegate of the Superior General for the Interprovincial Houses and Works of the Society of Jesus in Rome
I
hereby wish to foster a special reflection linked to the particular nature of our Institution and the related importance of the Ignatian Year. In fact, discerning the Gregorian University’s own specific bearing on this event requires in-depth understanding of the true meaning of “conversion.” While the Italian locution is evocative of an orientation in terms of spatiality (for us Christians, a continual or renewed gaze fixed on Christ), the Greek term metànoia evokes a transformative change of the nous, of the mind. And thus, the proprium of this Jubilee Year for our University lies therein.
The aforementioned renewal process entails for our University the ability to examine itself and its outlook. The opportunities to do so are there to be seized. Embracing synodality and reconciliation in the Church today will not be a human endeavour as such, but a work of God. Indeed, conversion is primarily a gift. All we are required to do is to be open to it, resolutely embrace it, and undertake the journey together syn odòs. I hope and pray that Ignatian spirituality, along with its rediscovery of spiritual conversation as an element of community discernment, may offer a meaningful contribution to our present times and to our world. But this involves us very closely.
“
May Ignatian spirituality and the rediscovery of spiritual conversation as part of community discernment be a significant contribution for those times and in this world
”
For example, it comes as no surprise that the Preparatory Commission tasked with developing plans for the integration of the Pontifical Oriental Institute and the Pontifical Biblical Institute into the Pontifical Gregorian University is laying special emphasis on a prospective institutional commitment that fosters various forms of cooperation in a broad perspective. Interdisciplinarity, inter-culturality, inter-nationality and even inter-confessionality. Here lies a major opportunity and challenge to forging a university in fidelity to the spirit of Veritatis gaudium. Here is where new paradigms of thought are waiting to be assimilated. We are thus invited to have faith and hope and, as a Pontifical University with a
distinguished Faculty of Theology, we are called upon to work towards this end, firmly supporting the cooperation with its numerous other Faculties, Institutes and Centres in particular. The importance of the 500th anniversary of Ignatius’ first conversion for our University –thereby initiating the process that was to be pursued in Manresa and Venice - is therefore twofold, namely to gain a deeper intellectual understanding of what conversion is, individually and collectively, and of what synodality and cooperation can mean for us. Moreover,
“
The importance of this Jubilee is twofold: gaining a deeper understanding of what conversion is, and what synodality and cooperation can mean for us
”
it should not be confined to intellectual comprehension or to the transmission of doctrinal theology – albeit direly needed. All of us members of the academic community are invited to be part of this conversion movement. May the Lord bless us and encourage us to this end.
Opposite page: Statue of St Ignatius in the Chapel of the Conversion (Loyola)
58/2021
|3
Academic Ye Year 2020/2021
Poontifical Grreegorriian P Universsiityy
2800 STUDENTS
736 OF WHICH ARE NEW MAATTRICULAATTIONS
303 TEACHING STTAAFF
This is who w we are! Where are our students coming from??
Students per cycle AMERICA
23,39%
EUROPE
46,65%
GUEST
180
DIPLOMA
365
5CONTINENTS 120 COUNTRIES
O OTHER* BACCALAUREA ATTE
71
509
ASIA
15,32%
AFRIC CA
OCEANIA
14,32% 2%
0,32%
ATE DOCTORAT
828
Total number of stude To ents in the recent academicc years
2697
2754
2858
LICENTIA ATTE
847
* Freisemesterr, Propaedeutic, Supervised Psychological Practice
Who are our students? 2800
2645
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
Diocesan priests
Religious Seminarians Consacrated Lay people priests
28,61% 16,85%
19,68%
13,18% 21,68%
Top ten:
Top ten: To
Students Nationalities
Teaching staff Nationalities Te
ITTAL ALY Y INDIA BRAZIL MEXICO U.S.A. POLAND COLOMBIA SOUTH KOREA SP PA AIN CAMERUN
1655 128 127 120 71 71 67 65 61
846
ITTAL ALY Y U.S.A. GERMANY POLAND INDIA SP PA AIN FRANCE MEXICO ARGENTINA IRELAND / CROAT ATIA
16 15 14 12 10 6 5 5 4
168
Faculties
Philosophy, a faculty on the move Interview with Fr. Gaetano Piccolo S.J. Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy
by PAOLO PEGORARO
The new Licentiate programme, the Research Groups, the Gregorian University Philosophical Society (SOFUG): The Faculty of Philosophy is alive and dynamic. Its didactic focuses on three criteria: systematicity, in-depth study and personalization. Its objectives: to prepare students for teaching, writing and research
L
ast autumn, unsurprisingly, considerable tension surrounded the possibility of a drop in enrolment as a result of the global health crisis. However, not only was there no collapse, but some academic departments recorded significant growth in enrolment, such as the first cycle of the Faculty of Philosophy. “This is a positive sign which supports our belief that we are offering students a solid preparation, marked by systematic content presentation and student guidance provided by dedicated professors,” said the newly appointed dean, Jesuit Fr. Gaetano Piccolo. “While most of our first
58/2021
|5
ACADEMIC LIFE
third year in Philosophy, enabling them to obtain a Baccalaureate degree. The third year is specifically designed to complete students’ philosophical education with subjects which, owing to time constraints, are not available in the two-year course, such as Philosophy of History or Aesthetics. Specific aspects of the third year of the Baccalaureate include scholarly monographs, i.e. the in-depth reading of two texts carried out through one-to-one meetings between the student and a tutor.”
cycle students come from seminaries and colleges in Rome, we are seeing an increasing number of lay young men and women motivated by a strong interest in philosophical studies.”
A lesson by Fr. Gaetano Piccolo, S.J. Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy Photo C. GIANFERRO
Previous page: “Is it still possible to marvel,or is our gaze adapted? Is a critical vision still possible or are appearances enough? Is it still possible to articulate reasons or are slogans enough?” Illustration
S. BOSELLI
6|
58/2021
How is this academic programme structured? “Three criteria inspire our academic offering: a systematic approach, in-depth study and personalisation. Systematic courses that build on the original notion of great treatises, such as metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, etc, form the foundation of the syllabus. Moreover, each of these courses is complemented by a monographic section, referred to as Guided Reading, whereby a pivotal text on the subject is read and discussed in detail. The programme includes a range of optional courses and seminars. In the la er, students take a leading role in the critical analysis of a given text or theme.” What are the career opportunities of the first cycle degree programme? “The first two years of the Baccalaureate grant access to the three-year theology programme, or students may opt to complete a
The new Academic Year will also see the start of the new Licentiate programme. Which competences are students expected to acquire, and how? “We have been thinking about the second cycle for several years now. Reflections focused on determining the final objective of second cycle students, but also on knowing our students and how they have changed over the last decade. With regard to competences, we took a set of clear criteria as our starting point. Most of our students will eventually work as teachers in their home countries, therefore learning to teach should be an objective of our academic programme. Secondly, the aim is to develop students’ research skills, especially those students who wish to pursue doctoral studies. Systematic courses will provide with a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of philosophy, culminating in a synthesis exam that will take the form of a lecture before a board of examiners. Seminars, on the other hand, serve as a forum for learning how to read a classical text dating back to different historical periods, to conduct research and formulate a critical analysis. The Licentiate programme comprises three different areas of specialisation (Theoretical, Practical, Philosophy of Religion) each with their own syllabus. A final writ-
Licentiate in Philosophy: the new syllabus
O
n 24 February 2021, the Congregation for Catholic Education approved the new Statutes of the Faculty of Philosophy, reviewed in accordance with the Apostolic Constitution Veritatis gaudium. The Statutes detail the required competences - the ability to explain, the ability to write, the ability to conduct research and elaborate - and the necessary steps to attain them. Objective: to provide students with systematic training, especially for those who wish to pursue a teaching career. How? 6 mandatory courses (Philosophy of Knowledge - Philosophy of Nature - Philosophy of Man Metaphysics - Natural Theology - Moral and Political Philosophy) 4 mandatory history courses (History of Ancient Philosophy - History of Medieval Philosophy History of Modern Philosophy - History of Contemporary Philosophy) Final oral examination in the form of a lecture, in the presence of a board of examiners, on a topic selected by the board from a list. The candidate
is expected to have comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter and oral presentation skills. Objective: to provide students with sound training in a specific area of philosophy, choosing between (a) Theoretical Philosophy; (b) Practical Philosophy; (c) Philosophy of Religion How? 4 required courses: these courses comprise a written exam, as they are intended to provide students with the necessary skills to write their own essays and articles Thesis: in-depth study of a topic pertaining to the candidate’s chosen area of specialisation. Objective: personalised course syllabus. How? Choosing a specialisation, with a view to eventual doctoral research 2 optional courses 4 seminars: in-depth study of a classical text from the History of Philosophy course of that semester; at the end of the course, students are expected to have studied a minimum of one of the major works of each historical period.
ten exam aims to help students develop their writing skills, leading to the presentation of the Licentiate thesis.” This academic programme culminates in a doctoral degree, with the additional feature of a highly selective admission procedure. How come? “The Faculty has been applying strict selection criteria for a number of years now, with a view to preventing that the context may not be relevant to the candidates’ doctoral research requirement. In fact, at least one interested and competent faculty member is required to guide the doctoral student in his/her research. Applications must be submi ed by the end of April. Subsequently, a commi ee examines all applications, previous studies and motivations, and draws up a list of admi ed candidates. The outcome of the assessment is communicated by June.”
58/2021
|7
ACADEMIC LIFE
Men and women growing ever more free in Christ Interview with Fr. Pavulraj Michael, S.J. Director of the Institute of Spirituality
by PAOLO PEGORARO
Studying and living the spiritual experience of the believer is what the Institute of Spirituality proposes, and in addition to the Licentiate and Doctorate degrees in Spiritual Theology, also offers specific courses on Ignatian spirituality and on the formation of Spiritual Accompaniers
8|
58/2021
“I
n the light of his heart’s response to the various calls of God and Christ, St. Ignatius asks us to transform our contemplation into action. The love wherewith Christ embraced his life and ours, along with the new and profound knowledge of Him, must be a source of constant choice and preference for what is best, thereby enabling us to fulfil the purpose for which we were created, making us increasingly free men and women”. With these words Fr. Pavulraj Michael S.J., Director of the Institute of Spirituality at the Gregoriana, concluded his address at the conference organised by the Institute for the Opening of the Ignatian Year. The Institute of Spirituality, preceded by the professorship of “Ascetic and Mystical Theology” in 1919
Institutes
and formally established in 1958, saw a significant increase in enrolments over the past three years, passing from an average of 170 students in 2018 to over 220 in the following years. The Institute includes the Centre for Ignatian Spirituality, established almost a decade ago, whose courses can be taken by the students of the Institute. Fr. Michael, which challenges has the health crisis posed and continues to poses to spiritual theology? “Spiritual theology has religious spiritual experience as its formal object of study. I think that this time of crisis entails embracing - on the basis of Charles Bernard’s affec-
tive theology (Cogitatio fidei) - the resonances and the reasons for the “Mystery of Trials” (cf. C.M. Martini) which touches on our connection and our relationship with the Thou, the total Otherness, of our Lord. It’s an invitation to embrace the horizon of His pedagogy of love, in fidelity with “the power made perfect in weakness” of which the Lord spoke of to the Apostle Paul (2 Cor 12:7-10). Therein we discover the ultimate meaning of the Lord’s fidelity, inviting us to receive, in the wisdom of His Plan, the everlasting novelty of His faithful and creative Love.
Full version of the article
Spirituality: a spark that ignites at the intersection of the horizontal axis of human activities and the vertical axis of interior intimo meo
Illustration S. BOSELLI
58/2021
|9
ACADEMIC LIFE
The questions that these times of hardship pose to spiritual theology are those of the believer of all times, called to live an authentic relationship of trustful faith. It is an ever more unifying and fecund relationship with the relational Thou of the Lord, which fortifies us in the certainty that truly “No one and nothing can separate us from the love of God” (Rom 8:35) and that “everything contributes to the good of those who love God” (Rom 8:28).” In addition to the Licentiate and Doctoral degrees in Spiritual Theology, the Institute offers a one-year course on spirituality (Diploma in Spirituality) and a more specific one on Ignatian spirituality (Diploma in Ignatian Spirituality)... “A few years ago the Institute felt it would be appropriate to offer a one-year study programme on Ignatian spirituality providing a solid and qualified synthesis of Ignatian spirituality. Each student is thus given the opportunity to formulate his or her own original and creative synthesis, embracing Ignatius of Loyola’s charismatic contribution to the Society, to the Church and to the world through his pilgrimage to the service and praise of the Divine Majesty.
This annual programme concludes with the a ainment of the Diploma in Ignatian Spirituality. In order to broaden the scope of this academic offering, the Institute alternates the curriculum of the Diploma: one year the courses are offered in Italian, and the following year in English.” Another distinctive proposal is the Course for the formation of Spiritual Accompaniers... “Each year, the Ignatian Spirituality Centre, which works in close collaboration with our Institute, offers Courses for the formation of Spiritual Accompaniers in three five-day sessions where participants can experience a theological and practical indepth path of reflection on the theme. The purpose is to provide an ever-greater quality of accompaniment for personal growth. This accompaniment is achieved by means of a careful discernment process and cura personalis, enabling each person to progress more and more towards “the purpose for which he or she was created”, which is their “personal vocation” (cf. H. Alphonso, S.J.).”
, scholarly journal of the Institute
I
gnaziana, a scholarly journal under the direction of the Institute of Spirituality at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, seeks to respond to a felt need for theological reflection on Ignatian spirituality. Published only online (every May and November), Ignaziana aims at stimulating and deepening contemporary interest in the tradition of Christian spirituality initiated by St. Ignatius of Loyola. The magazine has five main sections. The frequently updated home page presents news about Ignatian activities and events throughout the world. The second and largest section presents two kinds of articles: new pieces published here for the first time, and previously published articles that the international editorial board believes are so important that they deserve wider diffusion. In the third section, one can find information about the editorial board and the norms for publication.
10 |
58/2021
In fourth place there is a frequently updated “Ignatian Bibliography” that presents a detailed list of publications that have appeared since 2000. The fifth section provides links to the addresses of Ignatian spirituality journals and centers throughout the world. Ignaziana seeks to provide its readers around the world with easy access to the results of scientific research so as to stimulate reflection on the perennial value of Ignatian spirituality in the constantly changing contexts of our contemporary world. JAMES GRUMMER, S.J. Director of the Ignatian Spirituality Centre
Institutes
The Institute of Anthropology is born Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care (IADC) Founded in 2012, the Centre for Child Protection changes its academic physiognomy to respond to the cry for justice and healing of those injured by abuse and to study the factors that threaten human dignity, with an interdisciplinary and intercultural approach
by MEGHAN ALLEN - ANNALISA PISU
O
n April 15 of this year, the Congregation for Catholic Education approved the Statutes of the new Institute of Anthropology. Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care (IADC), a transformation of the Centre for Child Protection (CCP). This conversion – proposed by the CCP, approved by the Consiglio Dire ivo following the Senate hearing, and now confirmed by the Congregation for Catholic Education – creates a new institutional framework for
58/2021
| 11
ACADEMIC LIFE
best of luck to the future Institute of Anthropology that will take its place. I take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the many donors and partners who, with their generosity, make the CCP’s daily work possible. They also deserve recognition for their contribution to this important event of transformation that represents a new beginning». The path of the Centre for Child Protection
Students of 14 nationalities from America, Europe and Africa to the Diploma in Safeguarding in Spanish Photo A. CARRÓN DE LA TORRE Previous page: Duccio di Buoninsegna, The Emmaus disciples.
12 |
the work the CCP has done so far. Growing demand for CCP programmes and requests for its involvement in local and international academic and formative events a est to the fact that the CCP has become a leading authority in its area of expertise. This recognition requires a different institutional and academic approach that exceeds the capacity of a centre. Furthermore, the new Institute will be able to have its own faculty and award, in addition to the diploma, the academic degrees of Licentiate in Safeguarding and Doctorate in Anthropology. «At this time of transformation», wrote Fr. Nuno da Silva Gonçalves, Rector of the Gregoriana, «I would like to thank Fr. Hans Zollner S.J. and the current CCP team for their work since the founding of the Centre in 2012, and wish the
58/2021
The new Institute will officially begin its activities on September 1, 2021, managing all activities entrusted currently to the Centre for Child Protection, providing a proactive, positive approach to such sensitive subjects as sexual abuse prevention, intervention, and safeguarding. Care for victimsurvivors of child abuse has been the focus of the CCP since its establishment in 2012 as part of the Pontifical Gregorian University’s Institute of Psychology. Its initial purpose was to educate and provide resources for research in the area of the prevention of child sexual abuse based on a collective, philosophical, theological, and psychological theoretical proposal for the integration of the anthropological perspectives. This was first implemented from 20122014 through a blended learning programme that subsequently led to the creation of a broader blended learning programme
and two onsite programmes: the Diploma in Safeguarding and Licentiate in Safeguarding. While still largely centred on child abuse, the CCP’s work progressively began to include
discussion on the abuse of vulnerable persons. It has gradually widened its focus to confront and develop this focus within the broader concept of human dignity.
A comprehensive understanding of the value of the human person.
“W
hat is Man?” is the title of a document recently issued by the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Is there a need for renewed awareness of human dignity today? “Understanding the human person and acknowledging the value of human dignity constitutes an ongoing challenge. This is due to constant changes in society, science, and in the representations of good living. The human condition has consistently been faced with a number of questions - for example, how can the value of the human person be determined, and how can this dignity be properly protected and promoted? The answers must also reflect the underlying challenges arising beyond the historical context and the developments in various domains. Indeed, there has always been violence inflicted by human beings against other human beings, as has physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Nonetheless, the gravity of this issue has only been acknowledged in recent decades, and only in some parts of the world. Recent examples of threats to human dignity, unseen thirty years ago, include the potential dangers of the Internet, such as the presence of sexually explicit material.” The programme offered by the CCP was based on the prevention of abuse, whereas the focus of the new Institute will be on the care of vulnerable people. How will this be done? “When CCP was first created, the emphasis of the press and of public opinion was on child sexual abuse,
therefore CCP addressed the prevention of this form of abuse. However, in the last four years other forms of abuse directed against other categories of people have called for attention. The #MeToo movement, the Pope’s words regarding the abuse of consecrated women, the latest debate on abuse of power and spiritual abuse, are all examples of the new sensitivities that have rapidly been integrated into Church reflection. Not surprisingly, the notion of ‘vulnerable adults’ is an integral part of Canon Law vocabulary. As an academic body we must acknowledge the changes taking place in society and inside the Church, requiring a scientific response. This approach will benefit Church mission as a whole, as well as the formation and training of persons with various positions of responsibility.” In what way will the Institute’s new identity affect the numerous Centres created in the footsteps of the Centre for Child Protection worldwide? “We are very pleased to see many academic institutions, of the Society of Jesus and other religious congregations, being set up for the same purpose as the CCP. Similar reflections to those that led us to broaden our academic and scientific horizons have emerged in our interactions with our international partners. The Centres recently set up in the Catholic Universities of Zagreb (Croatia) and Lviv (Ukraine) and in the Jesuit University of Lima (Peru) reflect, starting with their titles, the shared concern, orientation and commitment for the defence of human dignity and vulnerable people”. (P.PEG.)
58/2021
| 13
ACADEMIC LIFE
Jews and Christians, new training programmes The new Licentiate in Judaic Studies and Jewish-Christian Relations, offered from A.A. 2021-2022, establishes the mutual enrichment that occurs when Christianity and Judaism study Revelation side by side
14 |
58/2021
by MADDALENA SCHIAVO “Cardinal Bea” Centre for Judaic Studies
F
or the first time in history, a Pontifical University will offer a Licentiate in Judaic Studies and Jewish-Christian Relations. The Congregation for Catholic Education has in fact approved this new canonical licentiate at the Pontifical Gregorian University, entrusting its management to the “Cardinal Bea” Centre for Judaic Studies. “This is not only exciting for us, but also symbolically relevant,” explains Fr. Etienne Vetö CCN, Director of the Centre. “Built on decades of hard work and bonds of friendship to which it lends testimony, this licentiate not only openly declares the constitutive importance of Judaic studies for Christianity, but also purposely recog-
Centres
nises – within the structure of the education of our faith – the powerful mutual enlightenment that occurs when, side by side, we study Revelation. This model can continue to be generated in our communities and our schools. May this novelty set a precedent.” Evening Launch: The Pedagogy of the Dialogue The new academic path was presented through a special online event, which was recorded and is available for viewing (bit.ly/licentiatebea). In his greeting, the Rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University, Fr. Nuno da Silva Gonçalves S.J., underscored how this full academic recognition of the new programme now makes it possible for students who a end it to be awarded a canonical degree that is more readily recognised and put to use. Fr. Etienne Vetö then presented the new programme of study in detail, while Fr. Norbert Hofmann SDB, Secretary of the Commission for Religious Relations with Jews of the Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity, explained the potential impact of the licentiate on Jewish-Christian relations. In the second part of the programme, a “taste” was offered of the activity of the “Cardinal Bea” Centre and its specific pedagogical method. Two lecturers representing the different religious traditions, Rabbi David Meyer and Professor Massimo Gargiulo, articulated a dialogue around some passages from the Talmud and from Church Fathers. Rabbi Meyer showed how rabbis offer ways to integrate contrary opinions and how these processes might be used in Jewish-Christian dialogue, and Prof. Gargiulo reflected on some texts of the Fathers, demonstrating how some of them
continued to consult rabbis to understand particularly complex passages of the Bible, thus establishing a “tradition of listening to the other”. New Licentiate: How the study is done, what is studied? The “Cardinal Bea” Centre of the Pontifical Gregorian University is an academic unit composed of both Christian and Jewish scholars, and a significant number of courses and seminaries are delivered in tandem. This type of teaching brings together academic expertise and allows for a living experience of Jewish-Christian relations, fostering an enriching mutual exchange and creating space for dialogue and interaction. “Dialogue calls for hearing two voices, and the witness of Jewish and Catholic instructors who teach together is worth more than many speeches” (Pope Francis, Audience with the “Cardinal Bea” Centre, 28 February 2019)
Previous page: Jewish manuscript of the Historical Archive of the Jewish Community of Rome (ASCER). The text quotes the Book of Proverbs 3,14-16.
58/2021
| 15
ACADEMIC LIFE
The two pillars of the courses and seminars of the “Cardinal Bea” Centre, for both the annual diploma and the new licentiate are: Judaic Studies, offering a solid and wide preparation on Judaism; Jewish-Christian Relations, training students in the development of a theology of Jewish-Christian relations.
Torah reading in the Aish Synagogue in Tel Aviv (Israel). Photo R. LINDMAN
16 |
The main areas of in-depth study include: rabbinic literature, Jewish history and philosophy, Jewish liturgy and prayer, Jewish culture and art, contemporary Jewish thought, history and practice of JewishChristian relations, Christian theology and
58/2021
Jewish-Christian relations, as well as biblical and modern Hebrew. The new licentiate programme also includes interdisciplinary courses in Biblical Studies, History and Theology, utilising the resources of the different faculties of the Gregorian University, as well as the Pontifical Biblical Institute and the Pontifical Oriental Institute. Within the context of an institutional partnership since the Centre’s creation, academic exchange programmes with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem are also significant. The location of the “Cardinal Bea” Centre in Rome, in close contact with the Holy See, also facilitates collaboration with authoritative exponents of Jewish-Catholic dialogue in the world. The closeness with the Jewish community of Rome – one of the oldest in the West – offers ideal conditions for experiencing dialogue, through encounters, debates, and participation in moments of prayer and liturgy in the synagogues, activities considered part of the formation process.
Faculties
Penal Jurisprudence, Training for legal practice Interview with Fr. Damián Guillermo Astigueta, S.J. Moderator of the new Diploma in Penal Jurisprudence
The new Diploma in Penal Jurisprudence developed from the need to learn canon law even in its procedural phases. It is a mainly practical course where one is confronted with real cases and, thanks to the integral training of future operators in ecclesiastical courts, it aims to be a way of serving justice
by PAOLO PEGORARO
T
he new Diploma in Penal Jurisprudence will be offered by the Faculty of Canon Law in the academic year 20212022. It is an innovative course, both in terms of subject ma er and methodological approach. The course is open to a limited number of 14 students and is addressed to those who want to pursue a legal career in courts and already have a Licentiate or Doctorate in Canon Law. “Those lacking experience in legal proceedings are expected to develop a thorough understanding of the principles of criminal law and of their fair and expert application,” said Fr. Damián Guillermo Astigueta S.J., moderator of the Diploma. “Experience in the field of matrimonial litigation is not enough. In fact, when the same line of reasoning is applied, procedural errors and injustices are commi ed, both in the outcomes and in the way people are treated.”
58/2021
| 17
ACADEMIC LIFE
Why was this new academic programme created? “Because there is a need in the Church to study Canon Law not only in its theoretical dimension, but also in its practical aspects. Based on 40 years of experience of our Diploma in Matrimonial Jurisprudence and the successful achievements of our alumni in Courts where they serve, the Faculty of Canon Law has decided to create a parallel course in Penal Jurisprudence. This is essentially a practical course where the students - under the guidance of highly qualified and experienced faculty members - are confronted with real court cases. Affidavits, documents, e-mails, photographs are all included in the proceedings... yet which evidence leads to an understanding of reality? How are the facts ascertained? How is the hierarchy of evidence established? When is there moral certainty of the defendant’s culpability or innocence?”
Full version of the article
Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Allegory and Effects of Good and Bad Government (Siena).
18 |
Today the term ‘abuse’ instantly suggests sexual abuse, yet it involves a much broader area than this... “The sphere of sexual abuse has acted as a trigger, as it exposed a number of failings. Moreover, there are many different forms and degrees of severity of the abuse itself, ranging from child pornography to blackmail to extort sexual favours from the victim. But there are also crimes against the sanctity of the sacraments, such as consecration with a sacrilegious purpose or violation of the sacramental seal. There is spiritual abuse, abuse of power, as well as abuses involving financial ma ers. In fact, a course on economic crimes is among the most prominent innovations. Such crimes have proved to be extremely severe: many ecclesiastic and artistic assets were misappropriated in recent years for personal or third-party gain. It is a relatively unrecognised subject, requiring considerable expertise in tackling the subject of treatment of ecclesiastical property and the field of investments.”
58/2021
Can these diverse offences be tackled using the same approach? “The crimes are judged by different Congregations. The Diploma features a wide range of subjects entailing diverse modus operandi as required by the various tribunals and Dicasteries, thereby providing the student with the necessary skills to handle situations involving different authorities.” Which is the chosen teaching methodology? “Based on a legal framework which students are expected to be well versed in, the courses - both the monographic courses and the seminars - are designed to provide “normative insights” in two different ways. As regards the monographic courses, the teacher will refer to the regulatory basis and explain it with examples drawn from experience. In fact, our lecturers are all renowned and highly qualified experts who have been working for years in Congregations and Tribunals.” How will the “practical” seminars be carried out? “It is of utmost importance for students to have access to the proceedings and see how people, the plaintiff, the defence lawyer express themselves. Subsequently, they will engage in a sort of role playing, each one being given a specific role amongst those envisaged. A confrontation ensues in which the case is discussed, documents are exchanged and a discussion is held on the content of the presentations. The professor always has the freedom to adapt the methodology to the subject matter, depending on whether it is a case judged by the Congregation for the Clergy, the Rota Romana or other bodies: different situations correspond to different court dynamics. Finally, the whole procedure is discussed in front of the professor, with the final decision on the case. Sometimes it may not have been a perfect decision. The objective is to gain practical knowledge of the trial process and develop a forma mentis enabling a competent understanding of the proceedings.”
Faculties
Christian and Medieval Antiquities, a Diploma for enhancing knowledge of Rome Rome contains not only a unique artistic heritage, but the roots of faith. The new Diploma in Christian and Medieval Antiquities combines lectures, visits to monuments and a documentation workshop to provide methods and tools for approaching the analysis of documents and monuments correctly
by PAOLO PEGORARO
U
pon his meeting with the Pontifical Gregorian University community on April 10, 2014, Pope Francis urged us to focus, first of all, on “appreciating the very place in which you work and study, that is, the City and above all the Church of Rome. Here there is a past and there is a present. There are the roots of faith: the memory of the Apostles and of the Martyrs; [...] All of this should not be taken for granted! It must be experienced and appreciated, with a commitment that is partly institutional and partly personal.” The new Diploma in Christian and Medieval An-
58/2021
| 19
ACADEMIC LIFE
tiquities, offered by the Faculty of History and Cultural Heritage of the Church, responds to this call by following in the footsteps of the Ancient and Medieval Church History studies offered at the Gregorian since 1932. The new two-semester course is specifically focused on the history of the Church of Rome through wri en, monumental and historical-artistic sources. Learning a method, acquiring the tools
Pietro del Massaio, Map of Rome (1469). On the other pages: Details from the Basilica of the Santi Quattro Coronati, Rome. Photo P. PEGORARO
20 |
The Diploma - moderated by Dr O avio Bucarelli, Pro-Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage of the Church - gives a firm grounding to students wishing to pursue studies in history, history of art and archaeology, delving into subjects of interest relevant to scientific research and pastoral activities. Since ancient times Rome has been the centre of the Orbis christianus. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is a political capital and a holy city, a destination for pilgrims visiting the tombs of the martyrs; it saw the founding of the catacombs and the first great Constantinian basilicas, a Petrine See providing impetus to the evangelising mission of the Church in the world. The subject area of the Diploma in Christian and Medieval Antiquities covers a historical period that goes from the discovery
58/2021
of the “Trophy of Gaius”(second half of the second century A.D.), erected above St. Peter’s tomb, to the entire Middle Ages. The Diploma programme aims to provide students with the necessary background knowledge and tools to analyse documentation and monuments, which they will then adapt to the local context they choose to work in. Rome, civitas christiana par excellence, with its two-thousand-year old history of uninterrupted layers and architectural superimpositions extending to the present day, is a unique open-air workshop where students can learn how to apply and enhance what they have learned in the classroom.
Experiential learning: monuments and documentation The Diploma programme consists of eight compulsory courses (Latin Language, History of the Ancient Church, History of the Medieval Church, Historiography of the Ancient and Medieval Church, Ecclesiastical Geography and Topography of the Orbis christianus, Christian Archaeology, History of Ancient Christian Architecture, History of Ancient Christian Art, History of Medieval Christian Art); two optional courses to be chosen by the student from among those offered by the Faculty of History and Cultural Heritage of the Church; the Documentation Workshop; and a final paper, wri en under the guidance of a professor from the Diploma course. Enrolled students will visit the monuments of the city, visible signs of the history of the Church and the papacy, in addition to lectures. The visits will be complemented by practical exercises in the Documentation Workshop, an inherent feature of the programme. The proper documentation and
evaluation of an artefact is in fact the first step for successful learning: to understand its meaning, its purpose and its preserved historical heritage. The activities of the Workshop allow students to gain first-hand experience of documents and monuments. It covers the areas of Church history (study of the Liber Pontificalis text), archaeology (documentation on the architecture of early Christian or early medieval churches in Rome), epigraphy (cataloguing of epigraphic texts) and history of art (analysis and cataloguing of artefacts of historical and artistic value). This makes the Diploma in Christian and Medieval Antiquities a valuable tool for promoting the study of Christian monuments and institutions from antiquity to the Middle Ages, of which Rome constitutes a unique “case study.”
Further information is available on the website www.unigre.it/en/history email: storiaebeni@unigre.it
58/2021
| 21
ACADEMIC LIFE
Teaching Discernment for Family growth What does “discern” mean in family life? The teachers of the Diploma in Family Ministry shared some reflections on this topic, on occasion of the Year that Pope Francis dedicated to the family
22 |
58/2021
MIGUEL YÁÑEZ, S.J. Moderator of the Diploma in Practical Theology majoring in Family Ministry
Faculties
Full version of the article of Western Europe (Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas). Moreover, in contemporary culture, decision-making has become a challenge: couples struggle to plan their future, as do parents with regard to their children. Thus, what does it mean to “exercise discernment” in the family and in family life in its various stages, amidst periods of growth and of crisis? The aim of the Diploma in Family Ministry is to best prepare our students for this practice by offering them the tools for an interdisciplinary approach drawing on the scholarly expertise of our faculty members, ranging from anthropology to sociology, from psychology to family therapy, from moral theology to bioethics and spirituality. Two days of reflection on the practice of discernment The “Forum on Discernment in the Family sphere” opened on the afternoon of April 23rd with the welcome speeches of Card. Kevin Farrel, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, and Fr. Nuno da Silva Gonçalves S.J., Rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University. The teaching staff of the Diploma in Family Ministry shared some reflections on the reception of the practice of discernment in family ministry (Emilia Palladino Alessandra Ciurlo); on intergenerational relationships, adolescence, discernment and COVID-19 (Paolo Benanti T.O.R. - Antonie a Valente); on the pastoral challenges posed by fragile relations (Giorgio Bartolomei - Giulio Parnofiello, S.J.). On the morning of April 24, - following the welcome addresses of Msgr. Dario Gervasi, Bishop Delegate for Family Pastoral Care in the Diocese of Rome, and Fr. Philipp Renczes S.J., Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Gregorian University – panel speakers addressed the topic of discernment in
ethics, in the emotional sphere and with regard to the physical person (Maria Cruciani - Giovanni Salonia, O.F.M. Cap.), the ecclesial place of discernment (Giuseppe Bonfrate - Stella Morra) and the challenge of discernment in unprecedented situations (Miguel Yañez S.J.). Speeches can be found on the Gregoriana’s YouTube channel (bit.ly/discernimentofamiglia), as well as on the website devoted to the “Amoris Laetitia Family Year” of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life (www.amorislaetitia.va). The Diploma in Family Ministry Now in its fifth year, the Diploma in Family Ministry promoted by the Pontifical Gregorian University’s Faculty of Theology offers a formation program for pastoral facilitators and professionals in the area of marriage and family life. This programme which offers direct contact with pastoral realities and not just a theoretical approach fosters interdisciplinary dialogue by involving scholars from different branches of knowledge in the area of anthropology, sociology, psychology, family therapy, theology and spirituality. A multidisciplinary group of Professors, trained in the practice of interpreting marriage and family life, respond to the expectations, challenges and uncertainties linked to marriage and the family today.
For further information: www.pastoralefamiliaregregoriana.it pastorale.familiare@unigre.it
58/2021
| 23
FROM PAST TO FUTURE
Fr. René Latourelle S.J., “father of Fundamental Theology” by CARMEN APARICIO Faculty of Theology
F
r. René Latourelle S.J. passed away on November 16, 2017. He was born in Montreal (Canada) on October 28, 1918, into a family that a ached great importance to the human and Christian formation of their six children. He entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus when he was nineteen and was ordained a priest in 1950. In the same year he received his doctoral degree from the University of Montreal Department of History. He completed his theological studies in Montreal in 1951 and moved to Rome in 1954 to study for a Doctorate in Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University. During his years of studies, he developed a deeper understanding of the relationship between the biblical and theological notions of Revelation, an intuition encouraged by H. Bouillard and H. de Lubac, whom Latourelle met in Paris in 19531. He continued this research in his Doctoral dissertation La révélation chrétienne: notion biblique, notion théologique, wri en under the guidance of Fr. Dhanis and defended in 1956. In 1957, he published the second part of his thesis and was thus awarded the degree of Doctor of Theology. After his return to Canada, he taught Fundamental Theology at the Collegium Maximum NN. Immaculatae Conceptionis in Montréal from 1956 to 1959, where he reached the rank of Full Professor. In those years he served as editor of the journal Sciences ecclésiastiques2, later renamed Science et Esprit. He was transferred to Rome in the Academic Year 1959-1960, where he taught at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Gregorian University until his retirement in 1989. He was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Theology in 1962, a position he held in three different periods: 1962-1964, 1970-1976, 1982-1985. From 1973 to 1989 he served as advisor to the Congregation for Catholic Education. The reform of theology at the Gregoriana At the end of his academic career at the Gregoriana he returned to Canada, but he continued to pursue his theological studies. Against the backdrop of ongoing
24 |
58/2021
socio-cultural transformations, he published several works featuring theological reflection in dialogue with post-modernity. These writings clearly a est to his theological reflection centred on Jesus Christ, the focal point of his life. One such example is his work L’Infini du sens: Jésus-Christ, which includes autobiographical notes. His deanship was characterised by intellectual openness3 and by an appreciation of academic achievement. Many changes took place in the Faculty of Theology during the years under his guidance, including the creation of a “deanery”, the opening of the faculty to women, classes taught in Italian instead of Latin, and the appointment of the first non-Jesuit faculty members. Latourelle was not a Council peritus, although in those years he served as advisor to a number of bishops and theologians. After the Council he directly promoted and collaborated in the reform of theological studies at the Gregoriana, instituting three Academic qualifications - Baccalaureate, Licentiate and Doctorate4. It should be noted that the first cycle was centred on the study of Sacred Scripture5, with the incorporation of Fundamental Theology among the specialisations of the Licentiate degree. His academic commitment led to a reform of fundamental theology, to the extent that Latourelle is often remembered as “the father of Fundamental Theology.” His writings and contributions on the subject are extensive; worthy of mention, inter alia, are ‘La théologie fondamentale à la recherche de son identité’6, an article co-authored during the years of the reform of theological studies, and “Démémbrement ou renouveau de la théologie fondamentale”7, in which Latourelle addresses the problem of dispersion that Fundamental Theology may encounter. He continued writing on this subject until the conclusion of his academic activity. From apologetics to the self-revelation of God Fr. Latourelle authored a multitude of studies. Some scholars of his works divided them into three stages: preCouncil, post Council, collective works. The pre-Council period in particular comprises two periods, separated by his doctoral dissertation in theology. The first period,
The voices and the times
which features numerous works on Saint Jean de Brébeuf, had an influence on his theological methodology, with a focus on the historical dimension. The second period comprises his first writings on Revelation and Fundamental Theology. His most renowned and seminal work is Theology of Revelation, first published in 19638. The second edition published in 1966 was complemented with some of the works wri en by Latourelle in those years, and revisited in the light of Dei Verbum. The volume appeared in over 30 editions and was translated into five languages, exceeding one hundred thousand copies9. It was recognised as a landmark in the study of fundamental theology for many years to come, offering an understanding of Christian revelation that, albeit widely received today, was hailed as a groundbreaking work at the time. The first distinguishing trait of his argument is the fact that the study of revelation takes the biblical sources as its foundation. This was not only an important novelty at that time, in fact it also highlights the understanding of theological reflection in Latourelle’s works. Other notable newnesses in this work include the departure from an extrinsic notion of revelation, typical of apologetics, in favour of a conception of revelation as self-communication and selfrevelation of God. The centrality of Christ and the prominence of history and language are recovered, all of which are dimensions reflected in Dei Verbum, and are central to the study of a theology of revelation today. Christ, “Sign that gives meaning to all signs” That work was expanded further, as featured in a number of articles that appeared during those years, subsequently incorporated into successive editions of Theol-
1 Cf. R. LATOURELLE, L’Infini du sens: JésusChrist, 25. 2 He had previously founded the magazine Jésuites Canadiens (1948), with the purpose of providing financial support to Jesuit students (cf. R. LATOURELLE, L’Infini du sens: Jésus-Christ, 20). 3 A sign of this openness is the number of invited distinguished professors of theology and philosophy from various countries, such as A. Dulles, H. Bouillard, G. Martelet, K. Rahner, X. Zubiri, W. Kasper and others (cf. A. RESTREPO SIERRA, La revelación según René Latourelle, 17).
ogy of Revelation. These are: L’idée de Révélation chez les Pères de l’Église10, which eventually formed Part II of Theology of Revelation, and La Révélation comme parole, témoignage et rencontre11, a seminal work in that the categories mentioned above were to constitute a distinctive feature of the Revelation terminology employed by Latourelle. Finally, Miracle et Revélation12, and Église et parole13 appear in part V of the same work. The centrality of Christ, Sign that gives meaning to all the other signs, is a theme explored in depth in Latourelle’s Christ et l’Église signes du salut (1971), a work that followed several articles he authored on the theme of the signs of Revelation and the sign of holiness. Worthy of mention are also the three volumes L’accès à Jésus par les Evangiles: histoire et herméneutique (1978), L’homme et ses problèmes dans la lumière du Christ (1981), Miracles de Jésus et théologie du miracle (1986), wherein he elaborated on the theology of the “signs” of Christian credibility. In those works, Latourelle argues that the Word of God and human history, the two benchmark points of theology, are not in conflict with each other, but complementary. Notable collective works include Problems and Perspectives of Fundamental Theology (1980, updated in 1982)14, Vatican II: Assessment and Perspectives, Twenty-Five Years After ( 1962-1987) (1987), Dictionary of Fundamental Theology (1990)15. These works feature the contribution of highly distinguished scholars and they reflect not only Father Latourelle’s profound scholarship, but also his remarkable collaborative spirit. Latourelle has made a significant contribution to Fundamental Theology at a time when it was at risk of disappearing from theology curricula, and when a clear direction was needed, recovering the centrality of Christ and the role of human history.
4 Theological studies were previously divided into two stages. Cf. A. RESTREPO SIERRA, La revelación según René Latourelle, 16. 5 This reform grouped the study subjects around three major themes: Christology, ecclesiology and anthropology. 6 Published in Gregorianum 50 (1969) 757-776. 7 Published in Concilium 46 (1969) 29-37. 8 The source of this text is the doctoral thesis. 9 Figures found in R. LATOURELLE, L’Infini du sens: Jésus-Christ, 29 and A. RESTREPO SIERRA, La revelación según René Latourelle, 15.
10
Article published in Sciences Ecclésiastiques 11 (1959) 297-344. 11 Article published in Gregorianum 43/1 (1962) 39-54. 12 Article published in Gregorianum 43/3 (1962) 492-509. 13 Article published in Sciences Ecclésiasiques 15 (1962) 195-211. 14 Co-edited with G. O’Collins. 15 Co-edited with R. Fisichella.
58/2021
| 25
GREG COMMUNITY
Robert Bellarmine: Jesuit, Intellectual, Saint Next November 17-19, 2021, the Gregoriana will hold a conference on Saint Robert Bellarmine, its Patron Saint, marking the fourth centenary of his death. The following is a brief outline of a highly erudite figure who lived during a complex historical period
26 |
58/2021
by MASSIMO CARLO GIANNINI Faculty of History and Cultural Heritage of the Church
S
eptember 17, 2021 marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Robert Bellarmine: a highly regarded figure within the Society of Jesus, as well as among faculty and students of the Pontifical Gregorian University - of which he is Patron Saint - and in the wider world of scholars. However, it should be noted that he is li le known to the general public. The 400-year anniversary therefore provides an opportunity to reflect on a prominent figure of 16th and 17th century Catholic Church. His contribution to the history of thought, to theology and to the political and religious events of his time has in fact become a symbol of the Counter-Reformation, an epoch
Anniversaries
marked by bi er intellectual controversies not to mention violence - arising from ways of conceiving the Christian faith and, more generally, reality, that were considered completely irreconcilable at the time. A Saint placed on the Index Let us start from the conclusion: contrary to expectations, his canonisation process was neither short nor simple. It began in 1622, the day after his death, and was not completed until 1923 with his beatification and his canonisation in 1930, followed by his proclamation as a Doctor of the Church (1931). Three centuries of discussions, often bi er, along with weighty silences, occurred in between. In fact, Bellarmine is not a figure that can be easily grasped, over and above hagiographic representations. Celebrating him in this particularly challenging year means first of all recognising not only his intellectual and theological stature, it also means acknowledging the complexity of a historical figure in an age marked by harsh conflicts and controversies, when politics and religion were inextricably intertwined. Moreover, Bellarmine’s main theological work, Disputationes de controversiis Christianae fidei adversus huius temporis haereticos (Ingolstadt, D. Sartorius, 1586-1593), a compendium of his lectures at the Roman College, was an enormous success, but it was also subject to severe criticism. This drove Pope Sixtus V to order it to be placed on the Index because the Italian Jesuit’s argumentation concerning the potestas indirecta of the pontiff conflicted with the established doctrine on papal temporal authority over the whole world. The death of Sixtus V spared Bellarmine from being condemned. Criticised and defended, yet scarcely studied Upon Clement VIII’s elevation to the papacy, Robert Bellarmine became one of his main advisors on theological, and hence political, ma ers, since a number of sensitive issues were intertwined. Pope Clement VIII created him a cardinal in March 1599. However, the De Auxilis Controversy between the Dominicans and Jesuits on the relationship
of divine grace and free will led to a deterioration of relations between Clement VIII and Bellarmine, who was created archbishop of Capua and appointed to his diocese (1602). Following the conclaves of 1605 and Paul V’s elevation to the papacy, Cardinal Bellarmine returned to Rome, where he was highly regarded by the Pope and continued to lead a humble life in the Roman College. He did nonetheless play a prominent role in major theological, intellectual, political and religious debates of his time in Europe. Most notably, Bellarmine became involved in controversy with King James I of England over the obligation imposed on English Catholics to swear allegiance to the sovereign, and with Servite friar Paolo Sarpi with regard to the ecclesiastic interdict placed on the Republic of Venice (1606-1607). The role he played as the leading theologian of Roman Catholicism has unquestionably contributed to his being the object of fierce criticism and ardent apology, and thus a historical analysis of his figure has been largely neglected. This has only been done over the past years, thanks to scholars such as Franco Mo a. Yet much remains to be discovered and said about a fundamental figure in 16th and 17th century cultural and Catholic milieu.
Bust of Card. Robert Bellarmine, Church of the Gesù (Rome). Previous page: Portrait of Robert Bellarmine. Chapel of St Joachim, Church of Sant’Ignazio (Rome). Foto L. ROJKA
58/2021
| 27
GREG COMMUNITY
Robert Bellarmine in the Historical Archives of the Gregoriana The Historical Archives of the Gregoriana is launching a set of initiatives to mark the anniversary of the death of Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), drawing on its ancient manuscript holdings With the opening of the web platform Gregorian Archives Text Editing (GATE) in 2017, the Historical Archives advanced the creation of the Monumenta Bellarmini, offering a constantly growing collaborative environment.
T
he Historical Archives of the Gregoriana is launching a set of initiatives to mark the anniversary of the death of Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), drawing on its ancient manuscript holdings. With the opening of the web platform Gregorian Archives Text Editing (GATE) in 2017, the Historical Archives advanced the creation of the Monumenta Bellarmini, based on the tradition of the Monumenta of the Society of Jesus, while simultaneously offering a constantly growing collaborative environment. A selection of the published and unpublished works of Robert Bellarmine (bit.ly/FondoRobertoBellarmino) preserved in the Historical Archives, along with the collection of letters Epistolae Bellarmini Cardinalis, can now be consulted through GATE. The collection of letters written and received by Robert Bellarmine after his appointment as cardinal in 1599, preserved in libraries and archives in Italy and abroad, was started by Xavier-Marie Le Bachelet S.J. (1855-1925), then increased by Sebastiaan Peter Cornelis Tromp S.J (1889-1975) and, in the final phase, integrated by other Jesuits, including Fr. Miquel Battlori, Fr. Joseph Grisar, Fr. Vincenzo Monachino and Fr. Gustavo Galeota. They completed the epistolary collection, yet it remained unpublished. Bellarmine bibliographic production and Early Modernity The prime objective of Monumenta Bellarmini is to make available this huge collection online, so far consulted only on an ad hoc and limited basis. The transcription of 2,604 typescript letters and detailed
28 |
58/2021
Full version of the article by MARTÍN M. MORALES, S.J. Director of the Historical Archives of the Pontifical Gregorian University
metadata of 628 documents is now accessible via the dedicated project web page (gate.unigre.it/mediawiki/ Monumenta Monumenta Bellarmini). The project, which is still in progress, aims to provide lines of research on a documentary corpus in the discursive epistolary format. Digitisation and transcriptions of the records of this correspondence will facilitate additional research. More specifically, it will enable the analysis of some distinctive features of early modernity that may contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of our present day. Bellarmine’s writings will thus contribute to identifying the distinguishing features of the social system at the time, with the aim of defining the episteme of early modernity understood as a body of discourses, institutions, laws, rules, philosophical and scientific statements. In short, a network of mechanisms or conditions that gave rise to a new set of discursive and taxonomic practices. The research will not only focus on the letters. In fact, a collection of over 30 manuscripts, most of them handwritten, is preserved in the Historical Archives, which will be the object of detailed cataloguing. These include six handwritten and elaborately annotated volumes of the Disputationes de controversiis Christianae fidei adversus huius temporis haereticos, considered one of Bellarmine’s fundamental works. The unpublished works include a small treatise on Genesis (APUG 385b). Thanks to a collaboration with the Universidad Católica de Córdoba, José Luis Narvaja S.J. (Instituto Thomas Falkner S.J.) has recently completed a critical revision of the texts Index haereticorum and De scriptoribus ecclesiasticis liber unus.
Anniversaries
A 50-year journey (1971-2021) A dialogue with Fr. Franco Imoda, S.J. Why an Institute of Psychology in a Pontifical University? To which needs has it answered, and what intuitions have shaped it? Fr. Franco Imoda S.J., one of the founders of the Institute and director for many years, shares a valuable testimony of its beginnings, in celebration of its first 50 years
by STANISŁAW MORGALLA, S.J. Director of the Institute of Psychology
T
he Institute of Psychology, founded in 1971, aims to prepare professionals who will integrate the spiritual and psychological dimensions into the apostolic and educational activities entrusted to them in their respective territorial and cultural contexts. Its over 500 alumni now work as vocational formators and educators and in other positions of responsibility throughout the world.
58/2021
| 29
GREG COMMUNITY
Full version of the article
have been very difficult to promote true learning. Young people’s response - normally inclined to take on educational roles and before long representing different continents - their participation and commitment, reconfirmed the goodness of the project. Looking back, I am grateful for the events that prompted me to teach Human Development. This provided a gateway into what Gabriel Marcel referred to as the mystery of human experience, starting from the richness of the adventure - including psychological - whereby each one of us is in a process of being that involves what we are “given” and our “calling.” At the start of the new study programme, the need to offer
“
Previous page: Students of the Institute of Psychology in the years 1991-1994. Recognisable in the front row, from the centre: Sr. Brenda Dolphin, Fr. Franco Imoda S.J., Fr. Giuseppe Versaldi and Fr. Luigi Rulla, S.J.
30 |
In the last fifty years, the Institute sought to respond to the call of Vatican II addressed to those skilled in sciences, notably in “the social and psychological” sciences, to purify and bring to maturity the life of faith (GS 62). In so doing, the Institute seeks to offer an understanding of the human person - mindful of Christian values and the importance of subconscious motivations as a solid foundation for helping others to grow in their vocation. Father Imoda, you are one of the founders of the Institute, serving as its Professor and Director for many years. How were the beginnings? “It was a time marked by enthusiasm and challenges. Our students represented a precious resource, and without them it would
58/2021
The Institute seeks to offer an understanding of the human person - mindful of Christian values and the importance of subconscious motivations - as a solid foundation for helping others to grow in their vocation
”
students a practical opportunity for “accompaniment” led to the creation of a Consultation Centre where they could engage, under the supervision/guidance of faculty members, in psycho-pedagogical processes known as “personality assessment” and “counselling on spiritual vocation growth.” Requests for this service abounded with a total of almost 14,000 people who referred to the Consultation Centre.” How did the idea of approaching the subject of the mystery of the human experience from an interdisciplinary perspective come about? Why not just adopt a
psychological approach - itself a very extensive scientific discipline - and “overlay” it with other sciences? “Our experience in the curriculum of Clinical Psychology in a secular university, coupled with its copious richness and attractiveness, could not but highlight and inspire questions concerning the vision and reality of the human person, as referred to in the passages of Gaudium et Spes. Simultaneously, Luigi Rulla S.J. and myself were working on an interesting research project at the University of Chicago’s Department of Psychology, in preparation for our doctorate degree. We were studying the reasons motivating young men and women to pursue a religious or lay vocation, focusing in particular on their maturity and perseverance. Two main trends emerged. The first indicated a high degree of immaturity, clearly distinct from a “pathology” and yet to be treated as a “fragility”. The second trend pointed to a conspicuous lack of evolution, growth and progress during their 56 year formation period. Hence the question: what is missing? How can this great challenge be addressed by enhancing both the call to transcendence in the sequela Christi and the complex nature of the human person in a society experiencing complex transformations and across cultures? Could “a psychology” offer a contribution, in conjunction with spirituality?” In the light of your many years of experience in personal accompaniment, which challenges have you identified in the accompaniment of young people today? “Pope Francis has frequently referred to three levels/realities of the human person with three images: the eyes, the hands and the heart. In anthropological terms, we could say: knowledge/truth, taking action/ willpower/freedom, and feeling/motivation. Within this horizon, philosopher Paul Ricoeur captured the weaknesses detected and
identified by psychologist Heinz Kohut in postmodern youth. The lack of consistency in the world of knowledge, of meaning; lack of resolve in terms of willpower, and hence in terms of commitment to freedom; the lack of harmony in personal motivation, and hence serenity, joy. The “forms”, the modes and expressions, vary in space and time, but a gaze and an approach that is limited to the “phenomena” could in many cases be the root cause of the absence of growth characterising flawed formative processes. As in Jacob’s fascinating experience of seeing a ladder to heaven, with the angels of God ascending and angels descending on it, in our widely varied experiences we are constantly confronted with the challenge of transcendence and immanence. It’s a fascinating challenge that poses a question for us still today: how can we accompany a person in search of his or her vocation in the dialogue/encounter with God who is always in the words of St. Augustine - superior summo meo, but also interior intimo meo?”
Pope John Paul II Receives Father Franco Imoda, S.J. After Pastores dabo vobis (1992) the Gregoriana committed itself to offering a new formation programme, which later became the Favre Centre. Previous page: Brussels, April 11, 1976. From the left: Fr. Franco Imoda S.J., Sr. Joyce Ridick and Fr. Luigi Rulla, S.J.
58/2021
| 31
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT “The narrative of the ten lepers so to speak, divides the world in two: those who do not give thanks and those who do; those who take everything as if it is owed them, and those who welcome everything as a gift, as grace. [...]Let us not forget to thank: if we are bearers of gratitude, the world itself will become be er, even if only a li le bit, but that is enough to transmit a bit of hope. [...]The path to happiness is the one that Saint Paul described at the end of one of his le ers: “Pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit” (1Thess 5:17-19).” (Pope Francis, General Audience, December 30 2020)
“A
s we look back at the year that is drawing to a close, what do we see?” asked Rector Nuno da Silva Gonçalves in remarks marking the conclusion of the 2020-2021 Academic Year. One answer is surely the generosity of so many friends. By supporting the daily commitment of every member of
the university community, its core values and the mission whose underlying goals they share, our benefactors remind us every day of just how much ‘willingness to do good’ surrounds us and encourages us. The following are some of the activities that have taken place thanks to their support.
Multifunctional access control system Given the heightened protection and health requirements, the General Technical Office installed automatic security gates to monitor access to the Gregoriana’s buildings. These six gates four in the Palazzo Centrale and two in the Palazzo Frascara are made of steel and glass and are equipped with touch-screens, thermal cameras, badge or QRCode readers and control systems that can be activated when needed.
Remote learning tools The Gregorian University has installed conference call hardware and software in several classrooms and in the Aula Magna for the 2020-2021 Academic Year, in an effort to provide live streamed lessons. The IT equipment installed consists of a 4k auto tracking webcam, two 27’’ touchscreen monitors, a projector and a personal computer linked to the classroom’s sound system. This system has enabled our teachers to deliver both in-person and online lessons simultaneously via the Moodle software platform and the BigBlueBu on web conferencing system. The new technological equipment has also enhanced student interaction with questions and participation (audio, chat), and enabled the recording of lectures for those who, due to their different time zones, were unable to a end the live broadcast.
32 |
58/2021
12,2% recipients
More than 420 Scholarships
2,7%
EUROPE 1306 students
In the 2020-2021 Academic Year, the Gregoriana - through the Scholarship Office - provided financial support to no less than 421 students. In other words, one in every eight registered students has received financial aid. The recipients’ countries of origin range from Central and South America (30% of the students) to Africa (24.6%), Europe (12.2%), Asia (8.1%) and North America (2.7%). Female students represent more than a quarter of all recipients, reflecting a steadily growing trend over the last few years.
NORTH AMERICA 256 students
recipients
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA 399 students
RECIPIENTS OF THE SCHOLARSHIPS
30%
recipients
8,1% recipients
AFRICA 401 students
24,6% recipients
Documentary heritage conservation and enhancement
ASIA 429 students
Projects for the conservation and enhancement of the Library’s documentary heritage have been implemented in the past few years thanks to the contribution of the Giuseppina and Giovanni Ba ista Marchisano Foundation. Of special relevance is the application of Radio Frequency ID tags (RFID tags) to library items, along with the restoration of the Library’s special collections repository, including the precious Antique and Rare Books Collection. The latter’s cataloguing project, which is bringing to light the precious book heritage of the Collegio Romano, is in progress.
Palazzo Centrale monumental stairs During the year, the General Technical Office coordinated the restoration of the two large internal windows that illuminate the monumental stairs of the Main Building (‘Palazzo Centrale’). The outside glass was made safe and the original panes were restored. In compliance with existing regulations, handrails were installed along the walls facing the parapet, in harmony with the original wrought iron and timber structure.
info@GregorianFoundation.org
www.GregorianFoundation.org/donate
Bank transfer, reason: “Donation” Banca Popolare Etica Iban: IT82 A 05018 03200 000011180791 • Bic Swift: CCRTIT2T84A •
PONTIFICIA UNIVERSITÀ GREGORIANA
or contact us: donazioni@unigre.it
SUPPORT US
855-854-8008 (toll-free)
INFORMATION
A precious recognition Interview with Prof. Nuria Calduch-Benages, new Secretary of the Pontifical Biblical Commission by PAOLO PEGORARO
O
n March 9, 2021, the Holy Father appointed as Secretary of the Pontifical Biblical Commission the Reverend Sr. Nuria CalduchBenages, member of the same Pontifical Commission and professor at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Gregorian University. Congratulating the appointment, the Rector Fr Nuno da Silva Gonçalves, S.J. praised her valuable contribution in the field of biblical studies.
You have been the student of three Jesuits - Fathers Albert Vanhoye, Klemens Stock and Pietro Bovati - all Secretaries of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. What have you learned from each one of them? “I deeply admire all three of them. They were my professors while studying at the Pontifical Biblical Institute quite a few years ago! I was impressed by their passion for Sacred Scripture, their scientific rigour, their profound thinking, their commitment to spreading the Word, 34 |
58/2021
and their cordial and friendly disposition. They set an example and contributed greatly to my personal and academic development.” In your many years of professorship at the Gregorian, which memories do you cherish the most ahead of this new appointment? “I started teaching at the Gregorian in 1991. These past years of teaching and research have been a rich source of experience for me, with the students who a ended my classes, with the colleagues with whom I shared important moments of my academic life, and with the many people working in the various offices of the University. I am extremely grateful to them all because, in different ways, I have learned from each one of them. The years of studies at the Biblical Institute and the years of teaching at the Gregorian were decisive in my academic journey.”
Books & Periodicals
PERIODICALS
Gregorianum
Archivum Historiae Pontificiae
Ignatiana www.ingnatiana.org
Periodica de Re Canonica
Subscriptions: www.gbpress.org Piazza della Pilo a, 4 - 00187 Roma (Italia) Tel. +39 06 6781567 - E-mail: periodicals@biblicum.com
Nuria Calduch-Benages
Rosanna Finamore (ed.)
For Wisdom’s Sake: Collected Essays of the Book of Ben Sira
Opere di Bernard J.F. Lonergan Saggi. Seconda Collezione
Berlin-Boston, De Gruyter (Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die al estamentliche Wissenschaft), 2021, pp. XVII-337
Roma, Ci à Nuova (Grandi Opere), 2021, pp. 352
Adelson Araújo dos Santos, S.I.
Paul Gilbert, S.I.
Amazônia, um lugar teológico: Comentário teológico-espiritual do Documento Final do Sínodo e da Exortação Apostólica “Querida Amazônia”
Jésuites et philosophies: des origines à nos jours Bruxelles, Lessius (Petite bibliothèque jésuite), 2020, pp. 233
São Paulo, Edições Loyola, 2020, pp. 200
Jaime Emilio González Magaňa, S.I.
Jaime Emilio González Magaňa, S.I.
Dame tu amor y tu gracia. El formador especializado en Jesucristo
Un fuego que inciende otros fuegos. Formador, especialízate en Jesucristo
Roma, Gregorian & Biblical Press (Spiritualità), 2020, pp. 272
Roma, Gregorian & Biblical Press (Spiritualità), 2021, pp. 164
58/2021
| 35
SOCIAL MEDIA
Roland Meynet, S.I.
Bryan Lobo, S.I. - Ilaria Morali - Rolphy Pinto, S.I. (edd.)
Qohélet
Maximum Illud. La missione tra storia e a ualità
Leuven - Paris - Bristol, Peeters (Rhetorica Biblica et Semitica), 2021, pp. 342
Roma, Gregorian & Biblical Press (Documenta Missionalia), 2020, pp. 170
Samuele Sangalli (edited by)
Martín M. Morales, S.I. (avec Pierre-Antoine Fabre Patrick Goujon S.I., edd.)
Africa: The Unknown Resources and Gains
La Compagnie de Jésus des Anciens Régimes au monde contemporain (XVIII - XXe siècles)
Roma, GBPress, 2021, pp.368
Roma, IHSI - École française de Rome (BIHSI - CEF), 2020, pp. XII+ 764
On our YouTube channel you can find over 700 lectures on the most diverse topics: theology, social sciences, spirituality, arts, interreligious studies, history of the Church, missiology, philosophy, canon law, psychology and more. A valuable resource for continuous training, especially in this moment marked by the international health emergency.
Over a seventh of the videos is in English. Look for them on youtube.com/unigregoriana or find directly the playlist “English” on http://bit.ly/unigreEnglish Subscribe to the channel & activate notifications!
> Faculty of Theology
> Social Sciences
* Annual Lonergan Lecture New creation in Christ and Integral Ecology Systematic Theology Responds To Laudato Si’
* Presentation Africa the Unknown. Resources and Gains
> Interreligious Studies
> Judaic Studies
* International Conference Philo of Alexandria’s “De Josepho”
* Presentation Licentiate in Judaic Studies and Jewish-Christian Relations
STUDYING
AT THE GREGORIAN UNIVERSIT R Y
A unique sttudent experience Faculty of Theolog gy www.unigre.it/en/theolog . gy/
Institute of Spirituality www.unigre.it/en/spir . irituality/
IInsti tittute t off Psychology P h l w .unigre.it/en/psy www . ychology/
Faculty o of Canon Law www w.unigre.it/en/canon .unigre .unigre.it/en/canoni -law/ law/ i/ / it/en/canon
Institute of Anthropology
Interd disciplinary Studies uman Dignity and Care (IADC) on Hu
www.unigr w . g e.it/CCP e
Saint Peter Favre Centre for Formators onsecrated Life he Priesthood and Co to th w .unigre.it/en/favr www . re-centre/ re centre/
Faculty o of Philosophy www w.unigre.it/en/philoso . i ophy/ i/ /
Faculty o of History and Culttural Heritage of the Church www w.unigre.it/en/history/ . i i / /hi /
Faculty o of Missiology Missiology www w..unigre.it/en/missiol unigre it/en/missiollogy/
Card dinal Bea Centre for Judaic Studies w .unigre.it/en/juda www.unigre.it/en/juda . aic studies/ aic-studies/
Alberto Hurttado Centre for Fa aith and Culture www.unigre.it/en/hurtad w do-faith-and-culture/ g it/en/hurtad .unigre
Faculty o of Social Sciences ww ww.unigre.it/en/social. ig it// / i -sciences//
Greg gorian Centre for Interreligious Studiess / w .unigre.it/en/inter www . g rreligious-studies/ g / /
Igna atian Spirituality Cen ntre w .unigre.it/en/igna www . atian-spirituality/
Pontificia Universitas Gregoriana Piazza della Pilotta, 4 00187 Roma (Italy) Tel. +39 06 6701.1 Fax +39 06 6701.5419
www.unigre.it
Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam
ISSN 2283-3110
1551 - 2021