Archbishop Velasio De Paolis during the concelebration of the Mass at the Center for Higher Studies chapel in Rome.

October 12, 2010. Rome, Italy. This past October 7, Archbishop Velasio De Paolis presided over a Mass in the Center for Higher Studies chapel to mark the start of the academic year at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum College.

Concelebrating were Fr Alvaro Corcuera, LC, general director and grand chancellor of the Regina Apostolorum; Fr Luis Garza, LC, vicar general and territorial director for Italy; Fr Pedro Barrajón, LC, rector of the Regina Apostolorum; professors and members of the academic staff; a large group of Legionary priests from the community in Rome; and some students.

At the beginning of the Mass, Fr Pedro Barrajón, LC, thanked Archbishop De Paolis for coming and went on to note that the celebration of the Mass was an opportunity to invoke the light of the Holy Spirit on the students and teaching staff.

“We need this gentle light that has guided the great men of the Church

	A panoramic view of the Mass.

to a deeper understanding of the truth in order to bring it to the world,” he said.

During his homily, Archbishop De Paolis emphasized the importance of invoking the Holy Spirit in order to know the truth and have the strength to live by it and rejoice in it.

He then went on to address the cultural setting in which ecclesiastical universities are called to be beacons.

“We live today in a culture where it seems that in some aspects we are falling back into the darkness. Not because we lack intelligence, not because we lack capacity, but because we want to close ourselves up inside,” he said.

“A man who encloses himself in his purely human dimension is a man who is not prepared to understand his greatness. […] There has never been a time in Christian history when man knew so many things and yet knew so little about himself.”

In light of this reality, he stated that the mission of pontifical universities is to contribute a deeper level of reflection on the whole truth, “the truth in its maximum depth, and in its widest possible horizon.”

“This truth,” he said, “is accessible to us insofar as we are able to enlighten our reason with the light of faith, through the light of the Holy Spirit.”

During his visit, Archbishop De Paolis handed over a prologue he had written for a book written by two Legionary priests. The book, Amaos como yo os he amado (Love One Another As I Have Loved You), written by Fr Juan Pablo Ledesma, LC, dean of the theology faculty, and Fr Hector Guerra, LC, will be published by Planeta Testimonio in the upcoming months.

After Mass, Archbishop De Paolis went on to join the Legionary community for lunch, encouraging them to have confidence in God, the Church, the Legion, and themselves.

“Let us have trust, let us walk together,” he said.