VATICAN CITY (Vatican News) ─ Pope Leo XIV met with representatives of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem June 18 and encouraged them to be bearers of hope, peace and unity in a world marked by violence and division.
"In a time that is often characterized by violence and pointed rhetoric, the members of your diverse university community can continue to be artisans of true peace, a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering, working for harmony among peoples," Pope Leo said.
The pope received the board of governors of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in a private audience at the Vatican.
In his remarks to the group, he recalled that universities have long been places of encounter, bringing together students and faculty to grow in wisdom.
"While not always easy, universities must constantly work to ensure that opportunities for meaningful encounters remain available," he said.
The pope said this constitutes an essential part of the life of any institution of higher learning because relationships with others, languages and cultures are "vitally important for who we are as human beings."
As natural places for encounter, universities have traditionally been "privileged places for dialogue," Pope Leo said, where the pursuit of knowledge is intrinsically linked with exchanging ideas within the academic community.
"In an atmosphere where respectful dialogue is possible, everyone can grow in knowledge through learning from the points of view and living testimonies of others, even those with whom they might disagree," he said.
"In these settings, with patient perseverance," Pope Leo added, "it is possible to gradually work towards breaking down any barriers of misunderstanding and distrust that may arise."
The pope underlined that God "asks us to be his instruments to bring peace to the world, but we must start with ourselves."
"Rather than believing peace to be impossible and beyond our reach, we must seek to promote it in our communities and to welcome and recognize it in our own lives," he said.
Pope Leo expressed his hope that through forming artisans of peace, the university community may "be a beacon of hope and unity in a world that is increasingly divided."
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Deborah Castellano Lubov writes for Vatican News, the official multimedia news portal of the Holy See. This story was first published by Vatican News and is distributed in partnership with OSV News.
