XXV Anniversary of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum
The 25th of March, Solemnity of the Annunciation, marked the closing of the jubilee year for the XXV anniversary of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum. The educational community gathered in the chapel of the International Legionaries of Christ School in Rome to give thanks to God in a concelebrated Eucharist presided over by Father Eduardo Robles-Gil, L.C., Grand Chancellor of the Athenaeum. Several priests concelebrated, including professors and students of the Athenaeum, some invited priests, and some rectors of the International Network of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi universities.
«We firmly believe that the Spirit acts in the Church, carrying out the mission to “proclaim and establish in all peoples the Kingdom of God inaugurated by Jesus Christ” (C 150). In this great story of salvation, in this mission of the Church, ecclesiastical universities are placed, and with them and among them, the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum Athenaeum. In this grand story, we place our 25 years, our small human story, our magnificent human-divine story,» said Father Jesús Villagrasa, L.C., during the homily.
On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the Athenaeum has prepared a Magazine (in Italian) to “contribute to this celebration involving all those who have been part of the past, are part of the present, and will be part of the future of the Athenaeum […]; recounting the significant moments in a concise manner, through the voice and perspective of some people who have experienced them: authorities, professors, students, staff, alumni,” and how the Athenaeum has sought “to carry out concrete actions and projects to fulfill its mission: to form apostles at the service of the Church to testify to the mystery of Christ and to create, in full communion with the Magisterium of the Church, currents of Christian thought.”
In the editorial, it is stated that “the Church has tried to preserve the Gospel intact and alive, to penetrate it more each day with the assistance of the Spirit, and to transmit it to the whole world […]. Regarding evangelization and culture, the Church has promoted with particular effort the ecclesiastical universities and faculties, that is, the academic institutions that study Christian revelation and related disciplines, which are therefore more closely linked to its evangelizing mission.”
Promoted by the Legion of Christ, and in line with the Legion’s mission, the Athenaeum concretizes its own mission “in the formation of apostles, Christian leaders (clergy and laity) at the service of the Church to testify to the mystery of Christ; and in creating, in full communion with the Magisterium of the Church, currents of thought that respond to the theoretical and existential questions of man and infuse society with evangelical spirit.”
To carry out this mission, it relies on the contribution of the teaching community. The magazine states that “the group of professors has been and remains one of the pillars of the Athenaeum. Promoting debate, exchange, and dialogue, they are committed to carrying out the common mission. In fact, they all feel part of the growth process of the students and promoters of Christian thought currents for the good of the Church and society.” The cultural proposal of the Athenaeum is the result of the convergence of various values present in its educational philosophy, such as the search for truth and wisdom, harmony between faith and reason, ecclesial and mission-oriented sense, and dialogue with contemporary culture.
The faculty is characterized by an internationality enriched over the years. “This international composition promotes interculturality and is a source of special enrichment for students who confront different experiences and ways of living the life of the Church […]. Currently, among the permanent staff, coordinators, assistants, and guests, we have 146 professors (46 for theology, 33 for philosophy, 35 for bioethics, 32 for religious sciences) mainly from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, England, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the United States, and Switzerland.”
Students, for their part, “are called to be an active part of the academic process, adding to the specialized and rigorous formation a general cultural education that allows them to synthesize their life experience, fulfilling the true purpose of the university: to equip students in all necessary fields to continue the search for truth and its meaning throughout life; never losing sight of the inestimable value of the human person.”
In 1993, the Athenaeum began with 319 enrolled students. In the 2017-2018 academic year, the students enrolled in the various faculties (with their respective bachelor’s degrees, licenses, master’s, and doctorates) and institutes totaled 1,493. Since they come from different parts of the world, interculturality can be fostered: The Athenaeum is conceived as “an international and intercultural community embedded in the context of the Catholicity of the city of Rome that promotes knowledge, understanding, and harmonization of the different cultures present in the institution” (Educational Philosophy 18).
Regarding this, Sister Marta Dajana comments: “Getting to know people of different nationalities and cultures enriched my view of the world. I understand that diversity does not divide but offers positive opportunities for interdisciplinary and multicultural dialogue. I also discovered that bioethical issues are transversal and affect everyone indiscriminately, and that only together, by uniting different approaches, can we find effective answers.”
The Athenaeum was canonically erected by the Congregation for Catholic Education on September 15, 1993, with faculties of theology and philosophy. On July 20, 1998, Saint John Paul II granted it the title of “Pontifical.” On September 3, 2004, the decree of definitive canonical erection was issued. On April 23, 1999, the Congregation for Catholic Education also established the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences, linked to the faculty of theology, with the authority to confer the academic degree of bachelor’s (bachelor’s degree) and license (Master’s) in religious sciences. On December 31, 2000, in the context of the 60th anniversary of the Legionaries of Christ, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State of Saint John Paul II, blessed the buildings of the new Athenaeum headquarters at Via degli Aldobrandeschi, 190. On May 21, 2001, the Congregation for Catholic Education approved and established the faculty of bioethics to confer bachelor’s, license, and doctorate degrees. On November 13, 2002, the Major Seminary of Trujillo (Peru) affiliated with the faculty of theology, and on October 2, 2017, the Major Seminary Maria Mater Ecclesiae of Itapecerica da Serra (Brazil). Over time, several institutes have also been established to promote research and training in specific fields: Institute of Higher Studies on Women, Fidelis Institute of Economic and Social Ethics, Institute of Bioethics and Human Rights, and the Institute of Science and Faith.
Many have made possible the birth and development of the Athenaeum, including many benefactors who believed in it and supported it. Thinking of them, Father Thomas Montanaro, L.C., Vice-Rector of Institutional Development, comments that “many people make sacrifices to collaborate with our community, our mission to form apostles and evangelize culture. In conversations with some of these people, I have asked about their motivation to support our mission; Someone told me they do it because of a calling from the Holy Spirit […]; others because of love for the Church, others because they trust in the formation offered by the Legionaries of Christ, others for evangelization of culture and to improve the world. It is truly gratifying to know and experience that many of our benefactors deeply believe in our mission, which becomes a shared mission.”
In the context of these 25 years of the Athenaeum, Father Jesús Villagrasa, L.C., comments that “we hope that this jubilee year will be an opportunity to thank the Lord more intensely for calling us to participate in His saving mission in the university world; to examine our conscience and our way of responding to the university vocation; to renew our commitment and missionary enthusiasm; to rekindle faith in the Lord’s presence among us, hope in the one who does not disappoint, and love for God that becomes intellectual charity toward others.”
