Founded in 1985, the Catholic University of Uruguay is the oldest and largest private university in the country. It’s run by the Jesuits and hosted Pope John Paul II in 1988.
In his welcome address, the rector spoke about Catholic education in the country: it began in 1680, long before independence, and today encompasses 160 schools, 170 non-formal education centers, the Faculty of Theology, and two universities in Uruguay.
The pope structured his speech around the five senses. He spoke of the contemplative gaze and the sense of touch, which can foster peace, and noted that the sense of taste is necessary for knowing and experiencing what is good.
POPE LEO XIV
It is therefore pressing that education in our schools and universities contribute to the “judicious use of technologies and AI, placing the person before the algorithm and harmonizing technical, emotional, social, spiritual, and ecological intelligence”
When speaking about the sense of smell, he mentioned the “fragrance of Christ” that Christians should exude, and concluded with the sense of hearing, which is necessary for listening and discernment.
POPE LEO XIV
In Sacred Scripture, listening to the Lord is seen as an act of wisdom, prudence and justice. Our educational initiatives must embody these three virtues, bearing in mind that generations are changing far more rapidly than in the past and that keeping pace with the times — without abandoning sound tradition — is a real challenge.
In addition to those present in the main auditorium, there were about a thousand people on the terrace, whom the pope blessed from a window. They then unveiled a plaque commemorating the visit and brought the historic event to a close.
CBM
