On 27 October, the words of Cardinal José Tolentino Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education and former Vice-Rector of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, resonated in the heart of Rome for representatives of Catholic universities from around the world: ‘When you're around young people, you don't age: it's like keeping the engine running and seeing the world through new eyes.’.
This marked the beginning of the Jubilee of the Educational World, the major event of the Holy Year dedicated to schools and universities on all continents, where the Universidade Católica Portuguesa has a strong presence, with a delegation of 80 students, alumni, lecturers, members of the rector's team and staff.
‘The Universidade Católica Portuguesa is committed to the idea of education as a promise for the future, combining professional quality with innovation and aesthetic and social sensitivity,’ says Isabel Capeloa Gil, President of Católica, about the university’s participation in this historic week.
The World Congress ‘Educational Constellations – A Pact with the Future’, which takes place on 30 October, invites reflection on the challenges of education, taking into account new cultural and technological configurations.
Isabel Capeloa Gil, as President of SACRU, will participate in this event as moderator of the panel ‘Reviving the pact with hope: The Educational and Cultural Commitment of Catholic Schools and Universities,’ with the participation of Jon Fosse, Nobel Prize winner for Literature 2023, and SJ Guy Consolmagno, astronomer at the Vatican Observatory.
Nuno Crespo, Director of the School of Arts, will also be present, but on the panel ‘The new projects of the Dicastery for Culture and Education’, where he will present the Triennial of Arts of Catholic Universities, to be held in 2026.
This will be the first edition of the initiative launched by Cardinal José Tolentino Mendonça and coordinated by Nuno Crespo.
Alongside this meeting, the Universidade Católica will also be present at the ‘Education Village’, a space for networking and educational exchange, to be held around St. Peter's Square. Meetings between the Pope and students, including members of the Catholic delegation, are also planned for 30 October.
The following day, Pope Leo XIV will meet with educators. There will also be a conference with the Lisbon University Pastoral and the closing of the ‘Creio na Universidade’ cycle, with the participation of Isabel Capeloa Gil, Sofia Salgado Pinto, professor at the Católica Porto Business School, and student Paulo Martinez.
On Saturday, 1 November, the programme ends with the celebration of Holy Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV.
