Commencement Address Delivered by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Papal Nuncio to the United States
Reverend Father Charles Sikorsky, distinguished members of the faculty, honored graduates, family members, and friends who have gathered for this wonderful celebration -- the Commencement Exercises of The Institute for the Psychological Sciences.I am exceedingly grateful and quite humbled by the great tribute that you so graciously bestow upon me today. In granting this Honorary Degree to the Papal Nuncio - the personal representative of Pope Benedict XVI, here in the United States of America - you extend an honor, in some way, to the Pontiff himself and to the Church as well. And so, I am deeply and sincerely thankful.
Mindful that it is certainly no small distinction to be invited to deliver the Commencement Address during this graduation exercise, I must express my gratitude for this distinguished privilege. While the Commencement ceremony celebrates the culmination of years of hard work, it is much more than that; commencement is a moment of inauguration, in which those who have completed their studies move forward to assume their places in the world. It is my great hope, therefore, that the few words that I should like to offer to the graduates of the Class of 2008 will stir in your hearts not only as much-deserved accolades and praise for your outstanding past efforts, but most especially as a call and a challenge to use your many gifts and talents in the service of God's Holy Will as you journey into the future.
Each one of you stands in a tradition that was first made possible by mental health professionals, academics and clinicians who recognized the critical importance of the relationship between psychology and its philosophical foundations. For more than ten years, this Institute has promoted dialogue between and integration of modern social, psychological, and Catholic thought.
In an institution of higher learning the pursuit of the Truth is never so complete as when the student is encouraged to integrate both the critical thinking that is proper to a mind gifted with the ability to reason and the gift of faith that is planted by Almighty God deeply in the souls of all human beings.
At the beginning of his Encyclical Letter, Fides et Ratio, Pope John Paul II eloquently and poignantly reminded us that "Faith and Reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth - in a word, to know himself- so that, by knowing and loving God, each human being may also come to the fullness of truth about oneself" (Fides et Ratio, Introduction)
Therein we find the great contribution that the Catholic institution of higher learning has offered and continues to offer to this country and to the world. In all of the sciences and academic disciplines, the student can pursue the truth in an ambiance that supports and encourages the critical and necessary integration of both religious faith and human reason Such a student cannot help but be drawn into the mystery of God himself. So it is that our Catholic universities and colleges assist countless people in coming to a deeper awareness of the great mystery of God and of His wonderful plan for each individual.
In fact, during his recent Pastoral Visit to the United States, our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI spoke at the Catholic University of America and in what was a most powerful and poignant speech, the Pontiff addressed this critical role played by the Catholic educational institution in the search for truth, through the perspective of faith In that speech, he said the contemporary "crisis of truth” is rooted in a "crisis of faith" Only through faith can we freely give our assent to God's testimony and acknowledge him as the transcendent guarantor of the truth he reveals. Again, we see why fostering personal intimacy with Jesus Christ and communal witness to his loving truth is indispensable in Catholic institutions of learning.
Freedom is not an opting-out. It is an opting in – a participation in Being itself. Hence, authentic freedom can never be attained by turning away from God Such a choice would ultimately disregard the very truth we need in order to understand ourselves. A particular responsibility therefore for each of you, and your colleagues, is to evoke among the young the desire for the act of faith, encouraging them to commit themselves to the ecclesial life that follows from this belief. It is here that freedom reaches the certainty of truth. In choosing to live by that truth we embrace the fullness of the life of faith which is given to us in the Church. [Meeting with Catholic Educators, 17 April 2008]
During your time at the Institute for the Psychological Sciences, you have undoubtedly received a wealth of knowledge from the collective teachings of a fine faculty, in concert with all that you have garnered from the many great scholars and thinkers whom you have met through their writings. While this treasury of knowledge has helped to form you into the person you are today, it must never be thought of as a private possession to be kept selfishly for your own self-aggrandizement.
With the gift of knowledge, comes the responsibility to lead others closer to the Truth. You are in a position to teach others by your own example about the dignity of the human person, the true good to which each person is called and the freedom that is given to each of God's children. In 1993 our Holy Father Pope John Paul II issued his Encyclical letter Veritatis Splendor, with the "precise goal of recalling certain fundamental truths of Catholic doctrine" (VS, #4). In that letter, the Pontiff teaches that ''this essential bond between Truth, the Good and Freedom has been largely lost sight of by present-day culture. As a result, helping man to rediscover it represents nowadays one of the specific requirements of the Church's mission, for the salvation of the world" (VS, #84). Each of you has been prepared to participate in this noble mission!
As you embrace careers to which you have looked forward for quite some time, your journeys may be different, one from another. Yet, it is my hope that each of you will have the common experience of finding meaning and fulfillment in the work you choose, because, in some way, you will be doing the Will of God.
This, my dear graduates, is the message I wish to offer you today: Almighty God has a plan for each and every one of you and in discovering the Will of God and doing it, you will find your treasure.
In this fast-paced and frenetic world, many spend their energies searching for self-fulfillment by endlessly chasing after power, fame, prestige, wealth, and other such allurements. While such aspirations are not wrong, all too often, they are sought after without any concern for God and His plan. However, the true joy and lasting peace for which each human heart yearns can only be found in doing the Will of God. In His Will is our peace!
To discover and know God's Will you must be men and women of prayer. In the daily, ongoing, inner dialogue with Christ, you come to know what it is that the Lord is asking of you, where it is that He would have you go and what it is that He would have you do.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta told us that "prayer begets faith, faith begets love and love begets service on behalf of the poor''
It is prayer that will support you in all of the choices that you must make in life. Your daily conversation with God will lead you to your true vocation in life, unfolding before your eyes the path that the Lord desires for you.
Whatever your individual vocation may be, each and every one of you is called to holiness of life and to participate in the mission of the Church. As you follow the path to which God is calling you, it is my hope and my prayer that you will always do so with the highest degree of personal integrity. Each of you has the intellectual capacity and the spiritual foundation to make informed moral choices. Many of the decisions that you will make in your careers and in your private lives will impact others. You must have the internal fortitude and the courage always to do the right thing. Never compromise in the face of evil or injustice! Believe with certainty that you are God's instrument and give the Lord permission to use you as He will.
As you forge ahead on the road that lies before you, take time to give thanks to Almighty God and to all those who have helped you along your journey thus far. The Lord loves a grateful heart. I am certain that all of you have sentiments of grateful appreciation for the faculty and all those who form the Institute for the Psychological Sciences, those who have helped you during your studies. At the same time, your hearts overflow with loving thanks for your dear parents, spouses, and those family members who have made sacrifices to encourage and support you in your studies. They are to be congratulated as they share deeply in your success!
As Catholic scholars, you have inherited a rich legacy. For hundreds of years, our Church has promoted the arts and sciences. You stand in a line of men and women who believed and knew that their work was guided and directed by Almighty God. May that same fervent desire to know God's Will and do it be with each and every one of you for the rest of your lives
Congratulations and God bless you!