Two members of The Lay Centre community attended a private audience with Pope Francis Jan. 12, when he greeted students from the Catholic Committee for Cultural Collaboration. This organization, linked to the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, grants scholarships to Orthodox students who come to Rome to study at pontifical universities. The organization just marked its 60th anniversary.
The Lay Centre’s deputy director, Dr. Filipe Domingues, and Russian-Lebanese student Karina Gandur, who is a licentiate student in ecumenism at the Pontifical Gregorian University, had the opportunity to greet and shake hands with the pontiff. Dr. Domingues spoke to the pope briefly about The Lay Centre's mission – to welcome and promote lay men and women in a context of dialogue, hospitality and faith – and handed him a thank you letter.
During the audience, Pope Francis praised the work of Catholic faith communities that welcome Orthodox students during their studies in Rome. He thanked the rectors and directors of these student residences “for the spirit of openness and the care with which they welcome and accompany them.”
“In this way, the visiting students can follow personally not only the academic courses, but also the formational, spiritual and liturgical growth of the Catholic students and, above all, share with them the experience of community life” in the colleges,” he said.
“This vital and direct contact with concrete communities, in which all share the same desire to follow the one Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to serve his Church, helps not only the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox students, but the Catholic ones as well, to overcome prejudices – to overcome prejudices! – to break down walls and to build bridges of dialogue and friendship.”
He then directed remarks to the students, saying: “Studying here in Rome, you have a great opportunity to share with one another who Christ is for you, where you encountered him, how he won your hearts and laid hold of your lives, and the variety of traditions by which you offer him praise and acknowledge him as your Lord.”
