The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) returned to Rome on 26-30 May, 2024 for their biennial “Rome Seminar,” organized in longstanding partnership with The Lay Centre.
For the first time they had a private – and very remarkable – audience with Pope Francis. The Holy Father expressed appreciation for the work of Catholic colleges and universities, encouraged them to preserve their original identity and dedicated about 20 minutes to an informal dialogue with those present.
The Seminar offers presidents, senior administrators, and faculty leaders at ACCU member institutions a firsthand opportunity to explore the intellectual and spiritual legacy of the Catholic Church in order to strengthen and promote the mission of Catholic higher education. It also offers a unique inside look at the Vatican and an inspiring experience of the Eternal City's spiritual treasures.
Included are in-depth conversations with key representatives within the Holy See and Rome's pontifical universities. Speakers to this year’s Rome Seminar were:
- Elise Allen, senior correspondent for Crux website, and Delia Gallagher, senior editor for Inside the Vatican magazine;
- Bishop Paul Tighe, secretary, Dicastery for Culture and Education;
- Archbishop Paul Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, Holy See;
- Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect, and Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, secretary, Dicastery for Culture and Education;
- Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ., under-secretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod;
- Dom Bernhard A. Eckerstorfer, OSB, rector, Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm
- Father Michael J. Garanzini, SJ, president, Association of Jesuit Colleges & Universities (AJCU), and former Secretary for Higher Education for the Society of Jesus;
- Sr. Simona Brambilla, MC, secretary, Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life;
- Sr. Patricia Murray, IBVM, executive secretary of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG);
- Joseph Simon Donnelly, U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See;
- Sr. Raffaella Petrini, FSE, secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State;
- Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
