Message from Sister Linda

Good morning from Washington, DC! Yesterday at 5 pm the presidents of US Catholic colleges and universities and one representative from the department of education in each Catholic diocese/archdiocese gathered at the Catholic University of America to greet Pope Benedict and listen to his address. I was honored to be there in your name and the name of Barry.

Pope Benedict has a warm smile and a gentle and humble demeanor. He appeared to be genuinely pleased with our presence and enthusiastic welcome. He began his address with these words of St. Paul taken from Isaiah: "How beautiful are the footsteps of those who bring good news" - and called us (and you) "bearers of wisdom."

Pope Benedict made abundantly clear the centrality of Catholic education at all levels to the mission of the Church. He skillfully named the challenges we all face, especially in a secular and pluralistic society, and the opportunities we have through formal education to shape minds and hearts of love, hope and service. The Pope said our institutions should be places where we and our students can encounter the living God.

There is no doubt that the Pope understands and values highly the nature, purposes and goals of the university. His experience as a faculty member at four European universities was evident.

The Pope's message was filled with words of gratitude, appreciation and encouragement.

I will be pleased when I return from this trip ( I am now on to New York City) to share more of his address, though you can access it from the Catholic University of American website (www.cua.edu), if you like.

Pope Benedict often speaks about hope and so yesterday he called us to create institutions where hope thrives. He said, "Set against personal struggles, moral confusion and fragmentation of knowledge, the noble goals of scholarship and learning, founded on the unity of truth and in service to the person and the community, become an especially powerful instrument of hope."

He concluded his address by imparting to us and "to your colleagues and students and to your families my Apostolic Blessing." It is my privilege to send his blessing to you.