Pope Francis meets with representatives of twenty-three prestigious libraries from around the world, who have arrived in Rome to participate in an international meeting promoted by the Vatican Apostolic Library. “We respond to ideological colonialism and the erasure of memory with the care of culture,” the Pope stressed.
Vatican News
VATICAN CITY, Saturday, November 16, 2024 (REI): Pope Francis addressed some 100 participants of the Apostolic Library’s “Libraries in Dialogue” conference, a conference on “reading to preserve and make available to others “, in the Clementine Auditorium of the Vatican on Saturday, November 16 Welcome.
The Pope said: “I also express my most sincere gratitude to the representatives of twenty-three prestigious libraries from around the world who participated in this meeting. The Holy See Library seeks to dialogue with relevant institutions on a series of important topics and has initiated study groups, which I am sure will continue and will be fruitful for mutual enrichment.”
New syntheses capable of giving hope for the future
The Pope affirmed that his institutions are called to significantly transmit the heritage of the past to new generations, who are immersed in a fluid culture and, therefore, need solid, creative, welcoming and inclusive environments, in which they can create new synthesis capable of providing a vision of the present and hope for the future. So your mission is really exciting.
pop librarian
Pope Francis cited the example of Pope Pius XI, whom some scholars call the “Librarian Pope.” Before becoming pope, he was librarian of the Ambrosiana Library in Milan and later of the Vatican Library. A man of action with interests in science and mass communication, he was aware of the great importance of libraries at an extremely critical moment in history, that between the two world wars. Pope Pius XI expanded the Vatican Library, promoted systematic catalogs, and opened a school for the training of librarians. Under his patronage, the Vatican Library became a safe haven for many scholars, including those persecuted by totalitarian regimes, which the Pope strongly opposed.
Media and information technology.
The Pope said that today technology has significantly changed the way librarians work, making it more diverse and less time-consuming. The media and information technologies have opened up possibilities unimaginable just a few years ago. Systems for studying, cataloging and using library resources have multiplied. All of this has brought many benefits, but also many risks: large databases are rich resources for research, but controlling their quality has proven difficult. Due to the high cost of managing print collections, especially older collections, only a few countries in the world can provide some consulting and research services. As a result, less fortunate countries may face not only material poverty, but also intellectual and cultural poverty. There is a risk that expensive weapons systems could hinder the development of culture and the resources necessary for its development.
threat of war against culture
The Pope also said that many cultural institutions are defenseless in the face of war, violence and looting. How many times has this happened in the past! “Let’s work to make sure this never happens again. Let us respond to the clash of civilizations, ideological colonialism and cancel culture by developing a true culture. “I encourage you to ensure that your institutions become places of peace, meeting places and forums for open discussion.”
four principles
The Pope proposed for your reflection the four principles set out in his Apostolic Exhortation ‘Evangeli Gaudium’.
First, time is bigger than space.
The Holy Father said they are the guardians of a vast treasure of knowledge and education. They should be places where time is taken for reflection and openness to the spiritual and transcendent dimensions of our existence. In this way, they can encourage long-term study without becoming attached to immediate results and thus, by promoting silence and meditation, favor the development of a new humanism.
Second, unity triumphs over conflict.
The Pope said that academic research sometimes inevitably gives rise to controversies, which must be discussed seriously, honestly and respectfully. Libraries must be open to all areas of knowledge and witness a common purpose between different points of view.
Third, realities are more important than ideas.
The Pope further said that it is important to make concrete and realistic decisions while maintaining a critical and reflective approach, avoiding any false conflict between thought and experience, fact and theory, practice and theory. If we sincerely seek the truth, our thinking must always respect the primacy of reality.
Fourth, the whole is greater than the part.
The Pope said our work calls us to reconcile tensions between local and global interests, aware that no person is isolated. Our lives are based on relationships and social networks, which demand our responsible participation.
Concluding his speech, the Pope said: “May you never be intimidated by the complexity of the world in which you are called to work! May everything we have shared these days help you move forward. May you be like the wise “scribe” praised by the Lord Jesus, who knew how to draw new and old treasures from his storehouse for the benefit of all. (Cf. Matthew 13:52)
