By Salvador D. Aceves President of Regis University Earlier this summer, I had the immense privilege of meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican. Pope Francis is a remarkable human being, a person of deep compassion and extraordinary vision, and meeting him touched me deeply. The gathering was part of the Rome Seminar of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU). The program invites university presidents and other leaders to explore the intellectual and spiritual legacy of the Catholic Church and to strengthen and promote the mission of Catholic higher education. Since my return, almost everyone I speak with wants to know what it was like to meet Pope Francis. They asked me what he said and what was on his mind and heart. I tell them I witnessed someone with an inspiring and humble spirit, a man deeply concerned for the poor. He shared his commitment to an education that connects the mind with the heart and hands. I reflect on his deep belief in the importance of prayer – for him, the church and the world. And I remember with tenderness how he gathered us – a group of educators seeking wisdom on how to guide our communities back home – to pray together. In the weeks since I returned to Denver, I've often thought of that moment and of a question that was asked again and again during my visit to Rome: What is the role of the Church in a world beset by conflict and darkness but also with incredible abundance and opportunity? This question is not just for me to ponder but for all of us to engage in and find answers together. Pope Francis does not gloss over the real divisions and pains we experience in our world; neither can we. We will need pathways for information, ideas and dialogue to flow among and through us. Pope Francis embraces a collaborative approach that advances the living mission of the Church as a responsibility we all share. I’ve invited everyone within our Regis community to engage in these conversations, but I believe this invitation could be extended beyond our campus. We should think about having broader discussions that aim to better face our world together, investigate the hurts of our world and imagine ways to make a difference. We may encounter challenges that require us to act, speak and be part of the solution to various problems. This will not be easy, but I believe we can forge ways to build a more just and humane world precisely by engaging one another openly and empathetically, shaping our future in solidarity. My experience meeting Pope Francis has profoundly affected me and stirred a desire to be a catalyst for reflection and action within our community. This also prompted me to ponder and think about our relationship with the Catholic Church and all the religious communities our community represents, asking how we can work together to build up our world. Let us embrace this journey with the same spirit of humility and dedication that Pope Francis embodies, fostering a community where faith, reason and culture intersect to inspire meaningful change.
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