Pope to Italian students: Be lovers of the truth and open to changes

By Lisa Zengarini

Pope Francis on Saturday encouraged a group of Italian students from the oldest state-recognized Catholic school in the country to be open to changes and different ideas, while remaining faithful to their Catholic identity.

“We must know how to change to remain faithful to our identity and mission,” the Pope remarked, as he met in the Vatican with some 3,000 Italian students, teachers and families of the prestigious Collegio Rotondi in Gorla Minore, near Milan, on the occasion of the 425th anniversary of its foundation in 1599.

Be true lovers of the truth and open to change

In his address, Pope Francis noted that the Collegio Rotondi has grown over the centuries, “changing and adapting many times to the needs of different historical moments.”

He therefore encouraged the students to commit intensely to their school activities, “but always with an open mind to new things.”

“Seek the truth in everything, without letting yourself be influenced by the fashions of the moment or by common thinking, by likes or by the consensus of followers”, which "can take away our freedom”, the Pope told the young people. “At the same time, however, do not be afraid, when necessary, to change and accept opinions and ways of thinking different from yours in everything that is not essential.”

Dialogue with those who think differently

Recalling that Jesus taught us that truth sets us free, Pope Francis further stressed the importance of promoting knowledge through sharing and dialoguing with others, because, he said, “Ignorance breeds fear and fear breeds intolerance."

“We study to grow, and growing means maturing together through dialogue," the Pope explained, noting that dialogue includes dialogue with God, with teachers and other educators, with parents, and with each other.

But, he stressed again, it also includes dialogue “with those who think differently" so as to “always learn new things and allow everyone to give the best of themselves.”

Citing the school's motto “Erudire et edocere”, that is, providing everyone with the tools necessary to read reality and express themselves with freedom and creativity, Pope Francis concluded by encouraging the Collegio Rotondi to continue preserving and updating its long-standing legacy.