VATICAN - Benedict XVI addresses Rome's university students: “Look at the Blessed Virgin Mary and learn from her ‘yes’ to say ‘yes’ to God's call”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On Thursday 13 December at the end of a special Mass for the students of universities in Rome presided by Cardinal Camillo Ruini the Pope's Vicar for the diocese of Rome, in preparation for Christmas, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI went down to St Peter's to meet the students who were accompanied by university chaplains, rectors and teaching staff.
After greeting those present and wishing them a happy Christmas, Pope Benedict XVI, gave his address focussed on two points. First of all the Sacrament of Confirmation since 150 of the students present are preparing to be Confirmed at Pentecost next year: “ Look at the Blessed Virgin Mary and learn from her ‘yes’ to say ‘yes’ to God's call” - the Holy Father said -. The Holy Spirit enters our life according to how we open our heart with our ‘yes’: the fuller the ‘yes’ the fuller the gift of his presence … Mary is greeted by the angel as ‘full of grace', which means precisely this: her heart and her life completely open to God are therefore completely flooded with His grace. May Mary help you make of yourselves a free and full ‘yes’ to God, so you may be renewed, indeed transformed, by the light and the joy of the Holy Spirit.”
The Pope's second point for reflection came from his second encyclical Spe salvi: “I hand it ideally to you dear university students of Rome and through you to the world of the university, school, culture and education - said Benedict XVI -. Is the theme of hope not particular congenial to young people? In particular I suggest you reflect and discuss, also in groups, on the part of the Encyclical which treats the issue of hope in modern times. In the 17th century Europe experienced an authentic epochal turning point and a mentality began to take root, according to which human progress is the work of science and technology whereas faith only serves for the salvation of the soul. The two great idea-powers of modernity, reason and freedom, were detached from God and became autonomous and cooperative to build a ‘kingdom of man’, practically the opposite to the Kingdom of God. So a materialistic concept began to spread, nourished by the hope that, changing economic and political structures, would lead at last to a just society where peace, freedom and equality reign. This process, which does not lack values and historical reasons ,contains however a fundamental flaw: man is, in fact, not only the product of determinant economic or social conditions; technical progress does not coincide with the moral growth of individuals, indeed, without moral principles technology and politics can be used - as it has happened and as it still happens unfortunately - not for the benefit but for the detriment of individuals and humanity”.
The Holy Father concluded his speech expressing the wish that these themes so relevant today “may further promote the already existing comparison and collaboration between state, private and pontifical colleges” and that the city of Rome “may continue to be a privileged place for study and cultural elaboration … a model of hospitality for foreign students”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 14/12/2007; righe 37, parole 549)