Pope Benedict's Rejection
Dr. Joseph Ratzinger, aka Benedict XVI, absolute sovereign of the State of the Vatican City and the highest religious authority of the Roman Apostolic Catholic Church, Bishop of Rome, has declined the invitation (extended to him by a Rector hunting the Catholic vote) to hold a press conference at the Sapienza University of Rome on the day of the inauguration of the Academic Year. His speech was due to follow the inauguration lecture, traditionally entrusted to one of the University's professors.
A well-orchestrated provocation
The Rector of the Sapienza University had initially intended to allow Ratzinger give the inauguration lecture, which would outline the plans for teaching and research for university staff for the 2007-08 Academic Year, but faced with resistance from the academic corps, he relegated Benedict's involvement to a conference (with no questions allowed) to be held after the inauguration lecture but still as part of the inauguration ceremony for the Academic Year.
The reaction of the secularists: staff and students
In a climate that has for some time been polluted by continuous clerical interference in the field of civil liberties, staff and students at the University rose up against the initiative, saying that the figure of the Pope was being used by certain elements within the academic staff of the Roman university. And while the defence of free thought took the form of a week of anti-clericalist debates and activities, other (such as ex-communist journalist and professional sycophant Giuliano Ferrara) took up their (non-believers', neocon) rosaries and organized prayer vigils to protect the Pope. Students occupied the university's main auditorium, while members of the "Communion and Liberation" movement prayed... between running a university dining-hall and another in a student residence.
Benedict XVI bows out
Given the ill wind, Ratzinger has now declined the invitation, so as "not to cause undue excitement". Now the likes of Italy's parish priest, Romano Prodi, and other "nice guys" are putting on the sackcloth and ashes, complaining about violation of the freedom of thought, but forgetting Art. 7 of Italy's Constitution (voted for by Catholics) which states that the Italian Republic and the Catholic Church are, each within their own reign, independent and sovereign.
This means, then, that the Pope should be outlining the Catholic Universities' programme for teaching and research and leave the Public Universities' to look after their own programmes.
Benedict XVI at the University: let's invite him
There are now the right conditions to invite the Pope - should he want to, of course - to a debate, a conference or a lecture, together with Rome's Chief Rabbi, the Moderator of the Waldensian Church and other leaders of religions or non-confessional philosophical associations.
When philosophers, theologians, scholars and religious leaders go to university
Dr. Joseph Ratzinger wants to talk about bioethics? The let him be invited by those who deal with the philosophy of law, medicine, biology. He wants to talk about peace? Then it will be the Faculty of Political Science who invites him. And when he does finally make his illustrious visit, then the Rector can make his welcome speech. And no-one will object.
The University must be a place where ideas can be discussed, where every speech/lecture opens a debate. The days of ex-cathedra" pronouncements at the Sapienza University of Rome are long gone. Science, culture and education must be free - they can only be secular. And no Pope can change that!
National Secretariat
Federazione dei Comunisti Anarchici16th January 2008