Statement on Virginia Tech by Communion and Liberation

That Monday’s tragedy—like the tragedy at Columbine—took place in a school, and specifically a university, particularly disturbs us. In precisely these places young people should find the most solid answers to such questions, the most certain paths to the truth of our human condition.

Yet there is a myopic vision of reason—much in vogue in schools and universities— which, in the words of Pope Benedict at the University of Regensburg, relegates “the specifically human questions about our origin and destiny, the questions raised by religion and ethics” to the “realm of the subjective.” For the good of the young and the good of our country, it is long since time to critically evaluate this view of reason.

At Regensburg Pope Benedict spoke of the urgent need for “broadening our concept of reason and its application” in order to avoid the “disturbing pathologies of religion and reason which necessarily erupt when reason is so reduced that questions of religion and ethics no longer concern it.”

To this end we strongly urge all those connected to the question of education—including parents—to review and discuss Pope Benedict XVI’s address at the University of Regensburg.

Communion and Liberation, USA

April 20, 2007