Message of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV
on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the foundation of
the Bolivian Catholic University “San Pablo”
[MAY 14, 2026]
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To all members of the university community:
On the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of that Catholic University,
I would like to extend my greetings to everyone associated with the institution.
This celebration of sixty years of service to the Church and society is a time to recognize the institution’s achievements.
At its core, the university is not merely a center for technical training or a space for producing utilitarian knowledge.
It is, above all, “an academic community which, in a rigorous and critical way, contributes to the protection and development of human dignity and cultural heritage through research, teaching and the various services offered to local, national and international communities” (St. John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution. Ex Corde Ecclesiae (From the Heart of the Church), 12).
The university’s purpose is to promote the holistic development of individuals, as true education “aims to develop the human person for their ultimate purpose and for the benefit of the various societies of which they are a part” (cf. Decl. Gravissimus educationis, 1).
In this context, intellectual and moral faculties, responsible freedom and commitment to the common good are cultivated in harmony, developing individuals who can think rigorously, engage in dialogue with openness, and act with integrity.
The motto of his house of studies is understood with particular depth: Veritas in Caritate (‘Truth in Charity’).
This expression is an eloquent summary of the university’s mission, which stems from faith.
In the Christian tradition, truth is not merely an intellectual ideal or abstract concept; it is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ, who reveals himself as “the Truth”. (John 14:6) who “fully reveals man to himself and reveals to him the sublimity of his vocation” (Const. past. Gaudium et Spes, 22).
From this perspective, when truth is sought with intellectual rigor and scientific honesty, it finds its horizon and ultimate criterion in charity, since, for the Christian, telling the truth is an act of love that builds up, heals and directs the person towards their full potential.
Recognizing that truth is personal and relational preserves knowledge from becoming an instrument of domination, exclusion or mere utility. Instead, it is oriented towards the service of justice and the dignity of every human being, especially the most vulnerable.
Thus, Veritas in Caritate encapsulates the calling of an academic community that strives to unite knowledge and life, intelligence and ethics, faith and reason, and academic excellence with social responsibility.
Research, teaching and professional training are considered to be services, not ends in themselves, and are intended to contribute to the creation of a society that is more humane, fairer and more open to transcendence, where knowledge always serves the individual.
As we celebrate sixty years of existence, Bolivian Catholic University is called upon to reflect gratefully on its journey and renew its commitment to this mission with courage.
In a cultural context characterized by fragmented knowledge, relativism, and the instrumentalisation of knowledge, ‘Veritas in Caritate’ remains a criterion for academic and pastoral discernment and an ambitious program for the future to which you are called to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).
I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing with affection and gratitude, entrusting the academic, formative and community work of this University to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Throne of Wisdom.
From the Vatican, 19 February 2026.
LEÓN PP. XIV
