The Rector of the Slovenian Pontifical Institute Slovenik received the President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar on a visit to Slovenik
Dear President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar!
We are happy to welcome you in our midst here, in the Slovenian Home in Rome – today, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. Pope Emeritus, the late Benedict XVI. he said: “Ascension is not some cosmic-geographical event, but a journey of the heart that takes you from being closed in on yourself to a love that embraces the whole of creation and humanity”.
We are honored that you are among us as the highest representative of the independent and independent Republic of Slovenia. Recently, we have witnessed the aggressiveness of the anti-civilization subculture, and therefore it is even more difficult to perceive the noblest meaning of the term “politics”, as it is based in the Greco-Roman-Christian paradigm on which Western civilization is built: that it is concern for the common good. In the last decade, we started talking about how science, art and economy are important for Slovenian identity and recognition in the world.
Perhaps your visit today is an opportunity to highlight another area that has been pushed out of our consciousness.
The “Pearl of Slovenia” in all its natural beauty and the nobility of the Slovenian people is known in all corners of the world by crowds of even the most simple people – thanks to the dedicated work of Slovenian missionaries. They experience the richness of the Slovenian soul in many nations when they meet with Slovenian members of the leadership of religious communities on a global level. Students from all over the world learn about the brilliance and insight of the Slovenian mind at the pontifical universities in Rome. Today, you are meeting here with real Slovenian ambassadors who work – or we work – within the universal Church on a global scale. Thank you for honoring us with your visit today.
We are located in the Slovenian Papal Institute. Let’s highlight just a few of the landmarks of this Slovenian home in Rome. In January 1960, the Bishop of Ljubljana, Servant of God Anton Vovk, came to Rome for the first time after the advent of communism in Yugoslavia for an official ad limin visit. After the initial idea that the Slovenik would serve primarily for refugees and emigrants, the prevailing idea was that the institution should be a broad-based all-Slovenian matter, largely dedicated to the education and training of priest-students at the papal universities, and thus also their connection with the center of Christianity . On the feast of St. Cecilije, on November 22, 1960, the Holy See founded the Slovenian Institute, and already two years later – in 1962 – the Roman Slovenians founded the Anton Martin Slomšek Society. Mrs. Brigita Česnik and Mr. Ivan Rebernik could say more about the rich activities of this association and the Med nami newsletter. Bro. will be able to speak about the current project of the evening of Slovenian contemporary theological thought. Jan Dominik Bogataj, as well as other esteemed guests about their activities, as far as time permits.
The first students of the college were Slovenian priests from Argentina, and since 1965, priest-students from the motherland also began to come to higher education theological studies. The outstanding rector of Slovene Msgr. At the time, Maksimiljan Jezernik emphasized that priests would be trained in the institute who would “lead our nation, their generation towards ever-increasing national and church maturity and global equality”. During the first 10 years, Slovenik moved several times within the eternal city, and at the end of 1970, the building on Nova Apijska cesta, where we are located today, was purchased. For this purpose, Slovenians collected gifts on all five continents of the world. In 1973, all Slovenian bishops blessed the renovated building, and during the audience on June 20 of the same year, Pope Paul VI. grant the institution the title “pontifical”. So this year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of this title for Slovenik, our national institution in Rome.
Over the decades, theological-pastoral courses and scientific symposia were held here, in 1979 the Slovenian Theological Academy was founded in Rome, which supported the publishing of the collection Acta Ecclesiastica Sloveniae; it was also where the works of art by Slovenian artists and the literature and scientific works of Slovenian compatriots from all over the world were collected.
How can we understand the title that the Pope gives to individual institutions, namely that they become “papal”? We could simply say that the Pope accepts these institutions as “his” and that he then shows his closeness to a certain nation through such institutions – as long as it is a national institution. It is significant that the Holy Pope John Paul II. on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Slovenik’s existence in 1990, he personally visited this institute. From his personal experience, he must have co-experienced the historical moment of the Slovenians, who were preparing for a plebiscite on autonomy and independence.
Especially after this Pope’s visit, Slovenik began to open its doors more widely to priests of other nationalities and other rites. The Slovenian bishops supported such a direction with a simple but very convincing justification: Just as Slovenian priest-students were guests at other institutions, especially missionary ones, it is right that we can now help others, especially those who come from missionary lands. As a result of the openness of the Slovenian Church to mission lands, we can see today the willingness of nuns from Madagascar to take over the household in Slovenik after half a century of service by the Slovenian Sisters of Mary.
Their service is very valuable not only for our students, currently they are from Cameroon and India, but even more so for visitors from Slovenia, who like to return to Slovenik after the covid period and after the renovation works have been completed. As a home for pilgrims from Slovenia, Slovenik in Rome is a “parish” for all Slovenian parishes and a “home” for all Slovenian families visiting the eternal city.
The Slovenian Papal Institution Slovenik can boast of being the institution of three holy popes, as evidenced by the memorial at the entrance to the house: John XXIII. he called me to life, Paul VI. I was included among the papal institutions, John Paul II. he visited me and blessed me.
Let me conclude with a simple poem composed by someone at the time of the declaration of Slovenian independence:
For a thousand years – and more, Slovenes lived under foreigners!
Broken now is a stranger’s sword; we are a free, recognized nation!
Grateful to God for this, the Slovenian Institute in Rome will keep the light of faith, the spirit of its nation forever!
Dear President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mrs. Nataša Pirc Musar, welcome to our midst.
dr. Franc Maršič SDB