Brief Visit to Sophia Catholic University, Tokyo (25 February 1981)

(Before embarking on the trip to Hiroshima, John Paul II made a visit to the Catholic University "Sophia", not planned in the program. The Holy Father responded to the presentation of the rector, Fr. Giuseppe Pittau, SJ, improvising in English the following words)

Your reverend rector was in a better situation than mine, since he had prepared the lesson... I am worse. But the first thing I want to tell you is this: it is a real and true injustice to come to the university assembly at 7 in the morning! It means forcing so many illustrious professors and rectors of the Catholic Universities, and the Jesuits!, and so many students, to get up at 6... I thought I would be alone with the classrooms. But upon seeing the community gathered, I will address you a few words of gratitude for this meeting.

You are right, rector father; I have always had a great predilection for the university institution, and I continue to do so. And one of the wishes of my life, a lifelong dream of mine, was to someday be invited to come to "Sophia University". Or rather, they were two wishes related to Japan before 1978; The first was to visit the places of Maximilian Kolbe, and the second was to visit the Sophia University.

Now I understand better the meaning of "sophia". As you know, it is a Greek term that has had great meaning in human tradition and in Revelation. How many times and in how many ways do we read about "sophia" in the Old Testament! And it seems to me that this "sophia" is really present in the tradition and life of Asian cultures and religions; in a sense it is present and active. But in the Old Testament it had a sense of expectation, of "Adventus veri", of waiting for words and for the living Word of God incarnate. Therefore, I see the role of your University, of "Sophia University", in this direction of expectation still present, current and active. I wish you that you provide a good and efficient service to the Church and for the Church in this sense,

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