Mission
The Pontifical Urban College, being faithful to its raison d’etre, accepts seminarians from mission territories and from young developing churches that are dependent on the Dicastery for Evangelization (Section "for the first evangelization and new particular Churches"). It offers these youngsters an excellent human, spiritual, academic and pastoral formation.
A specific hallmark of the Urbano is that it gives its students a missionary and universal sense of the Church, teaching them to be in profound syntony with the Holy Father through a spirit a filial obedience. It encourages them to be generous in the service of their particular Churches in order that they may be faithful and close collaborators of their own bishops in the work of evangelization.These distinct objectives of its specific formation are achieved through the international, intercultural, and inter-ecclesial atmosphere of the Seminary community, along with the specific academic opportunities afforded to them at the Pontifical Urban University.
The College seeks to offer an educative environment that is characterized by trust, a personal responsibility towards integral formation and by a familial and fraternal spirit. Its proximity to the tomb of the Apostle Peter and to the seat of his successor strengthens the sense of belonging to the Universal Church, with the finality that this privileged closeness will bring forth fruit in the apostolate of the particular Churches.
Therefore, the formation of the Pontifical Urban College represents a unique and precious opportunity for the strengthening and progress of the young Churches and that of the ancient ecclesial communities which presently find themselves in a situation of difficulty and marginalization.
Annual motto 2023/2024
«The truth will set you free» (Jn 8,32). The courage of authenticity
The face of a community is made up of the many faces of its members. Behind every face there is a personal story, a vocational path, the life of a local church, rooted in a particular territory and culture.
This year too, the publication of the yearbook, through the review of photos and essential data, allows us to have a simple representation of the lively and plural face of our community.
A family of 166 students, coming from 129 dioceses of 35 different nations, a rich and plural family, a family of brothers, united by the desire to follow the one Master and experience the missionary and universal Church: this is the Urban College! In this family we have welcomed 39 new students and 3 new formators (P. Dominique Dhedya S.I., Don Andrea Giampietro and Don Riccardo Scorsone), who will help us walk together on our training journey.
In such a structured community it is possible to breathe and taste in a special way that joy of the Gospel (Evangelii gaudium), which the Holy Father Francis has been urging us to do for 10 years. Safeguarding the joy of this young community is our first task as formators. It is not a superficial joy that becomes carefree, but it is the missionary joy that is born from the living and concrete encounter with the Lord Jesus, with his merciful love that asks to be shared with everyone.
To do this it is necessary to first of all take care of authenticity, as Pope Francis reminded us in the special audience last January 21st. This is why we have chosen as our motto for the year «"The truth will set you free" (Jn 8,32). The courage of authenticity». Only by cultivating the value of authenticity can the training work be truly fruitful and the missionary's testimony become credible.
We wish all those who hold this booklet in their hands to feel in communion with us and to once again enjoy the beauty of authenticity that preserves and nourishes the joy of the Gospel!
Don Armando Nugnes
Rector