Luis Montuenga Badía, Dean of the School of Sciences
Monsignor Javier Echevarría, magnanimous vision and service
I summarize here what I have personally experienced with him over the years, especially in some conversations about teaching university and the research
Bishop Javier Echevarría, Prelate of Opus Dei and Chancellor of the University of Navarra, has left us in the last hours of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, to whom he had great devotion staff. There will be time and perspective, and above all more qualified authors, to evaluate the work of Bishop Echevarría in his 22 years at the head of the Prelature of Opus Dei. It will also be necessary to gloss in depth the imprint of his example of holiness staff on thousands of souls who have known him or dealt with him throughout his life.
In these lines I offer, very briefly, some reflections on how Bishop Echevarría gave impetus to the life and projects of the University of Navarra. Those of us who work at this university have been able to listen to his reflections on the university's work on many occasions in academic events or in more or less numerous meetings with professors, students and staff no professor. His optimistic, magnanimous vision and his call to consider the university work , the teaching, the research as unique opportunities to serve God and society, were continuous echoes of St. Josemaría's core message on the sanctification of the work, applied to all university tasks.
I summarize here what I have experienced most personally over the years, especially in some conversations with him about the university teaching and research. In these conversations, his magnanimous, optimistic and encouraging vision of undertaking and growing great projects such as the research center Applied Medicine (which he made us see as the mere beginning of a great dream), the Institute for Culture and Society, the research on issues of special health interest in countries suffering from poverty and marginalization (which also resulted in a new research center), the launching of the Museum of the University of Navarra or the work of the Alumni Association and the association of Friends. All these projects, all the dreams
the dreams that he invited us to set in motion, were imbued with the conviction of the central role of the university institution and, therefore, of the University of Navarra, as an element core topic for the dissemination of the Christian idea of service to society.
Monsignor Echevarría also frequently reminded us that teaching in a Christian-inspired university must be an exercise of intellectual charity. work Likewise, service to others, generosity, teamwork, concern for the great social problems, as well as the great fundamental questions about the meaning of life, transcendence, the apparent contradictions between science and faith, or between ethical responsibility and pragmatism, should be present in dialogue and university activity.
In my personal memories, however, what shines most brightly are the brief (or not so brief) meetings and conversations with Monsignor Echevarría in which he was interested in my own research, in the specific projects we were developing and those of my colleagues at research center Applied Medicine, the Schools of the scientific field and the Clínica Universidad de Navarra.
His prodigious report led him to retain very specific details about topics, projects and people. He was also interested in general questions about the progress of science that could have greater social or ethical significance or that could alleviate the suffering of many: I perfectly remember one day when he asked me to explain to him the advances in relation to vaccines for diseases such as malaria or AIDS. Monsignor Echevarría was interested in our work of research and in the advances in science in general. I do not remember any of those brief interviews in which he did not insist on the importance of dreaming and having high goals. It was one of the two constants of any of those encounters. The other was more staff: before Chancellor he was a prelate and a father. That is why, always, the first of his questions when he saw me was to ask about my parents, whom he knew were not in good health. I am convinced that now, from heaven, he will take special care of them, and also that, together with St. Josemaría and Blessed Álvaro, he will continue to be the driving force behind the work of professor, assistance and research that he pushed so hard during his 22 years as prelate and Chancellor of the University of Navarre.
In these lines I offer, very briefly, some reflections on how Bishop Echevarría gave impetus to the life and projects of the University of Navarra. Those of us who work at this university have been able to listen to his reflections on the university's work on many occasions in academic events or in more or less numerous meetings with professors, students and staff no professor. His optimistic, magnanimous vision and his call to consider the university work , the teaching, the research as unique opportunities to serve God and society, were continuous echoes of St. Josemaría's core message on the sanctification of the work, applied to all university tasks.
I summarize here what I have experienced most personally over the years, especially in some conversations with him about the university teaching and research. In these conversations, his magnanimous, optimistic and encouraging vision of undertaking and growing great projects such as the research center Applied Medicine (which he made us see as the mere beginning of a great dream), the Institute for Culture and Society, the research on issues of special health interest in countries suffering from poverty and marginalization (which also resulted in a new research center), the launching of the Museum of the University of Navarra or the work of the Alumni Association and the association of Friends. All these projects, all the dreams
the dreams that he invited us to set in motion, were imbued with the conviction of the central role of the university institution and, therefore, of the University of Navarra, as an element core topic for the dissemination of the Christian idea of service to society.
Monsignor Echevarría also frequently reminded us that teaching in a Christian-inspired university must be an exercise of intellectual charity. work Likewise, service to others, generosity, teamwork, concern for the great social problems, as well as the great fundamental questions about the meaning of life, transcendence, the apparent contradictions between science and faith, or between ethical responsibility and pragmatism, should be present in dialogue and university activity.
In my personal memories, however, what shines most brightly are the brief (or not so brief) meetings and conversations with Monsignor Echevarría in which he was interested in my own research, in the specific projects we were developing and those of my colleagues at research center Applied Medicine, the Schools of the scientific field and the Clínica Universidad de Navarra.
His prodigious report led him to retain very specific details about topics, projects and people. He was also interested in general questions about the progress of science that could have greater social or ethical significance or that could alleviate the suffering of many: I perfectly remember one day when he asked me to explain to him the advances in relation to vaccines for diseases such as malaria or AIDS. Monsignor Echevarría was interested in our work of research and in the advances in science in general. I do not remember any of those brief interviews in which he did not insist on the importance of dreaming and having high goals. It was one of the two constants of any of those encounters. The other was more staff: before Chancellor he was a prelate and a father. That is why, always, the first of his questions when he saw me was to ask about my parents, whom he knew were not in good health. I am convinced that now, from heaven, he will take special care of them, and also that, together with St. Josemaría and Blessed Álvaro, he will continue to be the driving force behind the work of professor, assistance and research that he pushed so hard during his 22 years as prelate and Chancellor of the University of Navarre.