Rector's Letter for November 2024

24 november 2024

Dear Students and Colleagues,

A few weeks ago, the Brive Book Fair brought together authors, readers, and lovers of words to celebrate the unique treasure that is literature. A delegation from Domuni was delighted to participate, engaging in this dialogue between culture, spirituality, and humanity.

Upon recently discovering Pope Francis' letter on the role of literature in education, I was struck by its depth and insight. He speaks of reading not as mere leisure but as a true school for the mind and heart. “To read,” he says, “is to listen to someone’s voice.” A voice that can help us navigate life’s challenges, broaden our perspectives, and enrich our humanity.

Authors, like all artists, are often deeply sensitive individuals, capable of anticipating and revealing realities that we sometimes barely perceive. Through their works, they shed light on the unsuspected dimensions of our existence and invite us to view the world anew. As one great moral theologian once said, “I learned everything from Dostoevsky.”

At Domuni, this conviction resonates strongly. Every book, every text we publish or share is an invitation to step outside oneself, to “see the world through another’s eyes.” The Brive Book Fair reminded us that literature goes beyond being a mere mirror of humanity: it becomes a bridge—a bridge between cultures, generations, and people. Literature, says Pope Francis, teaches readers to shift their perspective, to “explore the truth of people and situations as mysteries, as laden with an excess of meaning.”

Happy reading to all!

Dr. Marie MONNET, OP
Rector