Mons. Ignacio Ducasse Medina, Archbishop of Antofagasta, UCN Grand Chancellor
The Universidad Católica del Norte – “Universidad del Norte” until 1990 – today celebrates 68 years of existence, an anniversary that calls us to look at the past with gratitude, the present with humility and the future with hope.
“With the light through Rosa de los Vientos we have already started the march…”, At the outset he announces his anthem, whose lyrics belong to Gerardo Claps Gallo, the first rector, starting with the vision of a handful of deluded Jesuits who wanted to search for “the exact dimension for man of this amphitheater”opening in the northern space “the humanist groove of yesterday”. They did so, and the task carried out by the workers of the first hour began to flourish in the midst of the adverse soil, appearing with a variety of species and colors as the development of the first professional courses offered by the new University progressed.
Today, it looks like a kaleidoscope that explodes with shapes and colors, art and science, pedagogy and culture, that local, national and international citizens can see and enjoy.
Faithful to its university and Catholic mission, the UCN is called to continuous renewal, since at stake is the meaning of scientific and technological research, of social coexistence, of culture and, even more, the meaning itself is at stake. of the human being. This implies becoming fully aware of the increasing responsibilities that fall upon one in verifying the moral and human authenticity of new progress and approaches, since experience has amply demonstrated that scientific advance does not always and necessarily equate to moral and human.
As its anthem points out, as a task and service to society and humanity, the UCN must continue drilling “in the rough quarry, behind the clear profile of the desert and shake the worker’s hand to unite the light with the sweat“, so that in that way “sculpt God’s plan in the world”.
#Chile
