Pope Francis met with the Organization of Latin American Universities and reminded them that their mission is to form Catholic minds capable of solving social problems with creativity.
"Perhaps the mission of the university is to train social poets, men and women who, upon learning the grammar and vocabulary of humanity, have a spark, a brilliance that allows them to imagine the unknown," Pope Francis said.
The pope stressed that the universities must be missionary, since their fundamental task is service. He encouraged them to become research centers that are recognized throughout the world.