The CARF Foundation was born more than 30 years ago. What was the reason for this project?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n-In relation to the birth of CARF, we can speak of two origins: a closer one, the establishment, as such, of the Foundation on February 14, 1989, and a more distant one. The distant one began in 1978, when John Paul II was elected Pope. Once in the See of Peter, John Paul II spoke with \u00c1lvaro del Portillo, whom he knew from the sessions of the Second Vatican Council and who had succeeded Josemar\u00eda Escriv\u00e1 as head of the Opus Dei<\/a>to indicate to him that Opus Dei should establish a university in Rome. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSt. John Paul II was aware of a key point of the spirit of Opus Dei that St. Josemar\u00eda, who had died shortly before, defended: love for the Church, for the Pope and for priests. Alvaro del Portillo replied that there were the ecclesiastical faculties in Pamplona, but John Paul II insisted on the need for the presence of a university in Rome. He also pointed out two characteristics that it had to have: on the one hand, solid doctrine and, on the other, studies in communication, because priests had to know about communication. To this was added the need to solve the residence of priests and seminarians who would go to study in Rome and Pamplona. That is to say, it would be necessary to have a seminary in Rome and another one in Pamplona, and residences?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then began the search for a building for the university in Rome and for a seminary in Rome and another in Pamplona; and they also began to arrange loans, rentals, hiring of personnel, services... Until, in 1984, what is today the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students began to arrive: priests, seminarians, religious men and women... and, in a few years, there was an economic collapse. The reason is simple: in Spain, for example, we have very clear \"how much it costs\" a priest; social security, salaries... etc., but in countries like Brazil, Benin, Kenya or Nigeria, a priest \"costs\" much less, they are ridiculous amounts for Italy or Spain also at that time. The amounts contributed by the superiors and bishops for their students were those and, evidently, with what can be allocated to a priest in those countries a private university is not paid, nor a residence in Rome or Pamplona... So, a collapse was produced: payroll and services could not be paid...<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faced with this panorama, the need for a foundation was seen and what we know today as CARF was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But CARF's raison d'\u00eatre is not only economic...<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n-No. In fact, Alvaro del Portillo wanted this foundation to have two key missions: the first is that CARF should spread the good name of priests and foster priestly vocations... and the second is that it should be viable: that bishops around the world could have the opportunity to send priests and seminarians, or the superiors of religious orders their brothers and sisters, to study in these two ecclesiastical faculties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don Alvaro, who was a consultant to several Vatican congregations, was aware that there were priests who behaved badly, but also that, for every one of these who acted badly, thousands of others gave their lives for others, and not only in distant countries but also in New York, Rome or Berlin, and there was no right to the bad image that priests and the Church already had at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For this reason, although financial help is always needed, the primary purpose of CARF is to foster vocations and spread the good name of priests, so if someone cannot give money, they can help by spreading the word about CARF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this sense, how does CARF help those who want to study in these faculties in Rome or Pamplona?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.omnesmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/carf.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n-The way it works is as follows: interested religious superiors (male or female) and bishops apply to the ecclesiastical faculties of the University of Navarra or the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, requesting a place and, subsequently, if they cannot afford the cost of these studies, they ask for a scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
St. John Paul II was aware of a key point of the spirit of Opus Dei that St. Josemar\u00eda, who had died shortly before, defended: love for the Church, for the Pope and for priests. Alvaro del Portillo replied that there were the ecclesiastical faculties in Pamplona, but John Paul II insisted on the need for the presence of a university in Rome. He also pointed out two characteristics that it had to have: on the one hand, solid doctrine and, on the other, studies in communication, because priests had to know about communication. To this was added the need to solve the residence of priests and seminarians who would go to study in Rome and Pamplona. That is to say, it would be necessary to have a seminary in Rome and another one in Pamplona, and residences?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They then began the search for a building for the university in Rome and for a seminary in Rome and another in Pamplona; and they also began to arrange loans, rentals, hiring of personnel, services... Until, in 1984, what is today the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students began to arrive: priests, seminarians, religious men and women... and, in a few years, there was an economic collapse. The reason is simple: in Spain, for example, we have very clear \"how much it costs\" a priest; social security, salaries... etc., but in countries like Brazil, Benin, Kenya or Nigeria, a priest \"costs\" much less, they are ridiculous amounts for Italy or Spain also at that time. The amounts contributed by the superiors and bishops for their students were those and, evidently, with what can be allocated to a priest in those countries a private university is not paid, nor a residence in Rome or Pamplona... So, a collapse was produced: payroll and services could not be paid...<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faced with this panorama, the need for a foundation was seen and what we know today as CARF was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But CARF's raison d'\u00eatre is not only economic...<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n-No. In fact, Alvaro del Portillo wanted this foundation to have two key missions: the first is that CARF should spread the good name of priests and foster priestly vocations... and the second is that it should be viable: that bishops around the world could have the opportunity to send priests and seminarians, or the superiors of religious orders their brothers and sisters, to study in these two ecclesiastical faculties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don Alvaro, who was a consultant to several Vatican congregations, was aware that there were priests who behaved badly, but also that, for every one of these who acted badly, thousands of others gave their lives for others, and not only in distant countries but also in New York, Rome or Berlin, and there was no right to the bad image that priests and the Church already had at that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For this reason, although financial help is always needed, the primary purpose of CARF is to foster vocations and spread the good name of priests, so if someone cannot give money, they can help by spreading the word about CARF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this sense, how does CARF help those who want to study in these faculties in Rome or Pamplona?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n-The way it works is as follows: interested religious superiors (male or female) and bishops apply to the ecclesiastical faculties of the University of Navarra or the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, requesting a place and, subsequently, if they cannot afford the cost of these studies, they ask for a scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n-The way it works is as follows: interested religious superiors (male or female) and bishops apply to the ecclesiastical faculties of the University of Navarra or the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, requesting a place and, subsequently, if they cannot afford the cost of these studies, they ask for a scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n