Integrating Sustainability into the Core Mission of Catholic Universities: The Case of Francisco de Vitoria University (Spain)

This article seeks to identify the ethical foundations for a commitment to environmental sustainability on the part of Catholic universities, using a case study of Francisco de Vitoria University in Madrid, Spain. Such a commitment aligns with the university’s identity and the widespread conviction that it is an essential aspect of Christian humanism and Catholic education. The article first offers a brief overview of the social realities that inform the university’s relationship with environmental sustainability and the position of the Catholic Church on this issue. The research further explores the foundations for the care of the natural environment based on the four questions of the Expanded Reason method introduced by Benedict XVI. That is, the anthropological question considers the nature of the human person and its relation to sustainability. The epistemological question addresses the truth of the issue. The ethical question highlights the responsibility of individuals and the university to act on the commitment to sustainability. The question of meaning identifies the reasons for the importance of caring for the environment in relation to human life and fulfillment. Building on this theoretical framework, the article proposes a series of specific actions on this issue, recommending the incorporation of sustainability and environmental responsibility as a core value and essential aspect of a university’s mission and identity in a way that is fully coherent with its Catholic educational vision.