Mission

The ITI rests on four pillars.

The first is the founding intention of Pope John Paul II. The ITI was founded for the study of Catholic theology as a unified whole within which particular attention is devoted to the theme of marriage and the family. A solid theological formation is needed for Catholic leaders, lay and clergy, to achieve critical judgment in our culture and the capacity to contribute to the new evangelization, which is especially needed in the area of marriage and the family.

The second pillar of the ITI, also part of John Paul II’s founding vision, is its international character, its bridge function between East and West. Students come from Central and Eastern Europe, from Western Europe, the Americas and the rest of the world. This international character allows a genuine experience of the universal Church, which must “breathe with both lungs” (John Paul II) East and West.

The third pillar of the ITI is its pedagogy, which consists in studying the original writings of the great Masters of Theology, in addition to Sacred Scripture, especially the Fathers and the Doctors of the Church. Contact with original texts develops an eye for quality, especially in theology. The great masters lead faculty and students most directly to the realities discussed in theology, above all God himself. This pedagogy also develops the virtues of active reading, attentive discussion and penetrating understanding.

The fourth pillar of the ITI is a rich Catholic community that lives and prays together in the same place and its close vicinity. The example of the Christian family life lived by many among the faculty and students offers the most persuasive and practically helpful evidence of the beauty and practicability of that life. It also encourages the formation of religious and priestly vocations and their blossoming.

It is the simultaneous presence of these four pillars that constitutes the strength of the ITI.