The impulse to look for the truth of things, to discover the nature of things, is part of our Christian inheritance, because our Christian faith is based on the word of God, and the whole issue of truth arises when we are called to listen to this word and to respond to it. I have spoken earlier about the intellectual virtues that you have developed here at The Catholic University of America. These virtues would be incomplete if they were not strengthened by our religious faith. Furthermore, intelligence needs not just religious truth but also religious devotion for its own completion. We must not only think about God but must also pray to Him.
Prayer elevates our mind and deepens our understanding.
Through the Eucharist, your life and your actions become related to the God who created you and gave you the life that you have. As Phi Beta Kappa scholars, you have been blessed with talent and you have used your abilities well, but it is also important to acknowledge what we owe to our Creator and Redeemer and to respond to the love that he has shown us. The simple practical upshot of all this is, make sure you go to church on Sunday. Never think that you are too busy or too smart to participate in the Eucharist and in prayer. Just as we learn from other people and with others, so do we pray in union with the Church.