CASC Lumen Magazine_Spring 2022

Rome Reopened

O ne of the great delights of the 2021-22 academic year was our return to Rome! After more than a year away due to the pandemic, men from Saint John Vianney College Seminary returned to the Irish College in the fall and a group of our majors and minors returned to the Bernardi Campus in February for full semesters of the academic, spiritual, and cultural integration of Catholic Studies in the Eternal City. In gratitude, we are gracing the cover of this issue of Lumen with a shot of Bernardi, the Catholic Studies home in Rome. The content of this issue of Lumen introduces you to alumni, students and faculty whose formation in Catholic studies has brought them to significant places. A.J. Barker ’22 CSMA , who now teaches religion at Saint Thomas Academy, tells his story from the heights of Division I football to the valleys of poor decisions, and the completion of his Master of Arts in Catholic Studies. And Teresa Naughton ’15 CSMA describes her pilgrimage into the life and works of Flannery O’Connor during a transformative journey to the South.

In June, Dr. Julie Sullivan will conclude her tenure as president of the University of St. Thomas to become president of Santa Clara University.We wish Dr. Sullivan great success in her new work, and we are happy the move allows her to be closer to family.We are particularly grateful for Dr. Sullivan’s support of our growing Latino Scholars programwhich, during her presidency, helped 47 Latino students and their families realize the dream of a college education rooted in the richness of the faith.We are very pleased that Rob Vischer , dean of the School of Law and a member of the Catholic Studies Advisory Board, has been named interim president and will provide strong leadership during the transition. Finally, we are looking ahead to Sept. 23, 2023, when we will celebrate Catholic Studies’ 30th anniversary. This will be a special time to honor those who have gone before us – our leadership, alumni and friends – and to look to the future of this life-changing program. World-renowned art historian, Dr. Liz Lev , will be our keynote speaker as we mark this milestone. Watch for more details in future newsletters.

JOHN F. BOYLE, CHAIRMAN DEPARTMENT OF CATHOLIC STUDIES

MICHAEL NAUGHTON, DIRECTOR CENTER FOR CATHOLIC STUDIES

St. Thomas Lumen Spring 2022 Page 3

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