Lumen A Catholic Studies Publication UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS | SPRING 2024
CATHOLIC STUDIES AND SAINT JOHN VIANNEY COLLEGE SEMINARY A Profound Partnership
Center for Catholic Studies 55-S
2115 Summit Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105 (651) 962-5700
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catholicstudies@stthomas.edu stthomas.edu/catholicstudies Editor Karen Laird Associate Director Center for Catholic Studies Graphic Design Kitty West-McCallion CatsAway Graphic Design Photographers University and Student Photographers
David Foote Retires ......................2 Catholic Vision on the Big Screen...................... 4-5 Catholic Studies and SJV.........6-11 Two Definitions of Equity......12-13 Murphy Institute Updates .....14-15 Catholic Studies Is .................16-17
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Contributors John F. Boyle Robert Kennedy Michael J. Naughton Susanna Bolle Parent ‘13 Michelle Rash Nancy Sannerud
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Kathryn Wehr Cover photo
SJV seminarian Matthew Schumacher talks to Dr. Michael Naughton outside of Sitzmann Hall. Schumacher is a philosophy and Catholic Studies double major from the Diocese of Green Bay.
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C atholic Studies is not only an academic project, but an ecclesial project as well. It draws life from the Church and it serves the Church. Regionally, we work with Latino ministries, Catholic schools, and ongoing formation for clergy, to name a few. Nationally and internationally, we collaborate with various offices and programs of the Church. One of the great joys of this ecclesial project is our partnership with Saint John Vianney College Seminary (SJV). Since our beginning in 1993, Catholic Studies has played an important role in educating undergraduate men who are discerning the priesthood at SJV. In return, these men bring a witness of faith and a spirit of friendship in Christ to the academic and community life of Catholic Studies. Grounded in the complementarity of faith and reason, our interdisciplinary courses help a seminarian integrate his studies in literature, history, science, art, philosophy, and theology. This fosters a unity of knowledge that helps him to see the role of faith in all areas of life. In addition, our internationally recognized faculty are united by a deep love for the depth and breadth of
the Catholic Tradition, providing all of our students, including seminarians, an academic community that is deeply engaged, faithful, and intellectual. The combination of a double major in Catholic Studies and philosophy, in addition to strong formation, makes SJV one of the most highly regarded college seminaries in the world. Currently, 20 dioceses send their college seminarians to SJV. For many bishops, Catholic Studies is an important part of that decision. While many SJV men become priests, others discern their vocations as husbands, fathers, teachers, businessmen, doctors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. Regardless of their vocational call, pursuing a major in Catholic Studies is an opportunity to join a community of learners for an interdisciplinary exploration of more than 2,000 years of Catholic thought and culture. We hope you enjoy this issue of Lumen in which you will read about this ongoing partnership between Catholic Studies and SJV. It is an important part of our mission, the broader Catholic Studies movement, and the renewal of Catholic higher education.
JOHN F. BOYLE, CHAIRMAN DEPARTMENT OF CATHOLIC STUDIES
MICHAEL NAUGHTON, DIRECTOR CENTER FOR CATHOLIC STUDIES
Lumen Spring/Summer 2024 Page 1
Faculty Spotlight
Dr. David Foote “Extraordinary Teacher” Retires
By KATHRYN WEHR
“[Catholic Studies] is a place where good scholars are
A fter nearly 20 years at St. Thomas and 16 years as part of Catholic Studies, Dr. David Foote is retiring. David and his wife, Gail, will be returning to Florida where they met and still have family. He will be deeply missed by our faculty, staff, and students alike. “We’re never going to find someone who could truly replace him,” says Dr. Bob Kennedy. “He is a thoughtful and generous colleague. There is a depth there.” Dr. Foote had a varied background including graduate studies in theology and business, and years of work in banking before returning to get a PhD in medieval history from the University of California at Davis. After four years teaching history at Mississippi State University, he was hired in 2005 as the chair of the history department at the University of St. Thomas.
unbending, earnestly seeking the truth. He doesn’t give people a pass.” Dr. John Boyle sees this coming from Dr. Foote’s “capacious vision of the whole, of the deepest integrity of things. He communicates it so very effectively to students. Indeed, he enables students to think with ever penetrating insight and depth, opening up the works of great writers so as to see reality yet more fully.” allowed to think of their field in the light of Christ; to know Christ the Word better—joyfully and freely— and understand the world that reflects Him.” - Dr. David Foote
Within a few years of his arrival, he was asked to teach a Catholic Studies graduate class, and this grew to more classes, a shared appointment between history and Catholic Studies, and eventually to a full-time appointment in Catholic Studies in 2013. He not only has taught many hundreds of students over the years, but has also overseen the Rome program, and served as an associate editor of Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture since 2015.
One of the contributions Dr. Michael Naughton appreciates most about Dr. Foote is the "guidance he gave to our graduate students, deepening their thoughts and expanding connections in writing their master’s essay."
Dr. Foote’s favorite classes have included his legendary CATH 101 “The Search for Happiness” for undergraduates, and classes on St. Francis and Guardini for the CSMA program. His “Secularization” course has also become a real turning point for many MA students as
He describes his years in Catholic Studies as “freeing,” saying, “It’s a place where good scholars are allowed to think of their field in the light of Christ; to know Christ the Word better—joyfully and freely—and understand the world that reflects Him.” Dr. Foote has a rare and precious combination, according to Fr. Austin Litke ‘04, OP: “He has an unassuming and gentle demeanor, but when it comes to ideas he can be
they read Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age together.
While the Catholic Studies community is sorry to see Dr. Foote’s retirement approaching, we celebrate and thank him for all the ways he has deepened life at Sitzmann Hall and beyond. As Dr. Boyle says, “Dr. Foote is an extraordinary teacher. He has been a gift to Catholic Studies, to his colleagues and to our students. We will miss him.”
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Faculty Notes
FacNulottyes
Associate Professor, Dr. Erika Kidd , is the new Associate Editor of Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought & Culture.
Dr. Raymond MacKenzie , professor of English and Catholic Studies and editor of Logos , delivered the annual Thought & Culture Lecture in April. Entitled “Lending Our Minds Out,” MacKenzie drew upon St. Augustine’s analysis of the three modes of vision, and the works of other thinkers in the Catholic tradition, to show how authors as diverse as Dostoevsky and Dante, Flaubert and Flannery O’Connor can help us refresh, renew, and deepen our response to the world around us.
Msgr. Martin Schlag , with co-editor Boglárka Koller, recently published the edited volume Rethinking Subsidiarity: Multidisciplinary Reflections on the Catholic Social Tradition (Springer Nature Switzerland 2024). This volume includes 12 papers selected from the Ryan Institute's conference in Budapest in June 2022. Msgr. Schlag is the Moss endowed Chair for Catholic Social Thought at the Center for Catholic Studies and Opus College of Business.
Lumen Spring/Summer 2024 Page 3
Did you know? ALUMNUS BRINGS CATHOLIC VISION TO THE BIG SCREEN By SUSANNA BOLLE PARENT ‘13
M eet David Fischer ‘01, JD , a husband and father of nine, one of whom is a current Catholic Studies student. In addition to his role as President of Saint Paul’s Outreach, he is the founder and producer of Open
on the intentional relationships that the faculty form with their students, something he received from his advisor, Dr. Christopher Thompson, and the late Dr. Don Briel. He described a place where the world profoundly expanded for him: “Catholic Studies was
River Entertainment, a production company Fischer and his wife Laura 01’ named with Isaiah 41:18 in mind, a scripture verse which reminds them that the world is “hungry for the Church, for goodness and for beauty and that God will open rivers in high places to provide for his people.” When noting the impact of Catholic Studies on his life, Fischer commented
where I started to catch a vision for life and what it could be…I understood my faith as something that actually could be a powerful tool in all areas of my life.” Catholic Studies opened for Fischer, “the idea that art, literature, entertainment, and film are all part of culture.” This exploration of the student to complete his courses entirely online. He and his wife, Lauren, have two young boys. Andrew Rydlund ‘15, '23 JDMA is Vice President for Advancement and Legal for Saint Paul’s Outreach in Mendota
ALUMNI NOTES
health care topics and advocates for the dignity of life at all stages. Chris Fisher ‘22 CSMA begins his role as Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of San Francisco on
July 1. Fisher was the Executive Director of the Portsmouth Institute for Faith and Culture at Portsmouth Abbey and School, a Benedictine monastery and Catholic boarding school in Rhode Island. He has published extensively on the mission of Catholic education and is a well-known speaker on Catholic education and evangelization. Fisher was the first Catholic Studies graduate
Natalia Brama '23 is a Health Care and Values Legislative Correspondent in
Washington, D.C., for U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R) of North Carolina. She assists in advising the Senator and his staff on
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Alumni Profile & Notes
culture is what planted the seed for Fischer’s current role in the film industry. While working as the Director of Legal Affairs and Gift Planning for the Catholic Community Foundation, Fischer received a call to consider joining a team producing a film on Marian apparitions. What started as a wild adventure quickly became a true career path. He transitioned to full time and began developing content, ultimately becoming an executive producer on the film Fatima , now found on Netflix. The latest film being released under Fischer’s name is Sight , based on the true story of world-renowned eye surgeon Dr. Ming Wang. It all started when Wang asked Fischer to publish his autobiography. As Wang began telling his life’s story, Fischer knew that it was meant to be shared on the big screen. Wang’s path wasn’t an easy one. He encountered much suffering and persecution growing up during the Cultural Revolution in China, but remained resilient and perseverant, which eventually
brought him to Harvard, MIT, and on to help create a technology which would bring sight to millions around the world. Fischer said, “We all have a past, memories that are tough. I see this film as a powerful reminder that no matter what we have been through, God can bring peace to our past so we might embrace the present.” Sight will be released on May 24 by Angel Studios, the same studio which has released successful titles including The Chosen , Sound of Freedom and Cabrini .
Fischer credits the ability to do what he does to the strong partnership he has with his wife and the support he receives from his children whom he calls “the best fans a producer could ask for.”
Heights, Minnesota. He was previously an Associate at Jones Day in Minneapolis. Elizabeth Kelly Stanchina '08 CSMA will launch the first interactive
with the Word on Fire Institute. Led by Bishop Robert Barron and other experts in the life of prayer and Church teaching, the Institute offers courses and live seminars for those "looking for meaning and clearer answers in life." In addition, Stanchina will tour Australia with Parousia, a Catholic media distribution and production company based in Sydney, in November 2024.
backed Minnesota driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants. Wilgenbusch was a summer intern at Catholic News Agency and has written for OSV News and The Global Sisters Report.
online community for women this summer
Anna Wilgenbusch ‘24 CSMA joined The Catholic Spirit staff in February as a reporter. As a freelance reporter, she covered Church opposition to physician- assisted suicide and the impact of Church-
Lumen Spring/Summer 2024 Page 5
Catholic Studies and Saint John Vianney College Seminary (SJV)
BuildingUp the Kingdom Together
Mutual sharing is a common theme in talking about the partnership between Catholic Studies and SJV. A major in philosophy is required, but 95% of today’s SJV men double major in Catholic Studies. That close partnership has grown organically since the mid-90’s, through the tenure of four rectors of SJV: Fr. (now-Bishop) Peter Christensen, Fr. William Baer, Fr. Michael Becker, and Fr. Jonathan Kelly. It began with a single class co-taught by Dr. John Boyle and Fr. Christensen for SJV men, grew to include integrated classes and the Rome program with other Catholic Studies students, and eventually to the usual path of a double major. The USCCB guidelines, Program of Priestly Formation , includes a liberal arts requirement and as SJV Rector Fr. Jonathan Kelly explains, “Catholic Studies is exactly what the documents in seminary formation are about: a holistic and integrated liberal arts education that presents the Incarnation as the foundation of the human person.” THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE CHURCH “It’s good for everybody,” says Dr. Boyle. Seminarians studying alongside students discerning other vocations shows “the fullness of the Church, its breadth and richness.” The fruit can be seen in “lifelong, warm, and appropriate friendship between former classmates. I’m always hearing about priests officiating weddings and baptisms for their friends’ families.” SJV Formation Advisor Fr. Colin Jones ‘14 agrees: “The Catholic Studies community offers our men some of the most impactful, transformative relationships they have at St. Thomas, second only to the fraternity they have here at SJV.” For Fr. Marcus Milless ’10 , pastor of St. Helena’s in South Minneapolis, Catholic Studies helped him feel more integrated into campus life at St. Thomas. Seeing other “students who were striving to live out their faith in a beautiful way gave me hope that I wouldn’t be alone in helping build up the Kingdom of God and that there would be lay people there to help me in this great endeavor.” Fr. Milless still stays in contact with Catholic Studies friends that include a professed sister, laypeople dedicated to their home and parish life, a brother in mercy ministry, and a spiritual director. “I found true and authentic friendship.”
By KATHRYN WEHR, LOGOS JOURNAL MANAGING EDITOR
On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, Dr. Erika Kidd teaches an 8 o’clock class on the Virgin Mary to a group that includes many seminarians from Saint John Vianney College Seminary (SJV). “The comradery of the seminarians brings joy and levity to the classroom,” she says. “It is a blessing to witness their love for the Church and their vocational discernment. Their example encourages each of us to be attentive to how the Lord is leading us.” “I appreciate their willingness to ask questions and even challenge me on occasion,” says Dr. Bob Kennedy. “I would like to think that their experience in Catholic Studies classes helps to move them from what they know in the abstract to what they live in person.”
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Catholic Studies and Saint John Vianney College Seminary (SJV)
Lumen Spring/Summer 2024 Page 7
Catholic Studies and Saint John Vianney College Seminary (SJV)
WHAT DO BISHOPS AND PROSPECTIVE SEMINARIANS THINK? “Our sending bishops love Catholic Studies,” SJV Vice-Rector, Fr. Jim Olofson ’14 says, “because it helps the seminarians wrestle with important questions of faith and culture, in a place that remains faithful to the Church and knows the riches of Her tradition.” Fr. Jones adds, “Bishops want their seminarians in the classroom with faithful, dynamic Catholic professors who will immerse them in Catholic culture. Catholic Studies is just what those bishops are looking for.” When Andrew Rydlund ’15, JDMA ’23 was considering SJV he says, “the Catholic Studies program was not on my radar as I discerned…but once I arrived at SJV, it only took moments to realize how deep the relationship ran and I was swept into it in short order.” Fr. Milless too says that though Catholic Studies was not why he decided on SJV, the encouragement to double major “was a decision that helped me remain on course as I was really interested in going to Rome.” THE ROME SEMESTER “Some of the greatest fruits from Catholic Studies come from the storied Rome program,” says Fr. Olofson. “After their semester in Rome, learning from the Holy Father, the saints, and the martyrs, they return to SJV as seniors ready to lead the community
and share with the rest of the men the beauty of an abundant Catholic life.”
Fr. Jones adds, “We want as many of our men as possible to have that experience.”
Current senior Jack Massmann says the Rome semester was stretching as he and other SJV men stayed at the Irish College with a collection of priests from all over the world. It “taught me the beautifully inconveniencing power of fraternal charity.” “The experience of being removed from my native culture allowed the Lord to gently expose my weaknesses and limitations while also showing the immense strength that He can give in times of discomfort and trial.” Massmann also went on the Catholic Studies J-Term trip to Mexico which was likewise a time of growth as it “broadened my mind regarding the complexities of culture and the importance of a truly enculturated evangelization.” A RICH AND ONGOING HARVEST Andrew Rydlund credits his Rome semester with powerful growth through a course on moral theology with Fr. Wojciech Giertych, OP; from an unconscious “white-knuckling Pelagianism” to a realization that “the interior freedom of the saints flowed from God’s work within them. My relationship with God and my need for Him shifted in an important way.” Rydlund’s connection to Catholic Studies continued when he decided to go to law school and was encouraged by Dr. Boyle to choose the joint JD/CSMA program. “That conversation left no doubt in my mind that earning a Catholic Studies master’s degree alongside my JD would enrich my legal studies and future legal career.” Now an attorney and the new
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Catholic Studies and Saint John Vianney College Seminary (SJV)
Vice President for Advancement and Legal at Saint Paul’s Outreach, he says, “So far, that has proven true on every level.” The rich harvest of the partnership between Catholic Studies and SJV keeps multiplying. Fr. Jones recalls one second-year seminarian who took “seemingly every chance he could” to bring up something from SJV Alumnus Fr. Austin Litke ‘04, OP’s “Catholic Vision” class. “It was such a grace as a formator to see a seminarian so moved by something he was learning intellectually that it was completely transforming his prayer, his conversation, and his daily life.” That is the fruit of seminarians’ integration with Catholic Studies. As Fr. Olofson sums it up: “They begin to see how an authentic Catholic worldview can shape how they see the world, engage the culture, foster holy friendships, and work to build up the Kingdom of God.”
Lumen Spring/Summer 2024 Page 9
Catholic Studies in Rome
Catholic Studies, SJV and the Irish College in Rome
By DR. JOHN BOYLE
ROMEWARD BOUND A talented group of seminarians studying in Rome this spring created a humorous and thoughtful video (2:43) that provides a glimpse into their experience in the Eternal City and at the Pontifical Irish College. It is sure to bring a smile.
The unique relationship of Catholic Studies, Saint John Vianney College Seminary (SJV), and the Pontifical Irish College is yet one more fruit of our ongoing presence in Rome. Although our SJV seminarians have participated in the Catholic Studies Rome program from the beginning, the challenge was how to continue their seminary formation in as full and rich a way as possible. The seminarians lived at the Bernardi Campus, but SJV leadership, bishops and vocations directors wanted a place where the SJV men could continue the required academic and spiritual formation with a formator in residence. St. Thomas’ decision in 2015 to use Bernardi for a Fall study abroad program made finding a suitable place in Rome for the SJV seminarians an immediate need. I was then serving as Director of the Catholic Studies Rome Program and began working closely with Fr. Michael Becker, then rector of SJV. Several friends in Rome suggested we approach the Pontifical Irish College, established in 1628 for diocesan seminarians from Ireland studying in Rome. There was a problem, however. No one had ever placed American college seminarians in a Pontifical College in Rome. Historically, the colleges were for major seminarians and priests. If we could find a way, it would be another first for Catholic Studies in Rome. Fr. Becker and Msgr. Ciaran O’Carroll, the rector of the Irish College, entrusted the project to Our Lady and got to work. It would require the approval of: Archbishop Bernard Hebda of Saint Paul and Minneapolis; the Episcopal Conference of Ireland; and the Congregation for Clergy, one of the principal offices of the Vatican. To get all approvals would be nothing short of a miracle. But miracles do happen. The first class of seminarians were welcomed to the Pontifical Irish College in the Fall of 2016.
The program at the Irish College has been a splendid success. Fr. John Bauer, a priest of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul, served as the first SJV formator-in- residence. The seminarians continue the spiritual and human formation begun in St. Paul while participating fully in the life of the Irish College. They experience the international reality of the Catholic Church in the daily life of community and worship at the Irish College. This is not the end of the story. With the decline of Irish vocations to the diocesan priesthood, recently the
Irish bishops considered selling the Irish College. St. Thomas partnered with Catholic Studies programs
from other universities to save the Irish College for the Irish. Together we crafted a study abroad program modeled on ours that could make a Catholic Studies experience in Rome available to students from other schools while residing at the Irish College. We invited the Irish bishops to send students to participate in our program to help invigorate the young adult laity in Ireland. In 2023, four lay students from Ireland joined 16 American undergraduates from U.S. Catholic colleges and universities for the inaugural semester of the program. The result is that the Pontifical Irish College now has a vibrant mix of residents unique among the Pontifical colleges of Rome: priests, college seminarians, and lay undergraduates.
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Catholic Studies in Rome
Serving Mass at the Vatican, studying at the Angelicum, and playing in the Irish College’s annual soccer tournament are just a few highlights of an SJV seminarian’s formation during his semester at the Pontifical Irish College in Rome.
Lumen Spring/Summer 2024 Page 11
Logos Journal
By DR. ROBERT G. KENNEDY Two Definitions of “Equity” An excerpt from “What Can ‘Equity’ Be?” in Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture 27, no. 1 (Winter 2024)
W e are awash in claims about equity, some of which are quite serious, others frivolous. In many cases it is not immediately clear what real or perceived injustice prompts the claims nor is it clear what practical remedy is proposed. The use of the word itself is meant to elicit approval from the reader;
of the great contributions of ancient Rome to Western civilization was a highly developed jurisprudence and system of law, including these three germane considerations regarding equity. First, law regulates behaviors, not thoughts. Second, there are many elements of the life of a society that civil law should not attempt to regulate, such as the inner life of the
how can anyone not be in favor of equity in society? On the other hand, unless someone clearly understands what the term means, what concepts it expresses, what injustices it identifies in particular cases, and what it
family and private relationships. Third and most relevant, the recognition that even the best laws are blunt, imprecise instruments. They are crafted (as Aquinas said) with what usually happens in mind, but they cannot always account for the unusual.
demands, how can anyone authentically support equity? Modern usage calls for clarity and is impotent without it.
This realization brought the Romans (and the Greeks before them) to distinguish between aequalitas
We can begin by stipulating that any substantive meaning of equity will be related to justice.
(equality) and aequitas (equity). In a just
system, persons would be equal before the law; no one should have an advantage (or disadvantage) or receive preferential treatment on account of poverty or wealth, social status, or any other incidental personal attribute. To honor this would be to respect aequalitas before the law. But inevitably there are instances in civil matters that present circumstances to a judge not anticipated by the letter of the law. To follow the law in cases like this would often fail to achieve the justice intended by the lawgiver. So, for more than two millennia Western law in the Greek and Roman tradition has, in one form or another, empowered judges and magistrates to set aside the letter of the law in special circumstances in order to achieve the just outcome that
Indeed, we can say that to pursue equity in any situation is to pursue justice. Most philosophers in history, of whatever school, have insisted that realizing the ideal of justice is rarely possible in the world in which we live. At best we may achieve an approximation. This, I suggest, is the first and most common meaning of “equity,” which is fairness in practice. That is, an equitable resolution to the debt of justice is one that is peacefully accepted by those involved as a reasonable approximation to the requirements of justice. To seek equity in this sense is to assent to a resolution that may not be optimal for every party but that can be judged, at least by objective observers, to be a good resolution. A second, more technical meaning of equity is related to the first and arises in the context of formal law. One
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Logos Journal
the law actually intends. To do this would be to respect aequitas as a complement to formal law. To put this another way, to appeal to equity from equality is to argue that there are relevant circumstances that make one unequal, or dis- abled , before the law, that the law as written
perfect. However hard we try, justice is often an approximation rather than an exact and actual conformity to an ideal. Christians have always recognized this and so have emphasized the necessity of charity (love of the other), mercy, and forgiveness for a peaceful social life. Indeed, charity (whether natural or
is defective in the face of the facts before the court and requires the correction of an equitable decision. In this second sense, equity is seen to be a complement and a corrective, in the service of justice, of the inevitable shortcomings of even the best legislation.
supernatural), beneficence, generosity, and similar virtues have always been seen in the Western tradition to be not so much elements of justice but complements to it, out of which individuals served the well-being
of others even where they had no duty to do so. Catholic Social Tradition reminds us that even if perfect justice
In connection with both of these definitions of equity, it is important to note that there is an underlying assumption that the social world we
could be achieved, there would still be need for charity and beneficence.
inhabit is imperfect in many ways and that it cannot be made
To read the full article in Logos where Dr. Kennedy goes on to discuss these two definitions of equity within the context of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs and initiatives, go to Project Muse, EBSCO, PDC, or visit www.stthomas.edu/logos to subscribe.
Lumen Spring/Summer 2024 Page 13
Murphy Institute
Helen Alvaré Presents Religious Liberty Topics at Murphy Institute Event
On March 21, the Murphy Institute and the Center for Catholic Studies welcomed Professor Helen Alvaré to St. Thomas to present themes from her 2022 book, Religious Freedom after the Sexual Revolution: A Catholic Guide . Alvaré is a professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University with a specialization in family law and ecclesiastical law regarding the relationship of church and state. Her many appointments include serving as a member of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life and a delegate of the Holy See to the United Nations. Alvaré began with an explanation of her motivation to write on this subject. Through her encounters as a scholar, professor, wife, and mother, Alvaré recognized the “enormous contributions that Catholic anthropology and Catholic social institutions were making to the common good.” Further, “Catholic prescriptions for flourishing” in the areas of sex, marriage, and parenting could especially “assist the most vulnerable in the United States.” Alvaré then explained the state’s aggressive stance on sexual expression, particular laws surrounding relevant religious freedom cases, and the needed response by the Church as addressed in her book. Drawing from legal, theological, and empirical sources, Alvaré provided what School of Law Professor Elizabeth Schiltz described as “a brilliant summary of decades of work” to form language to “confidently and even joyfully proclaim how fidelity to Catholic sexual responsibility norms promotes Christ- like love of every neighbor.” The following morning, Alvaré led a small group discussion with undergraduate and law students, faculty, and staff from St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota. The seminar gave participants an opportunity for more in-depth conversation on anthropological truths in relation to cultural trends,
the connection of social justice and sexual expression, and the integrity of mission within Catholic organizations. As questions of religious liberty and non-discrimination continue to be debated, the Murphy Institute will host a program in October featuring two leading national scholars with distinctly different viewpoints.
This program was hosted by the Murphy Institute as part of a series of events on topics of religious liberty. A recording of the March 21 program and other past Murphy Institute events are available in the institute’s video archive.
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Murphy Institute
Nearly 100 lawyers, law students, and medical professionals gathered on April 5 for the one-day symposium “Universal and Quality Health Care: Public or Private?” co-sponsored by the Murphy Institute and St. Thomas Journal of Law and Public Policy . The program sought to explore the ideal of access to quality health care while difficult questions remain as to how best to achieve that goal in a manner that does not create more harm than it cures. Through a series of keynote and panel sessions, leading scholars and those on the front lines of the health care profession presented universal access to quality health care, including both public and private models. The final session was dedicated to the distinct calling and mission of Catholic health care. Recalling his recent remarks when speaking to health care workers, Pope Francis said: “A world that rejects the sick, that does not assist those who cannot afford care, is a cynical world with no future. Let us always remember this: health care is not a luxury; it is for everyone.” The proceedings of the symposium will be published in a forthcoming issue of the St. Thomas Journal of Law and Public Policy . Spring Symposium Examines Public v. Private Health Care
MURPHY SCHOLAR RESPONDED TO JD/CSMA INVITATION
Gabrielle Tremblay is a Murphy Scholar who recently completed her first year at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. She was invited to consider a joint degree in Catholic Studies and now encourages others to do the same. Scan the QR code to read about her desire to become a lawyer who pursues intellectual and spiritual growth through the humanities and Catholic tradition.
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Mission, Movement, Renewal
CATHOLIC STUDIES IS... By NANCY SANNERUD & KAREN LAIRD
DEAR FRIENDS, It can be a challenge to describe Catholic Studies to someone for the first time. It is an interdisciplinary academic program. It is an ecclesial project. It is a place where, for the past 30 years, students have discovered a deeper purpose for their lives as they discover how the Incarnation impacts everything.
Catholic studies is also... A MISSION Together we explore the impact of the Incarnation on thought and culture. A MOVEMENT Starting in 1993, our interdisciplinary courses in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and professions foster a unity of knowledge that helps students to see things in relationship to each other and to make wise judgements about the world they encounter. Today, more than 60 Catholic Studies programs strive to do the same on college campuses across the country. A RENEWAL Catholic Studies was born in a spirit of renewal. Since 1993, our students have flourished in our innovative and transformative program. Formed with this Catholic vision, more than 1,600 Catholic Studies alumni are raising strong families, renewing schools, and reviving parishes, communities, and businesses. To carry this mission into the future, to enliven the movement, and to lead an ongoing renewal within Catholic higher education, Catholic Studies has embarked upon an ambitious plan to raise $5M over the next five years for meaningful, long-term scholarship and programmatic support. We invite you to join us in this important work. Please see the next page for ways you can support Catholic Studies. One hundred percent of your gift directly impacts our students.
Thank you.
Karen Laird 650.962.5716
Nancy Sannerud 651.962.5705
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Ways to Give
WAYS TO GIVE
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MAKE AN UNRESTRICTED ANNUAL GIFT
CONTRIBUTE TO OR ESTABLISH A SCHOLARSHIP FUND Catholic Studies scholarships put a transformative education within reach. When you support Catholic Studies scholarships, you support a student’s professional preparation formed with a Catholic vision and the potential to change the culture – in their schools, homes, communities, parishes, and professions.
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Your annual Catholic Studies commitment is paramount to meet our most immediate needs. A gift of any amount elevates the quality of our programs and bridges critical funding needs for students from all walks of life, particularly religious sisters and those who work in ministry and Catholic education.
Endowment funds are an impactful way to perpetuate your values into the future. It ensures the long- term stability of our programs and scholarships with reliable, ongoing sources of revenue. Give to an existing endowed fund or make a gift of $150K+ to establish a new named endowment fund.
PLANNED GIFTS By making a planned gift to Catholic Studies through a variety of gift vehicles, you create a legacy and realize short- and long-term tax benefits. DONOR ADVISED FUNDS There are multiple tax and philanthropic benefits of giving to Catholic Studies at St. Thomas through a Donor Advised Fund. (Federal Tax I.D. Number for the University of St. Thomas: 41-0693970) GIFTS OF STOCK You may be able to reduce or eliminate capital gains taxes through a gift of appreciated securities.
GIFTS ONLINE: link.stthomas.edu/givecatholicstudies
GIFTS BY MAIL (Cash or Check): Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas Mail 55-S 2115 Summit Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF YOUR GIFT GOES DIRECTLY TO CATHOLIC STUDIES.
THANK YOU!
Lumen Spring/Summer 2024 Page 17
Center for Catholic Studies 55-S 2115 Summit Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105-1096 USA
The
e
August 23, 2024
5-7pm . Sitzmann Hall
Food
music
fun
All Catholic Studies alumni are invited. families too!
Picnic fare beer & wine
bluegrass music provided by members of the hillbilly thomists (Fr. Austin Litke, OP, and Fr. Peter Gautsch, OP)
registration will open this summer. $20/person or $50/family
Page 18 stthomas.edu/catholicstudies
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