Every person who walks through the door of Sitzmann Hall is an embodiment of the Church’s jubilee year theme: Pilgrims of Hope. The Center for Catholic Studies is not an end in itself, nor a place where people come to stay, but rather it is a way station along the pilgrimage route. Students and visitors are equipped, nourished, and given rest. Together we consult the map and learn from other pilgrims before starting out afresh, staff in hand, for the next place of God’s call.
Many of our undergraduates learn about Catholic Studies through word of mouth. Brendan Bonin ’25 (Psychology and Catholic Studies) heard about the program from his parents who encouraged him to take Dr. Boyle’s THEO 101 class. After that, he said, “I was hooked. I registered for CATH 101: The Pursuit of Happiness the next semester.” Brendan took this signature course with Father Austin Litke ’04, OP, and he said it helped him orient himself for his college experience and future plans by pondering “Who I am, what my purpose is, and how to live a meaningful life.”
These studies show him ways to continue that formation and integration after graduation. He said, “The concepts covered in Catholic Studies are applicable every day in my work/school life and most importantly, call me to action. Being a Psychology student, I am immersed in human behavior in attempting to optimize human performance. In this way, Catholic Studies complements my major and lays groundwork for how to optimize human performance morally and scientifically.”
Theresa Williams ’25 (Catholic Studies) said she grew up around “Catholic Studies people” and when deciding about colleges, she said, “a big part of that decision was who I wanted to be, what kind of person I wanted to be, and it was clear that Catholic Studies would form me to be the woman I wanted to be.” She credits Dr. Robert Kennedy’s Church and Culture: Social Dimensions of Catholicism class with helping her think through how Christians “ought to interact with the world and society” and, as someone hoping to work and serve in the world, “how to view and engage with social issues and realities.” She credits Catholic Studies with helping her view her life as fully integrated with her faith: “There is no time to be a different version of myself in nonreligious classes, at work, or on the weekends.”
The road ahead is already becoming clear for Williams, as she has been accepted into a dual-degree program of a master’s in theology and doctorate in health care ethics through the Aquinas Institute and St. Louis University, with the end goal of working as a bioethicist.
Master’s students arrive at Catholic Studies via even more numerous pilgrim paths. In fact, that is one of the attractions of the program: to walk alongside those who are newly graduated, mid-career, or retired. The flexible options of part-time, full-time, in-person or online help make that diverse learning possible.
Mary Ann Dorsher began taking one CSMA class at a time since retiring from a career in finance that spanned from Wall Street to nonprofit management to owning her own company. “Now that I’m retired,” she said, “I have time to pursue academic coursework that I’ve longed to study – philosophy, history, theology, art, and literature through the CSMA program.” She continued, “I have the joy of learning for the sake of knowledge and personal growth, not for any particular professional goal. Even if it takes me several years to complete, a master’s in Catholic Studies is enabling me to grow wiser as I grow older, and, for that, I am most grateful.”
Dorsher has long had a devotion to the Virgin Mary and heard about the Mary, Mother of God class being offered last spring: “Though I was nervous – I had not been in a classroom as a student for 40 years – I felt immediately at home with Dr. Erika Kidd. The readings, class discussions and her presentations were phenomenal. That led to an equally exceptional two-week class, Mary in Rome, in July 2024, again with Dr. Kidd. Together, the classes have reaffirmed my dedication to the Virgin Mary, deepened my understanding of my faith, and inspired me to continue in the CSMA program as a master’s student.”
Another current student, Sam Camut ’25 CSMA, spent over a decade as an MV-22 Osprey pilot in the Marine Corps before beginning his master’s degree. After hearing about the program from a squadron buddy who was a Catholic Studies undergrad, he now is doing the master’s entirely online from his regenerative farm in Wisconsin. He said, “I am grateful that I can participate in Catholic Studies remotely. It allows me to support my family while also participating in life-giving intellectual formation. I often think about what we are reading while at work and last semester I even read Augustine’s Confessions out in the cow pasture.”
Studying online has given Camut the flexibility to be involved in his rural parish and community too. Alongside raising cattle and sheep, he said, “My hope is to continue finding opportunities to integrate Catholic parish life with farming. I am currently working on starting a farm at a local parish school that will be integrated into its curriculum.”
Chris Callan ’19 CSMA said that although he did his undergrad degree in finance at St. Thomas, he never really encountered Catholic Studies at the time. “Amazing,” he said, “how a young person with a lack of formation enters St. Thomas, then ignores or simply does not see any of the richness of the university. I had an inkling it was there, but did not enter in.” He feels grateful that when he did hear about the program and felt a need to bring his faith more deeply into his life, the CSMA program was there waiting.
Working as a regional vice president for wealth management consulting at Ameriprise Financial Services, he is particularly grateful for Dr. Mike Naughton’s classes that integrated faith and business. He said, “Dr. Naughton has made a substantial impact on the way I see the world.” At one point he considered leaving the world of business, but Dr. Naughton’s classes and books he required for class, like Josef Pieper’s Leisure, the Basis of Culture, have provided a “needed compass to navigate the business world.”
Recently, Callan led a reading group on the vocation of a business leader with members from a variety of fields: financial, real estate, engineering and political science. Naughton gave him a document – a draft of an upcoming project – called Good Goods, Good Work, Good Wealth. He said, “The document has been a vade mecum, a handbook to center my vocation. I use it to center myself when all the competing forces of the business world come at me – it provides stability and peace. I often read it prior to giving a presentation or consulting session to get footing on solid ground and stay the course.” He plans to offer that reading group again in the future.
Every Catholic Studies student and graduate carries a variety of treasures in their pilgrim’s knapsack. Their hard work in reading and reflection leads to wide open vistas along their way when they leave Sitzmann Hall behind. Meanwhile, the faculty and staff of Catholic Studies will keep the porch light on to shine for future pilgrims who come our way.
This story is featured in the summer 2025 issue of Lumen.
