Archive Posts
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Hans Gustafson Pens Chapter in Book on Belonging at Catholic Universities
Professional NotesHans Gustafson, PhD, director of the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies and senior adjunct professor of theology, published the chapter “Engaging Religious Diversity: Radical Hospitality in Catholic Universities for the Common Public Good” in Beneath the Roar and Tumult: Promoting Radical Hospitality and Belonging in College Classrooms (Liturgical Press, 2025). Building on this work, Gustafson delivered the invited…
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Tommie Experts: Building Bridges with the Orthodox Church
Tommie ExpertsThe year 2025 marks the 1700th anniversary of a momentous event in the history of Christianity: the Council of Nicaea. In the year 325, Emperor Constantine invited over 300 bishops from around the Roman Empire to attend a church council in a small town called Nicaea in western Asia Minor—known today as Iznik in the… -
Tales from the Archives: The Grotto
Quotes from the QuadAmid the hustle and bustle of campus, it is sometimes difficult to find a quiet spot to pause and reflect. But tucked near the Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library on the south campus, the Grotto provides a peaceful retreat. This space traces its roots to the mid-1910s when a group of seminarians at The Saint Paul… -
A Judge Formed by Faith: Interview With John Sandy '07
Faith and MissionIowa Judge John Sandy ’07, ’10 J.D., a University of St. Thomas Law alum, recently shared with Saint John Vianney his journey and appointment to serve the cause of justice in civil law. What have you done since SJV: Right out of high school, I spent three years at SJV from 2003-2006. The summer after stepping… -
Pilgrims of Hope
Faith and MissionEvery 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,… -
Pilgrims of Hope in Rome
Faith and MissionIn February, 24 people from among the Catholic Studies Advisory Board, university leadership, donors, and friends embarked on an eight-day pilgrimage to Rome. Situated within the Jubilee Year of Hope, this was a remarkable experience of renewal, deeper communion with God, and celebration. We saw Rome through the eyes of our Catholic Studies students: We… -
What Is a Jubilee?
Faith and MissionOn the road to Emmaus, Jesus famously rebuked Cleopas and the other disciple for not realizing that the Messiah had to suffer and die and rise from the dead in order to fulfill his divine mission. So as to prove this, Jesus, beginning with Moses and all the prophets ... interpreted to them what referred to… -
Wonder and Awe as Manifestations of Gratitude
Faith and MissionGratitude is an experience of awe and humility at being dependent on what is outside myself for what is best in my life. It is, as G. K. Chesterton puts it, “the highest form of thought ... happiness doubled by wonder.” It is an experience of both the goodness of a gift and the gift’s… -
Kelly Family Establishes Endowed Chair
Faith and MissionYou might say that Catholic Studies is in the Kelly family’s DNA. John Kelly ’10 CSMA, senior vice president of tax at UnitedHealth Group, wanted to know more about his faith and how it was connected to his personal and professional life. Prompted by his wife Paula’s own faith journey and with her blessing, he enrolled in the… -
VIDEO: Unpacking the Transition From Pope Francis to Pope Leo XIV
Faith and MissionFather Colin Jones, adjunct faculty at the Saint Paul Seminary housed at the University of St. Thomas, was present in the Vatican with a current class of seminarians when Pope Francis passed away and he met Pope Leo XIV before he was elected. In a video conversation with Phil Ervin, Jones describes the sadness regarding…