Lots going on in Campus Ministry

Office of Campus Ministry newsletter!  Check out the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Sept 5, SOUL India, Activities Fair on Aug 28th, and the Religious Vocations Open House, more....

Next Vineyard Colloquium: Sept 29

The next Vineyard Colloquium presenter is Sarah Hart!

Yes, as in the woman who has won a Grammy and is a well known songwriter and performer of Catholic contemporary and liturgical music. 

The event will be after morning mass on campus and with a brunch.  Do not go home that weekend! 

Details to come.

p.s. Go to her concert that evening on campus as well!

Have you written a paper on John Paul II?

2013 Pontifical John Paul II Institute Essay Contest

Topic:

“In reality it is only in the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of man truly becomes clear . . . Christ . . . in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and of his love, fully reveals man to himself.” (Gaudium et spes, 22) Write an essay commenting on the meaning of this passage from Gaudium et spes for the relationship of “continuity and fulfillment” between faith and reason, referring also to following quotation from Fides et Ratio 43, concerning the synthesis of Thomas Aquinas: “Faith therefore has no fear of reason, but seeks it out and has trust in it. Just as grace builds on nature and brings it to fulfillment, so faith builds upon and perfects reason. Illumined by faith, reason is set free from the fragility and limitations deriving from the disobedience of sin and finds the strength required to rise to the knowledge of the Triune God. Although he made much of the supernatural character of faith, the Angelic Doctor did not overlook the importance of its reasonableness; indeed he was able to plumb the depths and explain the meaning of this reasonableness. Faith is in a sense an 'exercise of thought'; and human reason is neither annulled nor debased in assenting to the contents of faith, which are in any case attained by way of free and informed choice.”
Make sure that your essay also addresses the following questions:  What does the revelation brought about in Christ say about reason’s thirst for Truth? In what sense is the exercise of reason required in order to grasp the answer that Christ’s revelation sheds on the mystery of man? Why is philosophy still needed after Christ’s revelation?

Winner: $2000 (!)

Due date: Oct 1, 2013

See the link above for more detail.

The Digital Church Conference, 10/4/13, and ...meet our alums?

A great opportunity here--three national leaders in the junction between Church ministry/education and social media are coming to Rochester through the "Digital Church Conference." 

We know you have classes Oct 4th, so consider this carefully, talk with professors, etc.  But if you want to attend...through negotiations with the Diocese and Campus Ministry, the cost of attending this conference only $10 (otherwise it could be $50!).  That includes lunch and snacks.

AND...we're still working on it...we are trying to get a "networking" dinner in Rochester immediately afterward.  As in, meet our Theology and Pastoral and Youth ministry alums attending the conference!  Dinner will be basic (as in pizza at a Rochester restaurant) but free to those attending.

We'll figure out transportation closer to the date--we may want those with cars to offer to carpool some folks.

The $10 registration is open to only the first ten students who want to attend, so please contact Dr. Susan Windley-Daoust asap if interested.  Register through us!

More information here.

Friends of Theology: Ice cream social

It's a little teeny tiny bit hot outside. 

Want some ice cream?  With toppings?

Theology Department Ice Cream Social
Wednesday, Sept. 4th, 4pm
Saint Mary's 223 (Theology Suite)

For everyone is a "friend of Theology"--majors, minors, thinking about it, may be interested, related majors, Etc.

Go Thou And See A True Piece of Art: The St. John's Illuminated Bible

Genesis 1

The Minnesota Marine Art Museum (in town) is hosting an exhibit of the St. John's Bible through October 20th.  If you have not seen this, the Bible is absolutely worth the visit.  It is the first illuminated Bible done in centuries, recovering the monastic tradition of the ancient and medieval Church.

Students (with an I.D.) can gain admission in the museum for free on Tuesdays.  Otherwise, admission is $3.  While you are there, you can see a National Geographic exhibit on "Sacred Waters"--photography on the role of water in various world religions.  It is a wonderful exhibit.

(Check out the Monet and Picasso while you are there!)

More here and in the Theology Suite.

Welcome back!

We hear the ice arena is cool.  The Suite is pretty tolerable too.  Come say hello and welcome back to SMU!

Want a magazine free for the academic year?

Free Commonweal Subscriptions 

for Students Are Now Available!

Once again this fall, we are looking for undergraduate and graduate students you feel would benefit from reading Commonweal. Thanks to the generous donors to our College Subscription Program, all you have to do is send us their names, and we'll do the rest. They'll receive a free subscription to Commonweal lasting the entire academic year, no strings attached.

You can tell any or all of your students to sign up individually at:

www.commonwealmagazine.org/freestudent

Consider yourself told!

Another reason to study religion?

Believe it or not, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry weighs in.