Fall 2023 Seminars

Happiness & Holiness

Instructor: Marcus Gibson

12:30 to 1:30 pm on Wednesdays, Sept. 13, Sept. 20, and Sept. 27 (lunch provided)

Aquinas Institute (134 Nassau St)

How can I be happy?  What place do morality, religion, and enjoyment have in a good life?  This seminar is for anyone who has ever wondered about these questions, which lie at the heart of Christ’s assurance that He came so that we “might have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).  Come join us for a three-part seminar exploring the connection between happiness and holiness in light of Scripture, theology, and the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas.

The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth

Instructor: Fr. Zack Swantek

5:30 to 7 pm on Tuesdays, Sept. 19, Sept. 26, and Oct. 3 (dinner provided)

Aquinas Institute (134 Nassau St)

This seminar explores the key to understanding the Mass for the early Christians: the Book of Revelation. With its bizarre imagery, mystic visions of Heaven, and end-of time prophecies, the last book of the Bible mirrors the sacrifice and celebration of the Eucharist. This is for anyone who wants to get more out of going to Mass and its Biblical roots.

Instructor: Eric Anderson

The Nature and Existence of God

Instructor: Marcus Gibson

12:30 to 1:30 pm on Wednesdays, Oct. 25, Nov. 1, and Nov. 8 (lunch provided)

Aquinas Institute (134 Nassau St)

The greatest commandment invites us to love God with “all our mind,” and on Holy Thursday night Christ adds to this that “this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”  How can we grow in our knowledge of God, and in particular, what role can human reason play in knowing God?  This seminar will explore how Catholic thought has reflected on the way philosophical reason can lead us to know God’s existence, nature, and goodness, as well as how philosophical wisdom relates to the wisdom found in theology and in a life of faith, prayer, and holiness.

Instructor: Fr. Zack Swantek

5:30 to 7 pm on Tuesdays, Oct. 31, Nov. 7, and Nov. 14 (dinner provided)

Aquinas Institute (134 Nassau St)

How does God speak to us? How do we distinguish between different kinds of spiritual stirrings in our hearts, identifying those that are of God and those that are not? Ignatian discernment of spirits is the spiritual practice of noticing the movements within your heart and soul — your desires, thoughts, emotions — and identifying where they are coming from and where they are leading you. This seminar will help you to have greater confidence in decision making, to better discern God’s will, and to recognize God’s presence in you daily life through prayer.

Poetry of St. John of the Cross

12:30 to 1:30 pm on Wednesdays, Nov. 15, Nov. 29, and Dec. 6 (lunch provided)

Aquinas Institute (134 Nassau St)

John of the Cross is remembered as one of the great saints, mystics, and Doctors of the Church, whose writings and example have encouraged many on the path to a deeper union with God.  But did you know that he is also celebrated as one of Spain’s greatest poets?  This seminar will offer an opportunity to get acquainted with the beauty and the spiritual nourishment of St. John’s poetry.  We will read and discuss St. John’s poems, both in translation and with attention to the original Spanish, and everyone is welcome no matter how much or how little Spanish you have.  Copies of a bilingual edition of St. John’s poetry, published by Cluny Press, will be provided.

Instructor: Marcus Gibson

Instructor: Eric Anderson