Four Old Classics in New Editions

As NLM readers will have figured out by now, one of my pasttimes is to find good out-of-print Catholic books and republish them. I also enjoy doing better editions of books that are in print but are either overpriced or aesthetically unappealing.

Today I am happy to announce the appearance of four more titles. All are available at Amazon; the titles below are hyperlinks.

The True Vine and Its Branches by Rev. Edward Leen, S.J., published in 1938, is a study of Jesus Christ as the new Adam, and the way in which all things human are re-established in Him. By the gift of incorporation into His Body and by the gift of His grace, each Christian lives and moves and IS in Him. This is the central mystery of our existence as “sons in the Son,” the deepest source of our identity, our direction in life, our consolation, our ability to suffer, our promise of victory. Fr. Leen writes:

To be stamped with the image of a divine Christ is a title to glory far more exalted than the glory due to us were we to bear the image of a purely human head, even though a sinless one. When God pardoned, He pardoned magnificently. So far was He from being grudging in His concessions to submissive humanity. He loaded it with favors. He gave with a divine generosity. He did not content Himself with restoring what had been forfeited. He added superabundantly to His first gifts. God’s incredible magnanimity brought it about that man, instead of losing all by the Fall, can profit exceedingly by it, if only he is willing to utilize all that has been won for him and placed at his disposal by the great Sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

God in Me: Sanctifying Grace or the Mystery of God's Life in Us by Rev. Matthew Swizdor. When I first paged through an old copy of this book a few years ago, I had to ask myself: Why did books like this suddenly vanish from the world? It is so lucid, so convincing, so doctrinally orthodox, and indeed so stirring that it would have been a perfect text for a serious catechism class. And then, as always, I remembered with a sigh: the Second Vatican Council — that's what happened, and all its sorry aftermath, sweeping away everything good like a gigantic tidal wave. But thanks to the ease of print-on-demand, this potent little treatise on grace is available again to the post-postconciliar world. From the Preface:

Nothing is so important to the soul as sanctifying grace; yet nothing is more difficult than the task of imparting to people, especially to children, an effective knowledge of the meaning and importance of this divine gift. In undertaking to supply a practical exemplification of the way in which the meaning and reality of such grace can be brought home even to children, Father Matthew has undertaken a most useful piece of work. Father Matthew’s skill as a catechist is born of his native ability and the loving devotion he has given to many years of experience in instructing children in the truths of their religion. The time and care he has lavished on this little book are immediately evident, and reflect his own love of God, his affection for the children he serves, and his devotion to the great work of the catechist. What characterizes this book is the profuse but clear and apt use of many of the illustrations found in Holy Scripture to explain the significance and effectiveness of sanctifying grace, and the ingenious comparisons he has worked out to imprint these things indelibly on the mind. This book is a real treasure that will never be forgotten by those who read it.

God: His Knowability, Essence, and Attributes by Fr. Joseph Pohle. From a highly-praised series of Thomistic textbooks. Fr. Pohle's work is characterized by its readable style, copious citations of sources, organizational clarity, and engagement with modern questions. A brief description of the content:

Here below man can know God only by analogy; hence we are constrained to apply to Him the three scientific questions: An sit, Quid sit, and Qualis sit, that is to say: Does He exist? What is His essence? and What are His qualities or attributes?  Consequently in theology, as in philosophy, the existence, essence, and attributes of God must form the three chief heads of investigation. The theological treatment differs from the philosophical in that it considers the subject in the light of supernatural Revelation, which builds upon and at the same time confirms, supplements, and deepens the conclusions of unaided human reason. Since the theological question regarding the existence of God resolves itself into the query: Can we know God?—the treatise De Deo Uno naturally falls into three parts: (1) The knowability of God; (2) His essence; and (3) The divine properties or attributes.

The Author of Nature and the Supernatural: Creation, Anthropology, and Angelology by Fr. Joseph Pohle. Another volume in the same series of neoscholastic manuals. A fine treatment of its subject, which is God as creator and sanctifier of the entire universe and, in a special way, of the intellectual creatures, namely, angels and men. A brief description:

God’s first and primal work is the Creation of the universe. Creation constitutes the fundamental and essential postulate of all being and operation in the natural order as well as of all supernatural institutions, such as the Incarnation, Grace, the Sacraments, etc. Hence, the dogmatic treatise De Deo Creante et Elevante, which forms the subject matter of this volume, views God as the Author of Nature and the Supernatural. A true idea of Creation is indispensable to deepen and perfect the conception of God gained from the treatises De Deo Uno and De Deo Trino. Further, the consideration of the creation of men and angels and of their natures—anthropology and angelology—is the most important counterpart to the consideration of God as Creator.

The following two images contain a complete "catalogue" of the books I've printed or reprinted.

 

St. Thomas’ Earliest Treatment of the Sacraments Now in Print — and a 50% Sale on Other Volumes

As we have covered in the past (e.g., here and here), The Aquinas Institute has undertaken the project of publishing a Latin/English Opera Omnia of the Angelic Doctor in approximately 60 hardcover volumes. The progress has been impressive so far: the Summa Theologiae; the Pauline Commentaries; the Matthew and John Commentaries; the Job Commentary. All of these books, due to their high-quality texts and bindings and their comparatively low cost, have now become standard go-to editions for teachers, students, theologians, philosophers, and general readers.

After years of work under an NEH grant, The Aquinas Institute is happy to announce that the edition of Book IV of St. Thomas's early masterpiece, the Scriptum super Sententiarum or Commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard, is starting to be available in print, with volume 1, distinctions 1-13, just released. If you order this book directly from The Aquinas Institute, you can get it at a 50% discount (more on that below).

This past July I had the privilege of teaching the Albertus Magnus Summer Program in Norcia, devoted to the subjects of sacraments in general, baptism, and the Eucharist, using a preliminary copy of this volume. It was a great experience getting into the youthful Aquinas's wrestling with major questions of his day (and of ours, such as his treatment of whether and when sinners, and what kind of sinners, should be admitted to holy communion!). Once again, as with my own collection of parts of the Scriptum on love and charity, I found that reading the Scriptum on sacraments significantly enriched and enhanced my understanding not only of Aquinas's process of thinking and maturation, but, more importantly, of the sacred realities themselves, which are the end of all theology. It was a true intellectual banquet, and one that I highly recommend to readers with a serious interest in scholastic theology. (Earlier at NLM, I published a portion of text from this volume: St. Thomas's "division" of the Mass into its parts.)

Also worth of note is that the Latin edition of the Scriptum that is printed in this volume (and that will be used for all the volumes of the Scriptum) is derived from the classic Mandonnet-Moos volumes and corrected against the not-yet-released critical edition of the Leonine Commission, with whom the Aquinas Institute is collaborating. That feature makes these volumes the best Latin editions as well as the only English editions.

Please note, as well, that there is a 50% sale on all Aquinas Institute books during October only:

• Summa theologiae (8 hardcover vols.): normally $360, on sale for $180
• Commentaries on Paul (5 hardcover vols.): normally $225, on sale for $112.50
• Commentaries on Matthew and John (4 hardcover vols.): normally $180, on sale for $90
• Commentary on Job (1 hardcover): normally $45, on sale for $22.50
• Commentary on Book IV of the Sentences (4 hardcovers--the first in print, the others to follow over the coming year): each volume normally $45, on sale for $22.50

To take advantage of the sale, visit The Aquinas Institute website.

The Aquinas Institute is well under way with Books II and III, with a new NEH grant. Other works will appear from time and time. Their publication will be duly noted here and at Thomistica.net.

Here are some photos of the new volume of the Opera Omnia.

New Reprint of a Renowned Summary of Thomistic Theology

A Manual of Catholic Theology, Based on Scheeben's "Dogmatik." By Joseph Wilhelm, D.D., Ph.D., and Thomas B. Scannell, B.D., with a Preface by Henry Edward Cardinal Manning. Volume I: The Sources of Theological Knowledge; God; Creation and the Supernatural Order. liii + 508 pp. $24.95. (CreateSpace; Amazon) Volume II: The Fall; Redemption; Grace; The Church and the Sacraments; The Last Things. x + 566 pp. $24.95. (CreateSpace; Amazon)

One of the greatest theologians of modern times, Matthias Joseph Scheeben (1835-1888), brought out a Handbuch der katholischen Dogmatik in 7 parts from 1873 to 1887. This tour de force of a refined, lofty, intensely religious scholasticism was conveniently distilled by Dr. Joseph Wilhelm and Fr. Thomas Scannell into a 2-volume English handbook entitled A Manual of Catholic Theology. I am happy to announce a new reprinting of this handbook, which was prepared using freshly-scanned pages of an original copy of the work, printed on cream-colored paper with a simple red cover.

As a Thomist, theologian, and teacher, I find this manual invaluable: it is arguably the single most successful presentation of traditional scholastic theology available, if one is looking not for a mere historical overview of one set of opinions after another (the typical approach in scholarship nowadays) but an actual theological exposition, where the focus is on articulating and defending the rei veritas, the truth of things. Scheeben is thoroughly steeped in Aquinas's works as well as in the Scriptures, the Fathers, the Councils, and the wealth of scholasticism across the centuries, and writes his account in a measured, precise, and fervent manner, logical and yet poetic, satisfying to the intellect but always open to the ineffable divine mystery that lies behind and beyond the truths to which God, in His mercy, has granted us access.

I would not hesitate to say that a serious student of Catholic theology should begin his or her study of a given topic by finding the appropriate chapter in the Manual (see table of contents below) and reading it carefully before moving into other literature. In any case, the fact that a nearly unbroken line of popes for 700 years has sent us to the wisdom of Aquinas ought to be reason enough to consult a book like this mini-Scheeben when working on any major topic, since Scheeben performs for us the welcome task of drawing together in synoptic form the full range of Thomas's thinking, which would otherwise be a daunting project. (I speak from experience, since I wrote my doctoral dissertation on "The Ecstasy of Love in St. Thomas Aquinas," and had to pursue his doctrine of love across the full range of the opera omnia. It took me a few laborious years to get the job done!) Here is how Cardinal Manning praises the Manual in his Preface of 1899:

The Dogmatik of Scheeben is a profuse exposition of the deep things of faith in the light of intelligence guided by the illumination of the Church. ... The great value of Scheeben's work is in its scientific method, its terminology, definitions, procedure, and unity. It requires not only reading but study; and study with patient care and conscientious desire to understand. 

This Manual will assist and inspire a new generation of theologians, historians, liturgists, and pastors who are striving to rediscover and faithfully transmit the glories of traditional Catholic theology. Just a few examples, chosen almost at random, of the great relevance of this Manual for our own times: the chapter in vol. 1 on ecclesiastical tradition, or the chapters in vol. 2 on the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, furnish abundant material for reflection and preaching.

VOLUME ONE

Book I. The Sources of Theological Knowledge

Part I. The Objective Principles of Theological Knowledge
Chap. 1: Divine Revelation
Chap. 2: The Transmission of Revelation
Chap. 3: The Apostolic Deposit of Revelation
Chap. 4: Ecclesiastical Tradition
Chap. 5: The Rule of Faith

Part II. Theological Knowledge Considered In Itself, or Subjectively
Chap. 1: Faith
Chap. 2: Faith and Understanding

Book II. God

Part I. God Considered as One in Substance
Chap. 1: Our Knowledge of God
Chap. 2: The Essence and Attributes of God, Considered Generally
Chap. 3: The Negative Attributes of God
Chap. 4: The Positive Attributes of God
Chap. 5: The Divine Life

Part II. The Divine Trinity
Chap. 1: The Dogma
Chap. 2: The Trinity in Scripture
Chap. 3: The Trinity in Tradition
Chap. 4: The Evolution of the Trinity from the Fecundity of the Divine Life

Book III. Creation and the Supernatural Order

Part I. Creation
Chap. 1: The Universe Created by God
Chap. 2: The Universe Created for God
Chap. 3: The Angels
Chap. 4: The Material Universe
Chap. 5: Man

Part II. The Supernatural Order
Chap. 1: General Theory of the Supernatural and of Grace
Chap. 2: Theory of the Absolutely Supernatural
Chap. 3: Theory of the Relatively Supernatural
Chap. 4: Concrete Realization of the Supernatural Order

VOLUME TWO

Book IV. The Fall

Chap. 1: Sin
Chap. 2: The Fall of the Angels
Chap. 3: The Fall of Man

Book V. Redemption

Part I. Preliminary Conditions and Preparation for Redemption
Chap. 1: The Conditions of Redemption
Chap. 2: The Preparation for Redemption

Part II. The Redeemer
Chap. 1: The Dogma
Chap. 2: The Constitution of Christ; or, the Hypostatic Union in the Light of Theological Science
Chap. 3: The Attributes of Christ

Part III. Work and Functions of the Redeemer
Chap. 1: Work of the Redeemer
Chap. 2: Functions of the Redeemer

Part IV: The Mother of the Redeemer

Book VI. Grace

Chap. 1: Grace, the Principle of Regeneration
Chap. 2: Justification
Chap. 3: Order and Economy of Grace in God's Providence

Book VII. The Church and the Sacraments

Part I. The Church
Chap. 1: The Preparation for the Church
Chap. 2: The Institution and Constitution of the Church
Chap. 3: The Primacy of St. Peter
Chap. 4: The Primacy of the Roman Pontiff
Chap. 5: The Properties and Marks of the Church

Part II. The Sacraments
Chap. 1: The Sacraments Generally
Chap. 2: Baptism
Chap. 3: Confirmation
Chap. 4: The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
Chap. 5: The Mass
Chap. 6: Penance
Chap. 7: Extreme Unction
Chap. 8: Holy Order
Chap. 9: Matrimony

Book VIII. The Last Things

In Honor of St. Thomas Aquinas: A Portion of St. Francis Borgia’s “Litany of the Attributes of God”

On the eve of the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, recalling the very day of his passing from this life to life eternal (March 7, 1274), I would like to share with readers a translation of a curious little piece in the vast history of scholasticism and Counter-reformation piety.

Years ago, Fr. John Saward placed in my hands a remarkable little book written by St. Francis Borgia. It turned out to be a detailed litany, or rather, a series of litanies, modeled after and drawn from the text of the Summa theologiae of St. Thomas Aquinas. Apparently, Borgia, to prevent the study of Aquinas from becoming abstract and bloodless, decided to turn every article into a prayer. The result is intriguing. While I would not claim that these litanies ought to be introduced into the public worship of the Church, they do remind us that the ultimate goal of theology is union with God, whose praises we sing by inquiry into the truth. The right use of the intellect to ponder the truth is pleasing to God and can be offered to him as incense of the spirit.

Below is translated the litany that is based on the first treatise of the Prima Pars, namely, of the existence and attributes of God. The slim volume from which I translated it furnishes litanies similar to this one for every major treatise in the Summa.

St. Francis Borgia
LITANY
of the attributes of God taken from the Prima Pars of St. Thomas (qq. 1–26)

	O highest God, whom no one save Thyself can perfectly know,	have mercy on us.
q. 1 a. 1	Thou, who art the subject of theology,	have mercy on us.
a. 7	Thou, who in Thyself art unknown to us,	have mercy on us.
q. 2 a. 1	Thou, whose existence as God is perfectly demonstrable,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	Thou, who art,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	O incorporeal God,	have mercy on us.
q. 3 aa.1,2	Thou, in whom is no composition of matter and form,	have mercy on us.
a. 5	Thou, who art Thy existence and Thy divinity,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	Thou, who art Thy existence and Thy essence,	have mercy on us.
a. 5	Thou, who art in no genus,	have mercy on us.
a. 6	Thou, in whom is no accident,	have mercy on us.
	O God, wholly simple,	have mercy on us.
a. 7	Thou, who are commingled in composition with no others,	have mercy on us.
q. 4 a. 1	O perfect God,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	Thou, O God, who contain in Thyself most eminently the perfections of all things,	have mercy on us.
q. 5 a. 2	O highest Good,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	Thou, who art good through Thy own essence,	have mercy on us.
q. 7 a. 1	O infinite God,	have mercy on us.
q. 8 a. 1	O God, existing in all things,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	O God, who art everywhere,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	O God, who art everywhere by essence, presence, and power,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	O God, to whom alone it belongs to be everywhere,	have mercy on us.
q. 9 a. 1	O changeless God,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	O God, to whom alone it belongs to be changeless,	have mercy on us.
q. 10 a. 2	O eternal God,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	O God, to whom alone it belongs to be simply eternal,	have mercy on us.
q. 11 a. 1	Thou, who art one God,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	Thou, who art one in the highest way,	have mercy on us.
q. 12 a. 3	O divine essence, whom the bodily eye does not see,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	O divine essence, whom the created intellect cannot see by its natural powers,	have mercy on us.
a. 5	O divine essence, the vision of whom demands a created light,	have mercy on us.
a. 6	O divine essence, seen more perfectly by the more perfect,	have mercy on us.
a. 7	O divine essence, incomprehensible to its beholders,	have mercy on us.
a. 9	O divine essence, through whom all things that the blessed see are not gazed upon through any likenesses,	have mercy on us.
a. 10	O divine essence, in whom all that the blessed see is known at once,	have mercy on us.
a. 12	O divine essence, of whom grace gives a higher knowledge than natural reason,	have mercy on us.
q. 13 a. 1	All-powerful God, whom we name in order to know,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	O God, of whom all names are said substantially,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	O God, whose names are truly applied according to that which they signify,	have mercy on us.
a. 5	O God, whose names with respect to creatures are said by way of analogy,	have mercy on us.
a. 6	O God, of whom this name, god, is the name of Thy nature,	have mercy on us.
a. 7	O God, whose name is incommunicable,	have mercy on us.
a. 8	O God, to whom this name, he who is, is most proper of all,	have mercy on us.
q. 14 a. 1	O God, the height of riches, of wisdom, and of knowledge,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	Thou, who art known to Thyself through Thyself,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	Thou, who comprehend Thyself,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	O God, whose knowing is Thy very substance,	have mercy on us.
a. 6	Thou, who know things other than Thee by proper knowledge,	have mercy on us.
a. 7	O God, whose knowledge is not discursive,	have mercy on us.
a. 8	O God, whose knowledge coupled with will is the cause of things,	have mercy on us.
a. 9	Thou, who have knowledge of non-being, of things called ‘those which are not,’	have mercy on us.
a. 10	O God, who know evil things by knowing good things,	have mercy on us.
a. 11	Thou, who know each and every particular,	have mercy on us.
a. 12	O God, who know the infinite,	have mercy on us.
a. 13	O God, whose knowledge extends to future contingents,	have mercy on us.
a. 15	O God, whose knowledge is unvarying,	have mercy on us.
a. 16	Thou, who have a gazing knowledge of things,	have mercy on us.
q. 15 a. 1	Thou, who have ideas of all good things,	have mercy on us.
q. 16 a. 5	Thou, who art the highest truth,	have mercy on us.
a. 6	Thou, who art the one only truth according to which all things are true,	have mercy on us.
a. 7	Thou, who art eternal truth,	have mercy on us.
a. 8	Thou, who art unchanging truth,	have mercy on us.
q. 18 a. 3	O God, in whom is the highest and most perfect life,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	O God, in whom all things are the same divine life,	have mercy on us.
q. 19 a. 1	O God, in whom is will, by which Thou lovest Thyself,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	Thou, who will even things other than Thee through Thy will,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	Thou, who dost not will of necessity the things which are created by Thee,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	O God, whose will is the cause of things,	have mercy on us.
a. 5	O God, for whose will no efficient cause can be assigned,	have mercy on us.
a. 6	O God, whose will is always accomplished,	have mercy on us.
a. 7	O God, whose will is unchanging,	have mercy on us.
a. 8	O God, whose will does not impose necessity upon free will,	have mercy on us.
q. 20 a. 1	O God, in whom is love,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	Thou, who love all that Thou hast made,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	Thou, who love all with one simple act of will,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	Thou, who love more the better things, in that Thou willest a greater good to them,	have mercy on us.
q. 21 a. 1	O God, in whom is a justice that grants all things their due,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	Thou, who art justice and truth,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	Thou, who art merciful and compassionate,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	O God, in all of whose works are found mercy and justice,	have mercy on us.
q. 22 a. 1	Thou, who govern all things by providence,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	O God, to whose providence all things are subjected,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	Thou, who provide immediately for all things,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	O God, who by Thy providence do not impose necessity upon the free,	have mercy on us.
q. 23 a. 1	O God, by whom are predestined those who are chosen,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	O God, in whose mind predestination is the reason for the ordering of some to eternal salvation,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	O God, who cast off some by permitting them to fall away,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	O God, who choose the predestined,	have mercy on us.
a. 5	O God, who save us according to Thy mercy and not from our works of justice,	have mercy on us.
a. 6	O God, whose predestination is unfailing,	have mercy on us.
a. 7	O God, who foreknow the exact number of the predestined,	have mercy on us.
q. 24 a. 2	O God, whose conscription, which firmly retains those who are predestined to eternal life, is the Book of Life,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	O God, by falling away from whose grace those abounding in present justice are said to be blotted from the Book of Life,	have mercy on us.
q. 25 a. 3	Thou, who can do all things more abundantly than we seek or understand,	have mercy on us.
q. 26 a. 1	O God, to whom blessedness belongs,	have mercy on us.
a. 2	Thou, who art blessed according to intellect,	have mercy on us.
a. 3	Thou, who, as object, art the very blessedness of the saints,	have mercy on us.
a. 4	Thou, who enfold all happiness in Thy divine blessedness,	have mercy on us.
	Prayers that follow
	From those who say that God is the soul of the world,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From those who say that God is the formal principle of all things,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From David of Dinant, asserting that God is prime matter,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From asserting that an infinite body is the principle of things,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From saying that God does not know things other than Himself except in what they have in common,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From those who say that God does not know singulars except by applying universal causes to particular effects,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From those who say that God creates nothing other than the first creature,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From the vanity of philosophers who attribute contingent effects to secondary causes alone,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From the Epicureans who maintain that the world came to be by chance,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From those who maintain that only incorruptible things are subject to divine providence,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From those who attribute to man the beginning of good works,	deliver us, O Lord.
	From those who say that divine predestination can be changed by prayers,	deliver us, O Lord.
	That theological study may inflame our hearts,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That through tracing effects we may arrive at the first cause,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That contemplating the divine simplicity, we may imitate it in simple hearts,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That full of praise we may admire the abyss of divine goodness,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That we may know God even as we are known,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That we may name Him with fear and trembling,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That the divine essence may enlighten us,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That loving the highest truth we may merit that the same truth will free us,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That we may live for Him who is our life,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That we may love Him who first loved us,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That we may follow the traces of divine mercy,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That we may contemplate divine providence, giving thanks in everything to God,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That He who predestines us to the adoption of sons may not see us ungrateful,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That we may be humbled in our knowledge by dwelling on the power of God,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	That we may enjoy the God who is our blessedness,	We beseech Thee, hear us.
	V. What god is like unto our God for greatness?
	R. Thou who alone dost wonders.
	PRAYER.
	Look upon our weakness, O God, and make us not to grow faint in the praises of Thy attributes; that as Thou eternally takest delight in them without beginning, so we too, having been made partakers in them by rejoicing with Thee, may merit to praise them endlessly with Thy angels, for worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive wisdom, glory, and blessing, for ever and ever, Amen.

Albertus Magnus Center for Scholastic Studies Announces 2017 Norcia Theology Summer Program

Agriturismo Casale - the base of our operations

The Albertus Magnus Center for Scholastic Studies is happy to announce that registration is now open for the July 2017 summer theology program in the town of Norcia. This will be our sixth summer program since 2011. We are especially excited to be studying the sacraments, with a close look at baptism and the Holy Eucharist, through the lens of Book IV of the Commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard by St. Thomas Aquinas, which has some of the Angelic Doctor's most extensive and intriguing discussions of sacramental theology from his entire career. The tutors will be Fr. Thomas Crean, O.P., Christopher Owens, and Peter Kwasniewski. Fr. Cassian Folsom, O.S.B., the founding prior of Norcia, will join us for a lecture and conversation.

"Divine Power in a Hidden Way:

Thomas' Commentary on Sentences IV"

July 2nd - July 14th in Norcia, Italy

"These are the sacraments, in which, under the cover of visible things, divine power works our healing in a hidden way, as Augustine says."
~St. Thomas Aquinas, Prologue, Commentary on Sentences IV

Program Description 

The theme for the 2017 Summer Program is Sacramental Theology. We will be undertaking a close reading of selected texts from the Commentary of Aquinas upon the Fourth Book of the Sentences of Peter Lombard. The Sentences was the standard "textbook" of the 13th and 14th century University of Paris, and all bachelors were required to write a commentary. Thus, in this work we find the thought of a relatively young Thomas Aquinas, having begun his writing of it at around 28 years of age.

This study is a particularly noteworthy one, as it will be the first time a study of Aquinas' Commentary on the Sentences will be accessible to all, thanks to a new translation into English. A taste of the commentary, from its prologue:

He sent his Word and healed them, and delivered them from all their destructions (Ps 107:20). By the sin of the first man, the human race incurred two things, namely, death and infirmity. Death, because of its separation from the principle of life, of which it is said, with you is the font of life (Ps 36:9); whoever is separated from this principle necessarily dies, and this happened through the first man. Hence it is said, by one man sin entered the world, and by sin, death (Rom 5:12).
          But a sufficient remedy could be obtained for this only from the word of God, which is the font of wisdom on high (Sir 1:5) and, accordingly, the source of life: for wisdom endows its possessor with life (cf. Sir 7). Thus it is said, as the Father raises up the dead and gives life, so the Son also gives life to whom he will (Jn 5:20). The word is the power of God, by which all things are upheld: upholding all things by the word of his power (Heb 1:3). And this is why it is efficacious for removing infirmity.
          Therefore in this way three things are touched upon in the words above: namely, the preparation of this medicine, healing from infirmity, and liberation from death. The preparation of the medicine is touched upon when it says, he sent his word. This should be understood as referring to the incarnation of the Word, who is said to be sent by God because he became flesh: God sent his Son, born of a woman (Gal 4:4).
          It should also be understood as referring to the institution of the sacraments, in which "the word is combined with the element and the sacrament is made"; so that in this way a sacrament is similar to the Incarnate Word. For sensible creation is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer (1 Tim 4:5).

In accordance with the particular mission of the Saint Albert the Great Center for Scholastic Studies, which seeks to promote the study of theology according to the mind and method of the great scholastics, the core of every summer program lies in the attentive reading and thoughtful discussion of the great texts of the Catholic theological tradition. After Scripture itself, pride of place belongs to the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and especially to St. Thomas Aquinas.

Seminar

Our verbal commentary on these texts, carried out in a formal seminar setting, is intended to approximate the scholastic practice of written commentary undertaken by the theological "bachelors" of the day. Participants in the program will be expected to read the assigned selections before each seminar in order to come prepared to participate in group discussion of the texts. Although every participant is expected to contribute his or her insights to aid the entire group in coming to a deeper understanding, these seminars will be guided by our program directors, Fr. Thomas Crean, Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, and Mr. Christopher Owens, who have advanced degrees in theology, competency in the subject matter, and experience in the seminar method of pedagogy.

Lectures

The second part of the program consists of a series of lectures delivered by our "masters" of theology, who consist of the Fellows of the Center, joined by members of the monastery of St. Benedict in Norcia. A keynote will be given by Fr. Cassian Folsom, O.S.B., the founder of the community. Topically, the lectures will complement the subject-matter of the seminars.

Scholastic Disputation

The program reaches its culmination with our authentic scholastic disputation: the questions to be disputed will be announced at least one day in advance, and the participants divided into teams, which will be assigned to argue either for or against each question. Each participant will be expected to form his or her own thoughts on the questions, and attempt to answer them. At the disputation itself, members of each team will offer arguments in scholastic style as an objection or a ‘sed contra’ (“it seems that…” or “it seems not…”). After each team has argued its case, the "Master" of the disputation will give his solution, and then reply to each of the arguments posited by the participants.

Liturgy and Spiritual Life

Throughout the two weeks of the program there will be ample opportunities for spiritual activities. Even though this past year has seen the devastation of the town and of the monastery, the monks are working with us to ensure that the spiritual needs of the program participants will be met. Holy Mass in the usus antiquior will be available daily, as well as various hours of the Divine Office. The priests of the monastery will be available for spiritual counseling, guidance, and/or confessions upon request.

Relaxation

The enrichment of mind and spirit fostered by attentive reading of the Scriptures and participation in the prayers and liturgies of the monastery will be complemented by moments of relaxation and cultural activities. Optional excursions will be organized to nearby towns (places to be announced; in the past, we have traveled to Assisi and Cascia).

Eligibility

The 2017 Summer Program is open to all applicants 18 years and older. The application process includes the completion of an application form and the submission of a letter of recommendation.

Cost

Inclusive of course materials, classes, full board, and housing, as follows:

Quadruple room: 1050 Euro
Triple room: 1175 Euro
Double room: 1300 Euro
Single room: 1550 Euro

Camping (bring your own equipment): 550 Euro
Camping (rental equipment provided): 800 Euro

(See our Housing Page for more details.)

Participants should plan some extra money for excursions, souvenirs, etc. Payment can be made by check, credit card, or paypal account. If paying with U.S. Dollars, simply calculate the amount necessary based on the exchange rate at the time of payment.

Course Book: We are very blessed to be in partnership with the Aquinas Institute, who is giving us a substantial discount on the beautifully bound volume of St. Thomas' Commentary on IV Sentences (Retailed at $40). This will be included as a part of the program fees!

Location: The 2017 Summer Program will be held in Norcia, Italy. Norcia is a small town in the province of Perugia in southeastern Umbria. For directions on reaching Norcia, see Getting to Norcia.

Course Credits: The Saint Albert the Great Center for Scholastic Studies is not a degree granting institution, but we will assign grades and provide official transcripts verifying completion of a four credit-hour course for those who are interested.

To Apply

Apply now online and complete the application form, and have your letter of recommendation emailed to the following address:
Chris.Owens@AlbertusMagnusCSS.org

A 350 Euro deposit is due upon acceptance. The deadline for applications is May 16, 2017. The remainder of payment is due by June 1.

For online application and more information, visit the website.

The location of the 2017 program, nearby the monastery "in monte"

Refectory

The view from the rooms

Book Sale - Chant, Liturgy, Liturgical Arts, Rare Historic Items [UPDATED]

Update on 8/10/16: Highlighted titles are still available. Will accept best offers.

This sale includes books in the areas of chant, liturgy, and theology, as well as some rare historic items. Several are in German and Latin. Many are out-of-print. I will start with a list of titles, and if you're interested in seeing photos and details, click "Read more..." below. Shipping is additional to the listed prices; I prefer to ship domestic with Priority flat-rate mailers because of durable boxes, insurance, and tracking. To ask about a book, contact me at pkwasniewski@newliturgicalmovement.org.

CHANT

• SOLD Canti per la Messa Ambrosiana. Antiphonale Missarum Schuster-Sunol. Ristampa anastatica parziale. Milano, 2012. Brand new. $40.
• SOLD Graduale Novum. Editio magis critica, iuxta SC 117. Tomus 1. De Dominicis et Festis. Conbrio Verlagsgesellschaft Regensburg/Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2011. Brand new. $50.
• SOLD Palmer-Burgess, Plainchant Gradual, vols. 1-4 (printed in two paperback books). $30 for the set.
• SOLD Guide to the Graduale Romanum. Preface, Rubrics, and Titles in English to assist in using the Graduale. 6 copies. $10.
• SOLD Chrysogonus Waddell, O.C.S.O. The Twelfth-Century Cistercian Hymnal. Vol. 1: Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 2: Edition. This is available online as a PDF, but original printed copies are extremely rare. $50 for the set.
• SOLD Green and Koch, The Complete Proper of the  Mass, Set to Gregorian Themes and Psalm Tones for Sundays and Feasts of the Liturgical Year. 1957. $50

LITURGICAL

• SOLD Dom Columba Marmion, O.S.B. Words of Life on the Margin of the Missal. Ed. Dom Thibaut, trans. Mother M. St. Thomas. St. Louis: Herder, 1952. 488 pp., hardcover. Mint condition. $40.
• Benedictionale, seu Ritus Servandus in Expositione et Benedictione Sanctissimi Sacramenti. Cui adjunctae sunt quaedam preces in piis exercitiis per annum occurrentibus adhibendae. Cura Rev. J. B. O'Connell. New York/Turnhout: Brepols' Catholic Press, 1950. $100
• SOLD Caeremoniale Episcoporum. Ex decreto Sacrosancti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II Instauratum Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgatum. Editio typica. Vatican, 1985. It's not even clear whether this is still in print. $80.
• SOLD Marion P. Ireland, Textile Art in the Church: Vestments, Paraments, and Hangings in Contemporary Worship, Art, and Architecture. Nashville/New York: Abingdon Press, 1971. Large format book. $50.
• SOLD Devotions for Holy Communion. Ed. Hubert McEvoy, S.J. Burns & Oates, 1964. Order of Mass (usus antiquior), followed by 30 sets of preparation and thanksgiving prayers and meditations drawn from Scripture, the Fathers, and the mystics. $35.
• SOLD James Monti, A Sense of the Sacred: Roman Catholic Worship in the Middle Ages. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012. New copy. $19. 

HISTORICAL

• SOLD The Story of the Twenty-Eighth International Eucharistic Congress held at Chicago, Illnois, United States of America, from June 20-24, 1926. Compiled by Rev. C. F. Donovan. The Official Record published by The Committee in Charge at Chicago. 1927. 529 pp. with many illustrations and fold-outs. $50.
• SOLD F. O'Nelis, Rome. The Holy Year 1950. Printed in Italy in 1949 in a limited edition for pilgrims. $30.
• SOLD Carthusiana lot: a set of 18 booklets on a large variety of Carthusian subjects, including the history of the houses and illustrious members, certain letters of Saint Bruno and Guigo, papal documents, meditations by former and current monks, etc. $18.

THEOLOGICAL

• SOLD Johannes Quasten. Patrology. 3 vols. (1950, 1953, 1963), hardcover. Excellent condition. $160. (This same set in a garish paperback edition costs $112.)
• SOLD Fernand Prat, S.J. The Theology of St. Paul. 2 vols. (1956, 1958), hardcover, with dustjackets, not ex-library, excellent condition. $120. (Wipf & Stock wants $119 for a paperback reprint of this work.)
• Summa Theologiae Moralis by H. Noldin, S.J., ed. A. Schmitt, S.J., in 3 hardcover volumes, 1934-36. I: De Principiis; De Censuriis; De Sexto (1936). II: De praeceptis. III: De Sacramentis. Bindings strong, pages a bit fragile. Lovingly and neatly annotated by a cleric and filled with typewritten addenda. $150 or b/o. 
• Saint Thomas Aquinas Meditations for Every Day, drawn from the Summa theologiae and arranged according to the liturgical year. Father E.C. McEniry. Columbus: College Book Company, 1941. 536 pp., hardcover. Very good+. $50.
• Gallus Manser, O.P. Das Wesen des Thomismus. Freiburg: Paulusverlag, 1949. 728 pp., hardcover. $100.
• Otto Hermann Pesch. Die Theologie der Rechtfertigung bei Martin Luther und Thomas von Aquin. Mainz: Matthias-Grunewald Verlag, 1967. 1010 pp., hardcover. $50.
• Josephus Fuchs, S.J. Theologia Moralis Generalis. Pars Prima: Conspectus praelectionum ad usum auditorum. Rome: Universita Gregoriana, 1971. 218 pp., paperback. $30.

IN DETAIL

SOLD Canti per la Messa Ambrosiana. Antiphonale Missarum Schuster-Sunol. Ristampa anastatica parziale. Milano, 2012. Brand new. $40.

Graduale Novum. Editio magis critica, iuxta SC 117. Tomus 1. De Dominicis et Festis. Conbrio Verlagsgesellschaft Regensburg/Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2011. Brand new. $50.

Continue Reading this Article. . .

A New Institute for the Study of Scholastic Theology and Philosophy

We recently receive this information about The Scholasticum, a new institute for the study of scholastic theology and philosophy which has recently been established in Bagnoregio, Italy, the native city of St Bonaventure. You can see their website at is link; https://www.studium-scholasticum.org/ Also, see the poster below.

In 2009 Pope Benedict XVI, a great student and admirer of St. Bonaventure, made a pastoral visit to Bagnoregio, the saint’s hometown. On that historic visit, the Pope gave a speech about St. Bonaventure in which he invited priests “to learn from this great Doctor of the Church, to deepen their knowledge of his teaching on wisdom rooted in Christ.” Since that time, there has been renewed interest in Bagnoregio as a tourist destination.

In the summer of 2016 the Scholasticum Institute, a graduate institution dedicated to the Scholastic Theology of St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio and St. Thomas Aquinas, opened its doors in the very town where Bonaventure was raised and where Benedict XVI urged further study of the Seraphic Doctor of the Church.

Pope Sixtus V explained the importance of Scholastic Theology: “[T]here has been discovered by Our ancestors, most wise men, Scholastic Theology, which two Doctors glorious above all, the angelic Saint Thomas, and the seraphic Saint Bonaventure, most brilliant professors in this capacity…with excellent genius, assiduous study, great labors and vigils have refined and decorated, and have passed on to those who would come after…” He went on to say that “a salutary understanding and practice of this science [Scholastic Theology]… could certainly always bring the greatest assistance to the Church.” (Triumphantis Hierusalem, § 10)

The Scholasticum is the only institute dedicated to reviving the study of Scholastic Theology in the modern world. Students can pursue graduate programs in Medieval Philosophy, Medieval Biblical Studies, and the Scholastic Theology of St. Bonaventure and St. Thomas. These three cycles of two years each will not simply teach about Scholastic Theology, rather they aim at reproducing the course of study in thirteenth-century Paris that produced St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure. Since the mastery of Latin is a prerequisite to any thorough treatment of Philosophy and Theology, the Scholasticum also offers a premier education in the language of the Church, which can be taken as a prerequisite course of study or for its own sake. While our immediate object is to study the works of the greatest minds of Scholasticism, we hope to form thinkers who will be the Thomases and Bonaventures of tomorrow.

In God’s Providence, the Scholasticum has obtained a 25-year lease on the Franciscan Convent in Bagnoregio. As a result, the institute can offer a world-class education with extremely inexpensive room and board for those who choose to enjoy the historic buildings, town, and landscape in residence. The institute also offers residential students a two-week special course on The Manuscript Libraries of Rome and several trips to medieval sites of special interest.

One characteristic that sets Scholasticum apart is that students have the option of studying telematically (i.e., through the Internet) from anywhere in the world. In fact, a number of the courses are taught through video conferencing by professors who are engaged in cutting-edge research related to Scholastic Theology at universities throughout North America and Western Europe. This pioneering approach to collecting expert faculty has created a concentration of youthful zeal and scholastic competency that could hardly be matched by a traditional institution.

Our faculty are enthusiastic about advancing Scholastic Theology and thereby the good of the Church. They are a sign of hope for the future in an age where so much seems to have gone wrong. The time is ripe for a revival of Scholastic Theology, and students graduating from the Scholasticum will be in the best position to bring this about, for the good of the church and of the whole world. Considering the low cost and the immeasurably high value of learning to practice theology like two of the Church’s greatest theologians, St. Thomas and St. Bonaventure, the Scholasticum offers the opportunity of a lifetime, or perhaps of a millennium.

On “Pinpointing” Consecration: A Letter for the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas

I happened recently upon a letter I had sent in 2007 to a priest with whom I was having an amicable disagreement. It is more than likely that some NLM readers are confronted with similar objections or rude remarks about St. Thomas, the scholastics, and traditional Eucharistic devotion and piety. I offer it today in homage to the Angelic Doctor, who departed to his heavenly reward on this day in the year 1274.

March 1, 2007

Dear Father ———,

Thank you for the conversation we had recently. I’ve been pondering your claim that people who think there is a definite moment of consecration have gotten lost in trivial details and are missing the point, which is, according to you, that “the Eucharist is about our transformation.” Moreover, you expressed concern that any claim about a “moment of consecration” subjects mystery to rational dissection and that it’s more honest to say “we don’t know.” I hope you will not mind if I challenge these views.

People are concerned to know about the moment of consecration for quite legitimate reasons, and certainly not because they have no sense of mystery. After all, some of the most poignant expressions of the conviction that consecration occurs through the “words of institution” are to be found in St. John Chrysostom, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, and St. Ambrose, none of whom could even remotely be considered rationalistic. On the contrary, they, with St. Thomas Aquinas, were well-known mystics of the Holy Eucharist.

But they were also practical and pastoral men. They knew that the Lord truly present in His body and blood deserves our inward and outward adoration (latria). Therefore they quite reasonably wondered when they should show such adoration to the gifts on the altar. To do so towards ordinary bread is idolatry. But to fail to do so when the Lord is truly present would be irreverence. As parents know, little children will ask questions like: “Daddy, when does Jesus come to the altar?” “Mommy, why is the priest kneeling now?” “Is the host Jesus yet?” I would submit that these humble, child-like, and yes, “naïve” questions — some of them not very accurate theologically — are not at all displeasing to our Lord; they are “faith seeking understanding.” I believe that Jesus is more pleased by a naïve realism than by sophisticated postconciliar theories that leave us devotionally dry.

In his final encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, John Paul II called St. Thomas Aquinas “supreme theologian and impassioned singer of the eucharistic Christ,” summus theologus simulque Christi eucharistici fervidus cantor. We know the beauty of Aquinas’s Corpus Christi hymns and prayers. In his case, it was the very depth of his faith and the intensity of his desire to surrender himself to the mystery with all the force of his powerful intellect that propelled him to formulate such a “scholastic” question as “When does consecration take place? When is it completed or perfected?” And his answer is as serene as it is inherently plausible: when the priest finishes saying the entire formula “This is my body” or “This is my blood.” The reason is that only the entire statement has the meaning that sufficiently signifies what is taking place by divine power. “This is my…” without completion, or merely the words “my body,” would not signify that, but “This is my body” does. By Christ’s institution, these words have power to bring about what they mean to say (or, in the older language, they effect what they signify).

(As an aside, it is clear that if a priest were to die after consecrating the bread alone, the body of Jesus — and concomitantly the blood, soul, and divinity — would be fully present, but the representation of the sacrifice would be imperfect and therefore another priest would have to be called in to consecrate the blood. After all, as Pius XII teaches in Mediator Dei, the fundamental reason for the separate consecrations is to re-present, in a sacramental fashion, the bloody immolation of the Victim on Calvary.)

You were concerned that my interest in “explaining” the Anaphora of Addai and Mari in terms of Thomistic sacramental theology[1] might have been motivated by a reductionism or rationalism that sees itself as capable of “proving” what is and will always remain mysterious. This was absolutely not my intention! Rather, I sought to interpret an unusual anaphora in light of a familiar theological account that is reasonable and hallowed by tradition. My conclusion was that this familiar account did not have to be abandoned, because it has a more profound meaning than most people realize.

I do not believe that speaking of a moment of consecration in any way lessens the mysteriousness of the event; on the contrary, for me at least, it heightens that mysteriousness by dramatically underlining the infinite divine power required to accomplish such a miraculous change, and the quasi-infinite faith it takes to accept it as fact. For me, the Mass has the shape of a mountain in which we climb to the summit and join our Savior on the Cross, to share His life; then we climb down, as it were, to our everyday life in the valley, carrying something of that immense love to everyone we meet. In that sense, the special sacramental presence of Jesus at the heart of the Eucharistic liturgy gives shape and order to the whole. He is not present in just that way on the credence table or on the altar during the Sanctus; He becomes present, and in a definite, priestly, liturgical, ecclesial way, when the gifts are transformed. To me, this speaks volumes about the drama of the divine; there is a narrative, a movement, a climax, and we are then allowed to share in that victorious redemption. God seems to like to paint in bright colors and bold strokes, rather than an indistinguishable haze of grays and browns.

I hope you will not mind a final comment about the example you used, namely, of communion in the hand. You say it makes little difference whether the host touches my hands first or my tongue, because the hands and tongue of a sinner are sinful, while a man with a pure heart has pure hands. But as you well know, there is a phenomenological question here, too: what if kneeling to receive the host on the tongue were more conducive to the devotion of most people and helped to accentuate the seriousness of what they are doing, and what if standing in line to receive on the hand encouraged a more casual, relaxed, and unreflective attitude? Would this not be spiritually and pastorally relevant? Moreover, what if a certain posture had centuries of practice and symbolism behind it, while another was self-consciously new and lacked that benefit? Only a rationalist could ignore such immense aspects of the question.

I believe that St. Thomas, like his patristic predecessors, was not preoccupied with “pinpointing” a miracle, but rather with submitting mind and heart to the mighty mystery that descends, like the flames of Pentecost, upon the altar of sacrifice. Their concern was the concern of the lover who wishes to be maximally attentive to the beloved, the mother who wants to be right there when her baby walks for the first time, the poet who does not wish to miss the sunrise or the sunset. I don’t see it as trivial at all; it shows a sensitivity to what is at stake in the act of adoration. I know that when Jesus comes, I want to be awake and ready to meet him. This is as true for his sacramental advent as for his Second Coming.

I appreciate your taking the time to consider these ideas. I hope the foregoing clarifies what moves me to follow in the footsteps of St. Thomas in regard to Eucharistic consecration.

Sincerely yours, in Christ,

Peter Kwasniewski

NOTE
[1] The letter is referring to my article "Doing and Speaking in the Person of Christ: Eucharistic Form in the Anaphora of Addai and Mari," Nova et Vetera 4 (2006): 313–79, available here.

Summer Theology Program in Norcia with Dr. Kwasniewski, Fr. Crean, and the Benedictine Monks

Since 2012, the Albertus Magnus Center for Scholastic Studies, in cooperation with the Benedictine Monks of Norcia, has offered a two-week summer theology program at the birthplace of SS. Benedict and Scholastica. This year, for their fifth summer, the Center has planned a truly marvelous program: “The Transcendent Christ: St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews.” Participants will study St. Thomas Aquinas’s commentary on Hebrews, exploring its rich teaching on Christology, priesthood, sacrifice, sacraments, and worship. The Epistle offers the opportunity to explore the topic of grace as it is found in its source, Jesus Christ, the Head of the Mystical Body, and, in particular, on how the excellence of the work of Christ has a three-fold extension: to the whole of creation, to the rational creature, and to the justification of the saints.

The faculty will include NLM’s own Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, as well as Fr. Thomas Crean, OP, Br. Evagrius Hayden, OSB. John Joy, Christopher Owens, and Daniel Lendman. Guest lectures will be delivered by monks from the monastery, including its prior, Fr. Cassian Folsom, OSB. (It bears noting that, over the years, we have featured numerous items in connection with Fr. Cassian, such as this talk on sacred music, an article by Br. Evagrius, and the superb photography of Mr. Owens.)

The goal of the AMCSS is to offer a meaningful academic experience of scholastic theology in its original fullness: studying Sacred Scripture, St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Fathers of the Church, in the peaceful and enchanting setting of a medieval Italian town, imbued with the spiritual and liturgical life of the traditional Benedictine monks (daily traditional Latin Masses, Low and High, and chanted monastic office), and all the culinary delights of the prosciutto and black truffle capital of Italy — in other words, an authentically Catholic feast for mind, soul, and body. This year the course dates include Norcia’s festive celebration of the feast of St. Benedict on July 11th. Pilgrimages to the nearby towns of Assisi and Cascia are included in the cost, with the option of participating in a weekend trip to Rome at the end.

The dates for the Summer program are July 10–24, 2016. Most remarkably, the cost for tuition, room, and half-board (a light breakfast and an authentic five-course Italian dinner every day) is 900 Euros. Tuition includes a hardcover bilingual edition of the Commentary on Hebrews as well as other course materials. A background in academic theology is not required. Students working towards degrees may request a summary of the program with faculty credentials and a certificate of completion that they may submit for possible course credit elsewhere.

For more information, please visit the AMCSS website.

Fr. Cassian Folsom, OSB

The old residence of the governor who represented the Papal States

Mass at the monastery

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