Doctores Ecclesiae Faculty/Student Lunch Seminar Series:
Join us for a friendly gathering of students and faculty as we take a closer or perhaps first look at a Doctor of the Church or some other great teacher who aided the Church in Her thinking. Prior experience is not required, and first-year students and advanced graduate and professional students regularly participate along with a changing set of University faculty. Space, however, is limited, so reservations are strongly suggested. A set of short readings for each lunch seminar will be posted to serve as a focal point for our discussion. If you haven't participated in one of these (free!) faculty/student lunch seminars, don't be bashful: simply email the Institute at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and reserve a place at the table!
January 24, 2020 (Friday, 8:30-10:00am): St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274)--The Angelic Doctor
October 26, 2018 Dinner (!): St. Hildegard of Bingen and St. Catherine of Siena
Spring 2016
October 30, 2015: Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1890) (Only 1-2 seats available)
Faculty Participants: Michael Root (Catholic University of America), Bill Wilson (Religious Studies), Michael Prosser (Communications), Betsy Ackerson (Education), Charles Kromkowski (Politics/Library), Tom Noble (History),Fr. Antoninus Niemiec, O.P.
Oct. 2, : Simone Weil (1909-1943) (Sorry, we're full; please join us at our next lunch).
Spring 2015 Schedule
Required Readings: 1) Letters from the Desert (Introduction); 2) On Prayer
March 7, 2014 (Friday): St. John Chrysostom (347-407)
Faculty Participants: Carrie Frost (Religious Studies), Anna Stelow (Classics), John Dobbins (Roman Art & Archaelogy)
Required Readings: Homily 20, On Ephesians 5:22-33
Fall 2013 Schedule
November 8, 2013 (Friday): St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Faculty Participants: Fr. David Link (Univ. of Notre Dame Law School), Fr. Bruno Shah,O.P.; Charles Kromkowski (Politics); TBA
Required Readings: 1) "Advise to Priests Who Minister to Those Condemned to Death"; 2) "Divine Love and the Means of Acquiring It"
October 25, 2013 (Friday): St. Augustine (354-430) (Sorry, we're at our limit. Please join us at the next lunch).
Faculty participants: Bill Wilson (Religious Studies); John Miller (Classics); Charles Kromkowski (Politics)
Required Readings: 1) Sermon 302: On the Feast of St. Laurence; 2) Lettters 133, 134, 139; 3) Sermon on the Sacking of Rome
Spring 2013 Schedule
April 19, 2013 (Friday): St. Ephrem the Syrian (c. 309-373)
Faculty Participants: Fr. Sidney Griffith (Catholic University of America); Charles Kromkowski ((Politics); Charles Dunkl (Mathematics); Karin Oberg (Astronomy/Chemistry); Fr, Giles Dimock, O.P., Jaeyuen Park (Medical School); Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P.
Required Readings: 1) Hymns on Paradise, VII; 2) On Human Language about God.
3): Sidney Griffith, "'Faith Adoring the Mystery': Reading the Bible with St. Emphraem the Syrian"
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February 6, 2013 (Wednesday): St. John Cassian (c. 360-435) (Please join us at our next lunch)
Faculty Participants: Fr. Peter Funk, O.S.B. (Prior of the Monastery of the Holy Cross), Br. Timothy Ferrell, Joseph Davis (Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture/Sociology); Bill Ferraro (Papers of George Washington); Charles Kromkowski (Politics); TBA
Required Readings: Conference 14
Additional Reading: Conference 6
January 18, 2013 (Friday): St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) (Sorry reservations now closed; please join us at our next scheduled lunch)
Faculty participants: Eleonore Stump (Philosophy, St. Louis University), Jorge Secada (Philosophy), Kate Burke (Drama), Tom Russman (Philosophy), Robert Kemp (Commerce); Charles Kromkowski (Politics)
Required Readings: Summa Theologiae--
1) I.II Question 27. The cause of love (Articles 1-4)
2) I.II Question 28. The effects of love (Articles 1-6)
3) II.II Question 28. Joy (Articles 1-4)
Fall 2012 Schedule
December 7, 2012: St. Leo the Great (c.390/400-461) (Sorry, we're at capacity).
Faculty Participants: Fr. Bruno Shah, O.P., Greg Goering (Religious Studies); Charles Kromkowski (Politics),
Required Readings: 1) Sermon XXVI (On the Feast of the Nativity); 2) Letter XXVIII (the Tome); 3) Sermon X (On the Collections); 4) Sermon III (on the Anniversary of his Elevation to the Pontificate)
Additional Reading: Roman Missal selections
(Sorry, reservations now closed: we look forward to seeing you at our next lunch seminar)
October 5, 2012: Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964)
Faculty Participants: Angela Alaimo O'Donnell (Fordham), Ed Stelow (Medical School), John Miller (Classics), Bruno Shah, O.P., Jeffrey Wills (Classics), Charles Kromkowski (Politics)
Required Readings: 1) A Good Man is Hard to Find; 2) The Catholic Novelist in the Protestant South
Supplemental Reading: Revelation
Reservations now closed; please consider our next lunch (Oct. 5)
September 28, 2012: Vatican II/Declaration on Religious Freedom
Faculty Participants: Fr. Gerry Fogarty, S.J. (Religious Studies), Charles Kromkowski (Politics); Jean Eby (Public Health Sciences)
Required Readings: Dignitatis Humanae (1965)
Spring 2012 Schedule
April 20, 2012: St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) (Reservations now closed: sorry, we're full).
Faculty Participants: Brad Gregory (University of Notre Dame); John Miller (Classics); Jorge Secada (Philosophy); Anna Stelow (Classics); Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P.
Assigned Readings: Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 1, Chapters 1-8, and Part 3, Chapters 1-2 and Part 3, Chapters 14-22.
(Reservations now closed, we hope to see you at our next lunch).
Feb.24, 2012: Francisco de Vitoria. O.P. (c. 1492-1546) and the "Doctor Eximius et Pius" Francisco Suarez, S.J. (1548-1617)
Faculty Participants: Jorge Secada (Philosophy); Alfredo Garcia (Systems & Information Engineering); Charles Kromkowski (Politics)
Assigned Readings: Vitoria, 1)"On Civil Power," 2)"On the American Indians," 3)"On the Evangelization of Unbelievers," 4)"Letter to Arcos" and
See also: "Suarez" in The Encyclopedia of Ethics
Fall 2011 Schedule
November 4, 2011 (Reservations now closed, please consider reserving a seat at a future lunch seminar)
St. Therese of the Child Jesus (1873-1897)
Faculty Participants: Fr. John Sullivan, OCD, STD; Anna Stelow (Classics); Charles Kromkowski (Politics)
Assigned Readings: Act of Oblation to Merciful Love
September 26, 2011 (Reservations now closed, please consider reserving a seat at our next lunch seminar).
St. John of Avila (the Newest Doctor!)
Faculty Participants: Alison Weber (Spanish), Javier Herrero (Spanish), Alfredo Garcia (Systems & Information Engineering), Jorge Secada (Philosophy); Charles Kromkowski (Politics); Jean Gaare Eby (Public Health Sciences); Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P.
Assigned Readings: Listen, O Daughter [Audi, filia], 1)Chapters 5-7; 2) Chapters 50-52; 3) Chapters 92-93.
September 16, 2011 (Reservations now closed, but please consider attending a future lunch seminar).
Bl. John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Faculty Participants: Reinhard Hütter (Duke University), Kathryn Sharpe (Darden), Walter Jost (English), Charles Kromkowski (Politics)
Assigned Readings: The Idea of the University (to be posted)
Part I: University Teaching, Ch. II: Theology a Branch of Knowledge, pp. 18-38
Part II: University Subjects, Ch. IV: A Form of Infidelity of the Day, 1854, pp. 287-307
Suggested Additional Reading: See online Newman Reader
Part I: University Teaching, Ch. III: Bearing of Theology on Other Knowledge, pp. 43-70.
Part I: University Teaching, Ch. IV: Bearing of Other Knowledge on Theology, pp. 71-98.
Spring 2011 Schedule
April 8, 2011 (Reservations now closed)
St. Gregory the Great (c. 540-604)
Faculty Participants: Thomas F.X. Noble (University of Notre Dame); Robert Louis Wilken (Religious Studies); Charles Kromkowski (Politics); Charles Dunkl (Mathematics); Anna Kim (Art History); Fr. Jacek Buda, O.P., Joe Davis (Sociology)
Assigned Readings: Pastoral Care, Part 1
Recommended Readings: Pastoral Care, Part 2
February 25, 2011
St. John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Faculty Participants: Thomas Russman (Philosophy); Charles Kromkowski (Politics); Anna Stelow (Classics),
Assigned Readings: 1) Spiritual Canticle: stanza 1; 2) Ascent of Mount Carmel; 3) The Living Flame of God; 4) The Dark Night, Bk I; 5) The Dark Night, Bk II; 6) Spiritual Canticle: stanza 12 & 38; 7) Spiritual Canticle: stanza 39.
January 27, 2011 (Reservations now closed)
St. Thomas Aquinas (c.1225-1274) and the Theological Virtues
Faculty Participants: Fr. Jacek Buda, O.P.; Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P., Kathryn Sharpe (Darden); Charles Kromkowski (Politics); Joseph Davis (IASC/Sociology)
Fall 2010 Schedule
October 18, 2010 (Reservations now closed, please join us at the next Doctors lunch)
Boethius (480-524/25)--Christian martyr and the "last Roman"--on the Consolation of Philosophy
Faculty participants: Robert Louis Wilken (Religious Studies), John Miller (Classics), Charles Kromkowski (Politics), Fr. Jacek Buda, O.P.
Assigned reading: Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy, 1) Bk.1.1-6; 2) Bk.2.2; 3) Bk.3.9-10; 4) Bk.5.3
Supplemental Reading: St. Augustine, On Christian Doctrine; and The Teacher
October 8, 2010 (Reservations now closed, please join us at the next Doctors lunch)
Blessed John Duns Scotus (1255/56-1308) and the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception
Faculty participants: Trent Pomplun (Loyola University-Maryland), Charles Kromkowski (Politics), Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P.
Assigned Readings: 1) St. Anselm, On the Virgin Conception and Original Sin, ch.18; 2) Scotus, "Question Two: Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary," pp. 30-62
Spring 2010 Schedule
April 16, 2010 (Reservations now closed, please consider attending a Doctors lunch next year)
Doctor of the Church: St. Jerome (c. 347-420)
Faculty Participants: Robin Darling Young (Religious Studies), David Kovacs (Classics), Charles Kromkowski (Politics), Kathryn Sharpe (Darden); Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P.; Anna Stelow (Classics); David Warner (Theology)
Assigned Readings: Letter CXXXIII, To Ctesiphon; Letter to Marcella (XL); Letter to Marcella (XLIII)
Assigned Readings: 1) Song of Song Commentary, trans. Kilian Walsh, Vol. 1, Sermons 3 and 4, pp. 16-24; 2) Letters of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, trans. Bruno Scott James, pp. 222-231.
March 25, 2010 (Reservations now closed, please consider attending the next Doctors lunch)
Location: Hotel E, West Range
Doctor of the Church: St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Faculty Participants: Robert Louis Wilken (Religious Studies), Ed Stelow (Medical School: Pathology), Judith Kovacs (Religious Studies)
Location: The Biltmore, 16 Elliewood Ave.
Time: 12:00-1:30pm
Saint of the Church: St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Dr. Edith Stein] (1891-1942)
Faculty Participants: Lynn Sanders (Politics), Rebecca Stangl (Philosophy), Charles Kromkowski (Politics), Anna Stelow (Classics), Kathryn Starpe (Darden) & Vincent Phillip Munoz (University of Notre Dame); Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P.
Assigned Readings: 1) "The Hidden Life and Epiphany" (1940); 2) The Significance of Woman's Intrinsic Value in National Life"; 3) Ethos of Women's Professions
Extra Reading: Selections on Empathy, pp. 81-89
Location: Hotel E/West Range
Doctor of the Church: St. Bonaventure (1221-1274)
Faculty Participants: Thomas Russman (Philosophy), Charles Kromkowski (Politics); Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P., Kathryn Sharpe (Darden) & Charles Dunkl (Mathematics)
Assigned Readings: 1) Commentary on Book II of the Sentences, X:347-356; 2) Commentary on The Gospel of Luke, ch5: v.30-32 (pp.443-46);
Extra Readings: Commentary on...Luke, ch 23: v.26 (pp.2136--37); and De Triplici Via [The Triple Way] pp. 71-72, 91-94.
Location: Hotel E, West Range
Doctor of the Church: St. Ephrem the Syrian (c.309-373)
Faculty Participants: Robin Darling Young (Religious Studies), Alfredo Garcia (Systems & Information Engineering), Charles Kromkowski (Politics)
Assigned Reading: 1) Hymns on the Nativity, #11; 2) Hymns on Paradise, V; 3) Hymns on Paradise, X and XI
Suggested Extra Reading: Sidney Griffith, Faith adoring the mystery: reading the Bible with St. Ephraem the Syrian
October 1, 2009 (Please consider attending the next Doctors lunch on Oct. 16)
Location: Hotel E, West Range
Doctor of the Church: St. John of Damascus (c.676-749), plus St. Gregory Palamas (1296-1359)
Faculty Participants: Fr. Brendan McAnerney OP, Robin Young (Religious Studies), Charles Kromkowski (Politics), John Dobbins (Classical Art & Archaeology) & TBA
Assigned Reading:
1. St. John of Damascus, The Orthodox Faith, Bk. 4, chs. 15-16, [7pp]
2. St. Gregory Palamas, The Triads, Section D 33/66-68; and Section E 14-16 [6pp]
May 8, 2009
Location: Garrett Hall Seminar Room (N.B. New location to accommodate more reservation requests)
Doctor of the Church: St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Faculty Participants: Diane Gigantino Baltz (Spanish), Alfredo Garcia (Engineering), Javier Herrero (Spanish), Charles Kromkowski (Politics),
Assigned Reading:
1.The Interior Castle, ch. 4.3 [English] [Spanish]
2. The Book of Her Life, ch. 23 [English] [Spanish]
3. The Book of Her Life, ch. 25 [English] [Spanish]
March 19, 2009 (12:00-1:30pm) (Reservations now closed, please consider attending our final lunch)
Location: Hotel E, West Range
Doctor of the Church: St. Anselm (1033-1109)
Faculty Participants: William Wilson (Religious Studies), Rebecca Stangl (Philosophy), Charles Kromkowski (Politics), Charles Dunkl (Mathematics)
Asssigned Reading: Prosologion, especially chapters 1-6 (pp.82-90)
February 13, 2009 (12:00-1:30pm) (We're at our limit, but please consider joining us at a future lunch).
Location: Garrett Hall Seminar Room, Lower Level
Doctor of the Church: St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Faculty Participants: Bernard McGinn (University of Chicago Divinity School), Kevin Hart (Religious Studies), Joseph Davis (IASC/Sociology), Fr. Gregory Maturi, O.P., Charles Kromkowski (Politics), and Lynn Sanders (Politics)
Assigned Reading: Letters to Fr. Raimondo, T273, T219, T272.
Extra Reading: The Dialogue, chs. 64, 76, and (On Tears) chs.88-91.
November 20, 2008 (Thursday), 12:00-1:30pm (Session full, please consider one of the future sessions)
Location: Hotel E, West Range
Doctor of the Church: St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274)
Faculty Participants: Kevin Hart (Religious Studies), Rebecca Stangl (Philosophy), Charles Kromkowski (Politics), Tom Russman (Philosophy, formerly Univ. of St. Thomas, Houston)
Assigned Reading: Summa Theologiae on Love, Part 1, Question 20 (art. 1, 2, 3); and Part 2.2, Question 27 (art. 6)
Location: Hotel E, West Range
Doctor of the Church: St. Augustine (354-430AD)
Faculty Participants: Robert Wilken (Religious Studies), Brad Wilcox (Sociology), Ed Stelow, M.D. (Pathology), Charles Kromkowski (Politics),
Assigned Reading: St. Augustine, "The Excellence of Marriage," pp.1-16