The St. Anselm Institute for Catholic Thought cordially invites you to attend one or more of its Doctors of the Church lunches. The goal of this series is to provide a friendly setting for students and faculty from different parts of the University to meet and to discuss the life and works of the 34 Doctors of the Church. A different Doctor--or occasionally, another great teacher of the Tradition-- will serve as the focal point for each lunch.
Several UVA faculty will attend and lead each session. Prior familiarity with the Doctors is not required, but a short reading will be posted for all faculty and students participants. Regardless of your area of study or year, University of Virginia undergraduate, graduate as well as Law, Medical, and Darden School students are welcomed to attend. Space, however, is limited so reservations by individuals will be required for each session. If you are interested in participating in the next session, simply email the Institute at:
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. More details about the 2011-12 lunch seminars are available here.
Fall 2011 Schedule September 16, 2011 Bl. John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Faculty Participants: Reinhard Hütter (Duke University), & TBA
Assigned Readings: The Idea of the University
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 Extra Reading:
Part I: University Teaching, Ch. III: Bearing of Theology on Other Knowledge, pp. 39-62
Part I: University Teaching, Ch. IV: Bearing of Other Knowledge on Theology, pp. 63-87.
September 26, 2011
St. John of Avila (the Newest Doctor!)
Faculty Participants: Alison Weber (Spanish), Javier Herrero (Spanish), Alfredo Garcia (Systems & Information Engineering), Charles Kromkowski (Politics); and TBA Assigned Readings: Listen, O Daughter [Audi, filia], TBA
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
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)
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
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)
(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)
February 12, 2010(Reservations now closed, please consider attending the next Doctors lunch) 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
January 29, 2010 (Reservations now closed, please consider attending a future Doctors lunch) 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. Fall 2009 Schedule
October 16, 2009 Doctor of the Church: St. Ephrem the Syrian (c. 309-373)
Faculty Participants: Robin Darling Young (Religious Studies), Alfredo Garcia (Systems & Info. Engineering), Charles Kromkowski (Politics),
Assigned Reading: 1) Hymns on the Nativity, #11; 2) Hymns on Paradise, V; 3) Hymns on Paradise, X & XI
October 1, 2009 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)
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 14-17 [6pp]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * May 8, 2009 Location: Garrett Hall Seminar Room (Lower level) Doctor of the Church: St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Faculty Participants: Diane Gigantino Baltz (Spanish); Alfredo Garcia (Engineering), Ed Stelow, M.D. (Pathology), Javier Herrero (Spanish), Charles Kromkowski (Politics) and TBA
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)
Location: Hotel E, West Range Doctor of the Church: St. Anselm (1033-1109)
Faculty Leaders: William Wilson (Religious Studies), Rebecca Stangl (Philosophy), Charles Kromkowski (Politics), Charles Dunkl (Mathematics) and TBA
Asssigned Reading: The Proslogion, especially chapters 1-6 (pp.82-90)
February 13, 2009 (12:00-1:30pm) Doctor of the Church: St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Location: Garrett Hall Seminar Room (Lower level)
Faculty Participants: Bernard McGinn (University of Chicago Divinity School),Joseph Davis (Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture), Kevin Hart (Religious Studies); Fr. Gregory Maturi, O.P., (St. Thomas Aquinas), Charles Kromkowski (Politics) and Lynn Sanders (Politics)
Assigned Reading: 1) Letters T273, T219, T272 :To Fr. Raimondo da Capua;
Extra Reading: 2) The Dialogue, Chs. 64, 76, 88-91.
November 20, 2008 (Thursday), 12:00-1:30pm Location: Hotel E, West Range Doctor of the Church: St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) Faculty Participants: Kevin Hart (Religious Studies), Rebecca Stangl (Philosophy), Tom Russman (Philosophy)
Assigned Reading: Summa Theologiae on Love, Part 1, Question 20 (art. 1, 2, 3); and Part 2.2, Question 27 (art. 6) October 29, 2008 (Wednesday), 12:00-1:30pm 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
Lumen Veritatis
Faculty Leader: Brad Wilcox, Department of Sociology Lumen Veritatis is a Catholic discussion group serving undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Virginia. Specifically, Lumen Veritatis discusses theological, cultural, and political issues from a Catholic perspective. Previous topics include faith and the law, Mary's role in the Church, Project Rachel, and gender. Contact Professor Brad Wilcox at
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for more details.
The Works of St. Anselm
(completed)
Faculty Leader: Jorge Secada, Department of Philosophy This study group engaged the major works of St. Anselm of Canterbury.
September 16, 2011
October 18, 2010 
April 16, 2010 
Saint of the Church: St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Dr. Edith Stein] (1891-1942).jpg)
