St Anslem Institute

Faculty and Students: Free for a Free Lunch on Feb.24? (Now Accepting Reservations)

Doctores Ecclesiae

The St. Anselm Institute for Catholic Thought initiated this popular Doctors of the Church faculty-student lunch seminar series in 2008 with the goal of providing a friendly intellectual setting for students and faculty from different parts of the University to meet and to discuss the life and works of one of the 34 Doctors of the Church.  On occasion, we also take a closer look at a learned Saint or another great teacher who aided the development of the Tradition.  No prior academic experience is required, and advanced graduate and first-year students have regularly participated in these special lunches along with a diverse (and voluntary) cross-section of the University's faculty.  Space, however, is limited, so reservations by individuals are required for each session.  Interested undergraduate, graduate, Law, Medical, and Darden School students are invited to attend one (or more) of the scheduled sessions.   A different set of UVA faculty will attend each session, and a short reading by the selected Doctor of Church will be posted to serve as a focal point for our lunch seminar.

Haven't yet participated in one of these lunch seminars? Well, we'll count on seeing you at one in 2011-2012.  If you are interested in participating, please don't be bashful: simply email the Institute at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  and reserve a place at the

Spring 2012 Schedule 
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); TBA
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







 March TBA: 

April 20, 2012: St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Faculty Participants: Brad Gregory (Univ. of Notre Dame), TBA


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. 

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)

Assigned Readings: Summa Theologiae, First Part of the Second Part, Question 62 (pdf), or   http://www.logoslibrary.org/aquinas/summa/2062.html.

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)

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.
 

October 16, 2009 (Reservations now closed, please consider attending a future Doctors of the Church lunch)
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) 







October 29, 2008 (Wednesday), 12:00-1:30pm (Session full, please consider one of the future sessions)
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