Summer Theology Program in Norcia, Italy

The Saint Albert the Great Center for Scholastic Studies is hosting its fifth annual Summer Theology Program in Norcia, Italy, in cooperation with the Benedictine Monks of Norcia.

The St. Albert the Great Center is dedicated to the revival of higher studies in theology undertaken according to the mind and method of the great scholastics, and in particular the work of St. Thomas Aquinas.

This Summer's program is focusing on St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews. With the sacred text as the primary source, participants will also follow along the interpretive tradition of the Church by reading commentaries of the Fathers and in particular St. Thomas's commentary on the epistle. The Epistle offers the opportunity to explore in depth the subject of grace as it is found in its source, Jesus Christ, the head of the mystical body. In particular, St. Paul's letter focuses 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.

This year, in addition to the regular AMCSS tutors (including yours truly), the program is privileged to have Dr. Peter Kwasniewski of Wyoming Catholic College as a guest tutor who will help lead seminar discussion. Besides the daily seminars, there will be a guest lecture by Fr. Cassian Folsom, OSB, the founder and prior of the monastery. The two-week program reaches its climax in an authentic scholastic disputation, moderated by one of the monks.

In addition to the academic program, there is the opportunity to participate in the daily life of worship (High Mass, Divine Office) of the Benedictine monks who live and pray at the birthplace of SS. Benedict & Scholastica. Optional excursions will be planned to other nearby pilgrimage sites (such as Cascia and Assisi), as well as a longer weekend trip to Rome at the end of the program in order to have a relaxing but formative experience in the Eternal City, the glorious foundation seat of the Church.

The cost of the program includes a beautiful hardbound Latin-English edition of St. Thomas Aquinas's commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, comfortable lodging, and two meals per day: a light breakfast and an authentic five-course Italian dinner.

I'm going to be attending personally this year, for the first time since 2012, and it would be an unparalleled pleasure to meet some of this blog's fine readership there.

For more information, visit: www.albertusmagnuscss.org