"Encountering Christ in the Gospels"
June 18 - June 30, 2012
in Norcia, Italy
June 18 - June 30, 2012
in Norcia, Italy
"Keep the Holy Bible within reach during the summer period . . . read some of its books straight through . . . such as the Gospels, but without putting them down."
~ Pope Benedict XVI
Program Description
The theme for the 2012 Summer Program is Biblical Theology, the study of the Sacred Page. In preparation for the upcoming ‘Year of Faith’ announced by the Holy Father, we will be taking to heart his suggestion for how to spend part of the summer holidays:
Dear friends, today I would like to suggest that you keep the Holy Bible within reach, during the summer period or in your breaks, in order to enjoy it in a new way by reading some of its books straight through, those that are less known and also the most famous, such as the Gospels, but without putting them down.
By so doing moments of relaxation can become in addition to a cultural enrichment also an enrichment of the spirit which is capable of fostering the knowledge of God and dialogue with him, prayer. And this seems to be a splendid holiday occupation: to take a book of the Bible in order to have a little relaxation and at the same time to enter the great realm of the word of God and to deepen our contact with the Eternal One, as the very purpose of the free time that the Lord gives us.
~ Pope Benedict XVI,
General Audience,
August 3, 2011
General Audience,
August 3, 2011
As the pope suggests, therefore, we will be reading the four Gospels cover to cover over the course of our two-week program. Our goal in this undertaking is to increase our familiarity with, and understanding of, the Gospels so that through them we might also encounter the living person of Jesus Christ in a deeper way.
In accordance with the particular mission of the Saint Albert the Great Center
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| 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 ‘baccalaureates’ of the day (e.g. St. Thomas
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| Fr. Cassian, O.S.B. |
The second part of the program consists of a series of lectures delivered by our ‘masters’ of theology, who are again this year members of the monastery of St. Benedict in Norcia. The keynote will be given by Fr. Cassian Folsom, the prior of the monastery. Topically, the lectures will complement the subject-matter of the seminars, with emphases on doctrinal matters such as the Catholic understanding of biblical inspiration and inerrancy, and on more practical matters such as the use of the Bible in the liturgy and in private devotional reading (lectio divina).
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| Scholastic Disputation |
The program reaches its culmination with the 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 Magister will give the definitive solution, and then reply to each of the arguments posited by the participants.
Throughout the two weeks of the program there will also be ample opportunities for spiritual activities. Holy Mass is available in Norcia several times per day. Our schedule is constructed in such a way as to encourage participation in the daily Conventual Mass of the Benedictine monks, which is offered in Latin (Usus Antiquior) in the Basilica of St. Benedict. Participants are also invited to join the monks in praying the divine office: Lauds, Vespers, Compline, or even Matins at 4:00 A.M.! The priests of the monastery will of course be available for spiritual counseling, guidance, and/or confessions.
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| Basilica San Benedetto di Norcia |
Finally, the enrichment of mind and spirit fostered by attentive reading of the Gospels and participation in the prayers and liturgical celebrations of the monastery will be complemented by moments of relaxation and cultural activities. The picturesque medieval town of Norcia is located right at the edge of the beautiful Mount Sibilini National Park
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| Basilica San Pietro, Roma |
Calendar and Schedule
May 18. Deadline for applications for 2012 Summer Program.
June 01. Deadline for payments for 2012 Summer Program.
June 18. Mon. Arrival Day.
June 19. Tues. Normal Program Schedule.
June 20. Wed. Normal Program Schedule.
June 21. Thur. Optional Excursion to Assisi.
June 22. Fri. Normal Program Schedule.
June 23. Sat. Normal Program Schedule.
June 24. Sun. Optional Excursion to Cascia.
June 25. Mon. Normal Program Schedule.
June 26. Tues. Normal Program Schedule.
June 27. Wed. Normal Program Schedule.
June 28. Thur. Optional Excursion to Rome.
June 29. Fri. Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome.
June 30. Sat. Departure Day.
Normal Program Schedule
06:00-06:45. Lauds.
07:00-08:15. Breakfast.
08:30-09:45. Seminar 1.
10:00-11:00. Holy Mass.
11:30-12:30. Lecture.
12:45-14:15. Lunch.
14:30-15:45. Seminar 2.
16:00-17:15. Open for reading, etc.
17:30-18:15. Vespers.
18:30-19:30. Dinner.
19:45-20:00. Compline.
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Christ: Source and Summit of all things
The St. Albert the Great Center's
2011 Summer Program
2011 Summer Program
June 20th to July 1st, 2011, in Norcia, Italy
“The Eucharist is 'the source and summit of the Christian life.' 'The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.” (CCC. 1324)
Program Description
The theme for the 2011 Summer program is sacramental theology. The focus is on the Eucharist, as the center towards which all the other sacraments are ordered. However, Baptism, Matrimony, and Holy Orders will all be studied together with, and as ordered to, the Eucharist. The goal of the program is to cover briefly but thoroughly the essence and role of these four sacraments in the life of the Church. To this end, we will read and discuss a variety of great works and authors on the sacraments: St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, Ven. John Paul II, and more.
Participants in the program will spend a few hours every day in their studies, which will involve preparation of the assigned readings before class, and then active participation in socratic style classes in which the readings will be discussed. Although every participant is expected to contribute their insights to aid the entire class to come to a deeper understanding, these classes will be guided by our program assistants, all of whom have graduate degrees in theology, competency in the particular subject matter, and extensive experience in seminar style classes.
In addition to these classes, there will be a series of short lectures over the course of the program by our keynote speakers. These lectures will be primarily on the Holy Eucharist and Holy Orders.
No preparation is required for the lectures. Rev. Cassian Folsom O.S.B., will inaugurate the program with the opening lecture on the morning of the first day.
No preparation is required for the lectures. Rev. Cassian Folsom O.S.B., will inaugurate the program with the opening lecture on the morning of the first day.
Near the end of the program, we will hold an authentic scholastic disputation: the question to be disputed will be announced 24 hours in advance, and every participant is expected to form their own thoughts on the question, and attempt to answer it. At the disputation itself, each participant will offer his solution in scholastic style as an objection or a 'sed contra' ("it seems that..." or "it seems that not..."). After each person has contributed their own thoughts, the Magister will give the definitive solution, and reply to each of the arguments posited by the participants.
Throughout the two weeks of the program, there will be ample opportunity for spiritual activities: daily mass will be available, and participants are invited to join the Benedictine monks of Norcia in praying the divine office – if one wishes, one may even join them for Matins at 4:00 A.M.! The monks will of course be available for spiritual counseling, guidance and/or confessions.
Since the human mind is unable to study properly without relaxation, there will also be ample opportunities for recreational activities. Norcia is located right at the edge of the beautiful Mount Sibillini National Park – a short hike out of the town immerses one in the beauties of the park. Assisi and Cascia are a short bus ride away from Norcia (bus tickets cost only a couple of euro), and Rome is only about three hours away by bus (the ticket costs less than ten euro).
Since Corpus Christi falls within the two weeks of this year's Summer program, an optional trip to Rome will be organized for the feast in order to allow participants to celebrate this great feast day with the Holy Father by joining him in eucharistic procession and adoration.
Since Corpus Christi falls within the two weeks of this year's Summer program, an optional trip to Rome will be organized for the feast in order to allow participants to celebrate this great feast day with the Holy Father by joining him in eucharistic procession and adoration.
