Campus Ministry
SBI’s campus ministry continued to flourish. More than 170 students attended FOCUS Bible studies, the number of Exodus and Genesis 90 participants rose to record levels, forty-three students attended the SEEK conference, and five students attended our annual retreat at Saint Meinrad Archabbey. Our public witness also continued: Our students once again built an ice altar in the Pine Grove, and we held our second Eucharistic Procession. Best of all, ten students came into the Church this year.
A Civil Dialogue on Sex and Gender
In October, the Saint Benedict Institute hosted lawyer John Bursch and scholar Dr. Megan DeFranza for an evening of civil dialogue on sex and gender. After a discussion moderated by SBI director Jared Ortiz, our guests answered questions from the audience.
Dominican Low Rite Mass
Dominican Low Rite Mass
This past autumn, Fr. Nicholas Monco, O.P. celebrated three low Masses in the Dominican Rite. This rarely celebrated variation on the Traditional Latin Mass is unique to the Order of Preachers. It contains several unusual gestures and rituals, including a moment when the priest holds his arms in a cruciform position.
SEEK Conference
Over Christmas, forty-three students, Fr. Nick, and our FOCUS missionaries traveled to Denver to attend the SEEK conference, hosted by FOCUS. SEEK draws thousands from across the country who come to learn and experience the love of Jesus Christ in and through His Church.
With Bishop Walkowiak at the SEEK Conference.
Third Annual Ice Altar
For the third year, Hope College students constructed an ice altar in Hope’s Pine Grove behind Graves Hall. Sadly, the first Mass celebrated on this year’s ice altar was a Requiem Mass for Jennifer Kasunick, a Hope student and SBI Genesis 90 participant, who died tragically on January 11. Please continue to pray for Jennifer, her family, and the Hope College community.
Third Annual Ice Altar
Exodus and Genesis 90
A record 264 Hope students participated in Exodus and Genesis 90 programs. Our Exodus 90 outreach included an additional 150 parishioners, alumni, and students from Notre Dame, Ferris State, Michigan State, GVSU, University of Michigan, Michigan Tech, Drake University, South Dakota State University, and Aquinas College.
Genesis 90
Keeping Our Personhood in the Age of AI
In March, the Saint Benedict Institute hosted Hillsdale College professor Dr. Jordan Joseph Wales for a lecture on AI and theology, which took up four questions. First, how does an apparently personal AI work? Second, what might this entity be? Third, what might we become, owning the behavior of apparent persons? Lastly, in a society saturated by such AI tools, how might we live in such a way as to enhance rather than to erode our own humanity?
Keeping Our Personhood in the Age of AI
Palestrina 500
In March, SBI co-sponsored the Hope College Chapel Choir’s performance at Palestrina 500, a year-long choral festival of sung High Masses in honor of the great Church composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Palestrina 500 was organized by Hope and SBI alumus Jonathan Bading and hosted by Sacred Heart Parish in Grand Rapids.
Sacred Music in a Secular Time
In April, Dr. Peter Kadeli, Head of Sacred Music and Director of Choral Activities at The Catholic University of America, spoke on the work of composer Paul Paray and his Mass setting in honor of St. Joan of Arc. Dr. Kadeli’s talk discussed the reasons Paray composed a concert Mass in the twentieth century, the relationship between nationalism and Christian faith, and how we might interpret sacred music composed for the stage. Dr. Kadeli’s talk was co-sponsored by Hope’s Music and Religion departments.