The Miraculous and the Supernatural
2026-02-03 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-02-10 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
Meets weekly on Tuesdays: Jan. 13, Jan. 20, Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10.
6:00 Dinner | 6:30 Lecture (last 20 Q & A) | 7:30 End
This event is designated for current University of Chicago graduate and undergraduate students. University of Chicago faculty and staff are also welcome to attend. Others interested in auditing should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy”…or acknowledged by materialistic naturalism! [Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” act 1 sc.5]
This 5-session course will study Jesus’s miracles and miracles performed in Jesus’s name, the Eucharistic miracle in which bread and wine are transformed into his Body and Blood, and his miraculous Resurrection whereby he was raised body and soul from the dead. If the Shroud of Turin is the actual burial cloth of Jesus, it is both a relic of his tortured death and a witness to his heavenly transformation! The course will also investigate the mystical experiences of saints such as Francis of Assisi, Ignatius of Loyola, and Theresa of Avila. Supernatural reality also includes the demonic, so exorcisms will be studied.
Schedule:

Jan. 13: The miraculous & the supernatural. Jesus the Miracle Worker and miraculous healings. The dogmatic limits of philosophical materialism.
Jan. 20: The Miracle of the Eucharist and eucharistic miracles.
Jan. 27: “They Flew”: mystical experiences of the saints.
Feb. 3: The reality of evil, the demonic and exorcisms.
Feb. 10: Near death experiences and the Shroud of Turin: experiential evidence for Life after death.

Mythopoetics and Faerie Stories: Theory and Practice of Mythmaking
2026-02-04 17:00 - 19:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
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5:00 p.m. Dinner | 5:30 p.m. Lecture with Q&A | 6:15 p.m. Story-Telling on The Patio By The Fire | 7:00 p.m. Audience Q & A | 7:15 p.m. Event End, Book Signing, Smores
This event is designated for current University of Chicago students. All registrants will be provided with a free copy of the text.
There’s an old Irish belief that if you aren’t wrapped in a cloak of story you will be unprepared for what the world will hurl at you. In his newly published Liturgies of the Wild, acclaimed mythographer and storyteller Martin Shaw argues that we live in a myth-impoverished age and that such poverty has left us vulnerable to stories that may not wish us well. Drawing on the “ancient technologies” of myths and initiatory rites, Shaw provides a road to wholeness, maturity and connection.
In this event for UChicago students, Dr. Shaw will explore both the theory and practice of mythmaking. In the first section Shaw will guide us through myth’s relationship to initiation rites and oral storytelling, explaining these “ancient technologies.”
In the second we tilt directly into the telling of an Irish fairy tale, The Birth of Ossian. Drawing on his experience as a professor and widely respected storyteller, Shaw will locate us in the deeper dimensions of how a modern person approaches an ancient story.
The theory of mythopoetics will take place in the Gavin House seminar room. But because any good story requires the proper setting, The Birth of Ossian will be told in the Gavin House back yard, where fire pits will blaze, patio heaters will burn, and hot chocolate will be served to all.
An optional pre-event dinner will be served at 5pm. Copies of Liturgies of the Wild are included for all registrants. This event is open to current UChicago undergraduate and graduate students. Registration is free but will be capped at 40 students.

Léon Bloy: Martyr or Madman?
2026-02-05 17:00 - 18:30, 2026-02-12 17:00 - 18:30, 2026-02-19 17:00 - 18:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
Meets Weekly on Thursdays: Jan. 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19
5:00 – 6:30 p.m. | Dinner Provided
This event is designated for University of Chicago graduate students. Other students interested in attending should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org. Students will receive a copy of the texts.
“My anger is the effervescence of my pity,” declared writer, polemicist, and literary brigand Léon Bloy. Bloy played a leading role in the French Catholic Revival (c. 1885-1915), though he also influenced thinkers from Cèline to Grahame Greene to the controversial Michel Houellebecq. A remarkable wordsmith, Bloy cut his teeth on Gothic Romanticism, Counter-Enlightenment philosophy, and the Vulgate. Styling himself “the Ungrateful Beggar,” he picked fights with popular writers Émile Zola and Victor Hugo, got himself banned from the press, and lived in destitution all his days. Nonetheless, throughout his life, he cultivated a group of intellectual devotés who ended up making a tremendous mark on French literature and philosophy. This winter, Lumen Christi is hosting a reading group on The Pilgrim of the Absolute, (Le Pèlerin de L’Absolu) a remarkable compilation sampling widely from Bloy’s works on mystery, money, and the modern world. Please join us if you are interested in discovering and discussing one of the few writers who “knew how to administer the sacrament of literature…”
Schedule:

Jan. 22: Dolorism

Introduction to the 1947 Edition by Jacques Maritain
“Suffering, Faith, Sanctity”

Jan. 29: Money

“The Wisdom of the Bourgeois”
“The Poor Man”

Feb. 5: Mystery

“The Sense of Mystery”

Feb. 12: Art

“Art and the Pilgrim of the Holy Sepulchre”

Feb. 19: Christianity and Modernity

“The Hurler of Curses”
“Modern Christians”

Series Description:
Graduate Reading Group
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a number of student-led reading groups at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading groups are usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any graduate interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation (or prior knowledge of Tolkien!) is necessary.

Mythmaking and the True Myth - A Conversation with Martin Shaw
2026-02-05 17:00 - 19:30 | The Graduate in Evanston, 1625 Hinman Ave, Evanston, IL, 60201, United States
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. PLEASE CONTACT MARGAUX TAFFET (MTAFFET@LUMENCHRISTI.ORG) IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PUT ON THE WAIT LIST.
5:00pm: Cocktail reception | 6:00pm: Dr. Shaw’s presentation & storytelling | 6:45pm: Audience Q&A and conversation | 7:15pm: Book signing and close
Open to the public. Registration required (includes a copy of Martin Shaw’s newest book). For questions, please contact Margaux Taffet mtaffet@lumenchristi.org.
Lecture Description

There’s an old Irish belief that if you aren’t wrapped in a cloak of story you will be unprepared for what the world will hurl at you. You remain adolescent at just the moment a culture worth its salt requires you to become a real, grown, human being.
We live in a myth-impoverished age and that such poverty has left us vulnerable to stories that may not wish us well. Myths from antiquity are vivid in describing the conditions of life.
Christianity goes a step further in providing the most extraordinary example of how to live that life. Working out of examples from Arthurian and fairy tale motifs, acclaimed mythographer Martin Shaw will show how, if ‘all true is God’s truth’, profound Christian resonances can be found in many mythic traditions.
How do stories assist us in the making of a real human being? In troubled times how could we forge a deeper life? Join the Lumen Christi Institute as it welcomes Dr. Martin Shaw for an event celebrating the release of his new book Liturgies of the Wild.

Mythmaking and the Epic Tradition in Tolkien's Silmarillion
2026-02-05 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-02-12 19:30 - 21:00 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
Meets Weekly on Thursdays: Jan. 15, Jan. 22, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb 12
*Note: Start Date has Been Moved Back a Week from Jan. 8 to Jan. 15
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. | Dinner Provided
This event is designated for University of Chicago undergraduate students. Students will receive a copy of the texts. Please reach out to William Hurley for any questions (whurley@lumenchristi.org).
There are few figures as foundational to the epic fantasy genre as J.R.R. Tolkien, and few works as wide-ranging in that genre as The Silmarillion. Written over the course of nearly 60 years and inspired by the folk traditions of northern Europe, Greece, and the personal ethical and historical philosophies of Tolkien himself, The Silmarillion is a story of morality, greed, bliss, and tragedy. We invite you to join us in a discussion of The Silmarillion’s most dramatic tales, from the creation of the world to the forging of the One Ring.
Copies of The Silmarillion will be provided to all participants. Weekly meetings are held over dinner. Weekly reading assignments are kept at or below 30 pages.
Schedule:

Jan. 15: Ainulindalë and Valaquenta (p. 15-32)
Jan. 22: The story of Fëanor and the Silmarils (p. 63-90, 106-107)
Jan. 29: The story of Beren and Lúthien (p. 162-187)
Feb. 5: The story of Túrin Turambar and Nienor Níniel (p. 198-226)
Feb. 12: Akallabêth

Series Description:
Graduate Reading Group
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a number of student-led reading groups at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading groups are usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any undergraduate interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation (or prior knowledge of Tolkien!) is necessary.

Greek New Testament
2026-02-06 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-02-13 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-02-20 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-02-27 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-03-06 10:00 - 11:00 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Refreshments Provided
*Note: winter sessions have been shifted forward by one week
This event is designated for University of Chicago graduate and undergraduate students. Students will receive a copy of the texts.
“In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” This dramatic opening salvo of the Letter to the Hebrews, summarizing salvation history, is one of the most famous and consequential one-liners in the New Testament. But who is this Son? How is he “appointed heir of all things”? What is the relationship between God’s message through him and His message through the prophets? In this reading group, we will examine, through careful study of the Koine Greek text, how the Letter to the Hebrews answers these questions and more, with an eye to the authorship, audience, and genre of this mysterious text. All levels of Greek proficiency are encouraged to join. Advance preparation is recommended but not required.
Schedule:

Oct. 17: Introduction; Hebrews 1.1-4: God’s Son
Oct. 24: Hebrews 1.5-14: The Son’s Superiority to the Angels
Oct. 31: Hebrews 2.1-9,:The Son’s Abasement
Nov. 7: Hebrews 2.10-18: The Son, the Pioneer of Our Salvation
Nov. 14: Hebrews 3: The Son and Moses
Nov. 21: Hebrews 4.1-13: God’s Promised Rest

Jan. 30: Hebrews 4.14–5.14

Feb. 6: Hebrews 6.1–20

Feb. 13: Hebrews 7.1–22

Feb. 20: Hebrews 7.23–8.13

Feb. 27: Hebrews 9.1–14

March. 6: Hebrews 9.15–28

Hemingway’s Short Stories
2026-02-09 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-02-16 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-02-23 17:30 - 19:00 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
Meets Weekly on Mondays: Jan. 26, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23
5:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Dinner Provided
This event is designated for University of Chicago students. Students will receive a copy of the texts.
In this reading group we will read a selection of Ernest Hemingway’s short stories that will illuminate his ingenious writing style through his lesser-known works. We will be reading from the Finca Vigia Complete Short Stories collection, which features many previously unfinished works. Discussions will revolve around themes of masculinity, femininity, life, and love, all of which are saturated in his works writ large. Some of the texts that will be discussed include the Nick Adams stories, Men Without Women, and the First Forty-Nine. This will be an exciting way to get to know Hemingway’s writings or dive deeper into his work, while engaging with peers and discussing ideas that are just as relevant today as they were when he wrote them.
Schedule:

Jan. 26: Deeper Dive into Hemingway’s Writing. Readings will include stories where the immediate meaning of the story is not explicitly stated and requires some deeper analysis. Readings will include Hills Like White Elephants and The Sea Change. These are both readings where there is a meaning that must be arrived to through subtle hints in the stories themselves (though there are varying degrees of subtlety). Discussion will center on getting at what these stories are conveying.

Hills Like White Elephants (4 Pages)
The Sea Change (4 Pages)
Wine of Wyoming (13 Pages)
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place (4 Pages)

Feb. 2: Nick Adams Stories Pt. I. This week will focus on the first part of the Nick Adams stories, some of Hemingway’s most famous, and enjoyable, short stories. I’ve divided the collection into two weeks for the sake of doing justice to the collection while remaining under 30 pages. These stories express much about a man’s experience of life and is semi-autobiographical. This week will focus on Nick’s youth in Michigan, his adolescence, and his time at war. Discussion will focus on what Hemingway is conveying through his stories of youth and masculinity, particularly regarding how Nick conceives himself and how he views his father.

Indian Camp (6 Pages)
The Doctor and the Doctor’s Wife (6 Pages)
The Battler (10 Pages)
The Killers (8 Pages)

Feb. 9: Nick Adams Stories Pt. II. As we continue to read the stories, we will turn to Nick’s adulthood and marriage. This will bring together ideas of masculinity, maturity, life, and fatherhood.

Big Two-Hearted River Pt I (10 Pages)
Now I Lay Me (7 Pages)
Fathers and Sons (10 Pages)

Feb. 16: Men Without Women Pt. I. Readings from this week will seek to synthesize what we’ve discussed so far. Bringing together the themes Hemingway often discusses with his writing style. Men Without Women is a collection of short stories that discuss how men act without women. Discussion will revolve, again, on ideas of masculinity and the “natural” state of man.

In Another Country (5 Pages)
The Undefeated (25 Pages)

Feb. 23: Men Without Women Pt. II. This week will conclude this collection, and we will finish up our discussion of the themes present in them. I would also like to add The Last Good Country, however, it is 41 pages long. I think I may add it as optional reading and discuss it if time allows. This is a personal favorite of his short stories, but not a necessary addition. There is not enough substance in the text to devote an entire week to the text, though it is a fun read.

A Banal Story (2 Pages)
Today is Friday (3 Pages)
An Alpine Idyll (5 Pages)
A Pursuit Race (4 Pages)
Ten Indians (5 Pages)
My Old Man (12 Pages)

Series Description:
Graduate Reading Group
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a number of student-led reading groups at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading groups are usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any graduate interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation (or prior knowledge of Tolkien!) is necessary.

Beyond the Tenure Track: Catholic Vocation in Higher Education
2026-02-10 17:00 - 18:30
A webinar hosted by the Office of Mission and Ministry at Providence College and COLLIS Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture (Cornell University) and co-sponsored by the Lumen Christi Institute and the In Lumine Network.
Graduate training often assumes a single path: the tenure-track job at a major research university. But for Catholic scholars, discerning a vocation in academia shouldn’t principally be about chasing prestige. This webinar reframes professional development within a Catholic understanding of vocation and invites Catholic graduate students to reflect on their academic calling by exploring possibilities for faithful, flourishing work in higher education. A panel of Catholic scholars from different disciplines and institutions will share their experiences of living out their faith in the classroom, the lab, and the wider intellectual community. Together, they will reflect on vocation, institutional culture, and sustaining Catholic intellectual life across the varied landscapes of higher education—from Catholic liberal arts colleges and mission-oriented non-Catholic universities to state institutions. The panel will also open space for the practical dimensions of vocation: discerning how to balance family life, community, and parish participation alongside the responsibilities of teaching and research.
Schedule
-5 PM-5:40 PM Panel Interview
-5:40 PM-6:15 PM Open Q&A and Discussion
Panelists
-Robert Miner, Ph.D, Professor of Philosophy, Providence College
-Tyler Thomas, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Political Science, School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, Arizona State University
-Katherine Bulinski, Ph.D, Professor of Geoscience, Bellarmine University
This webinar is for graduate students, postdocs, and early career faculty. Registration can be found here.
Times are Central Standard Time
A house watch party with dinner served will be hosted for graduate students and early career scholars. For more information contact gzokal@lumenchristi.org
﻿This project is supported by Providence College and by a grant from the Lumen Christi Institute with funding from the John Templeton Foundation (Grant #63614)

Why Think? Hannah Arendt and the Life of the Mind
2026-02-11 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-02-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
Meets Bi-Weekly on Wednesdays: Jan. 14, Jan. 28, Feb. 11, Feb. 25
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Dinner Provided
This event is designated for University of Chicago undergraduate students. Students will receive a copy of the texts. Please reach out to William Hurley for any questions (whurley@lumenchristi.org).
This seminar and the Nicklin Fellows are made possible by the First Analysis Institute, the support of In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation, and the generous support of our donors.
Description:
What is “thinking”? This question attracts Hannah Arendt’s attention in her later works. Though Arendt claims that thinking is utterly without purpose and leaves no trace behind, she also proposes that it can provide a protective effect against certain forms of evil-doing in our time.
With that said, what is the practical relevance of thinking, today? Given the destructive, resultless nature of this activity, why bother? In short: Why think? In this seminar led by Prof. Magnus Ferguson, we will investigate what it means to ‘think’ in an Arendtian sense through close readings of key excerpts from Hannah Arendt’s final work, The Life of the Mind, as well as several short essays.
Copies of The Life of the Mind will be provided to all participants. Bi-weekly meetings are held on Wednesday evenings over dinner. Weekly reading assignments are kept at or below 30 pages.
Schedule:

Jan. 14: “Thinking and Moral Considerations”
Jan. 28: Life of the Mind Vol I (p. 69–98)
Feb. 11: Life of the Mind Vol I (p. 141–151, 166–182, 187–193)
Feb. 25: Life of the Mind Vol. I (p. 197–216), and “Karl Jaspers: A Laudatio”

Series Description:
Reading Course
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a student-centered reading course at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading course is usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any undergraduate interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.

Image Credit: Samuel Bak, “In Search of a Roof of One’s Own” (2017)

A Man for All Seasons Showing
2026-02-20 18:00 - 20:30 | 5554 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago, IL 60637, Hyde Park, IL
REGISTER BELOW
6:00 Dinner | 6:30 Movie | 8:30 Discussion & End
This event is intended for graduate and undergraduate students of the University of Chicago, all others should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org.
A Man for All Seasons is a 1966 British film directed and produced by Fred Zinnemann, based on a play by Robert Bolt. It depicts the lawyer and then-Lord Chancellor of England, St. Thomas More, as he navigates the turbulent waters of faith, conscience, loyalty, and ambition in England under Henry VIII. The film poses ambitious and important questions en route to showing us how Thomas was truly a man for any season.
The movie screening will be held at the Woodlawn House, a Victorian mansion located at 5554 S Woodlawn Ave. It is the site of the Lumen Christi Institute’s residential student community.

Winter Newman Forum Conference for High School Students: Back to the Future!
2026-02-21 09:30 - 14:30 | University of Saint Mary of the Lake, 1000 East Maple Avenue Mundelein, IL 60060, Mundelein, IL
REGISTER BELOW
Presented by the Lumen Christi Institute’s Newman Forum. Open to current high school students. This conference is cosponsored by the University of Saint Mary of the Lake at Mundelein Seminary, and the Archdiocese of Chicago Vocation Office. For more information, please email Margaux Taffet at newmanforum@lumenchristi.org.
What is the relationship between the past and the present? And how can this relationship prepare us for our future? How do we think about the past in a world fixated on the new? If our world is constantly changing, what does it mean to profess eternal truths?
On February 21, 2026, the Newman Forum’s “Back to the Future!” conference will gather high school students at the University of St. Mary of the Lake to discover the fascinating realities of everyday and misunderstood scientific, historical, literary, and religious topics. Students will meet with presenters and discuss the wonders of science, the lessons of history, the beauty of literature, and the mysteries of faith.
Students will get to pick three 20-minute “lightning round” presentations. Presentation roster can be found here.

PROGRAM

Registration
Welcome & Opening Prayer
Lightning Round Talks by invited professors and graduate students from the University of Chicago, Notre Dame, and other Universities
Lunch at the USML dining hall
Office Hours to engage with the faculty and learn about their interest, research, and school
Eucharistic Adoration

COST
$15 by Friday, January 30 | $30 after Friday, January 30th
$10/participant for groups over 10.

Please register a group of 9 or fewer using this “Individual Ticket” option. Indicate the number of participants you are registering, and record their names.
For a group of 10 or more, please register using this “Group Ticket” option. Indicate the number of participants you are registering, and record their names. For example, if you are registering a group of 30, be sure to select 30 tickets.
Please note: everyone must be pre-registered for this event by name. If a participant arrives who has not been registered by name, they will not be able to attend the conference. For questions, please email Margaux Taffet at newmanforum@lumenchristi.org.

Conversion in the Modern Church: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil (Winter Monastery Visit)
2026-02-28 17:00 - 19:30 | The Monastery of the Holy Cross, 3111 South Aberdeen St. Chicago, IL 60608, Chicago, IL
REGISTER BELOW
5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Dinner Provided
This event is primarily designated for current University of Chicago students. This event is co-sponsored by the Calvert House. Please reach out to William Hurley (whurley@lumenchristi.org) with any questions.
Description:
Experience the silence, prayer, and chant with the monks at the Monastery of the Holy Cross. In addition to a taste of the contemplative life, join a conversation hosted by the Prior of the Monastery, Fr. Peter Funk. He will lead a discussion on “Conversion in the Modern World,” with a focus on “The Flesh.”
At the beginning of the Lenten fast, we will reflect on the second traditional enemy of the soul: the Flesh. Based on the writings of Saint John the of Cross, we will aim to gain insight on the ways in which the “flesh lusts against the soul,” and how to resist it.
Lumen Christi will coordinate rides to and from the monastery for those without transportation.
Schedule:

5:00 p.m. – Arrival
5:15 p.m. – Vespers
6:00 p.m. – Dinner (with reading)
6:20 p.m. – Silent Prayer
6:40 p.m. – Discussion
7:05 p.m. – End Discussion
7:15 p.m. – Compline
7:30 p.m. – End

Wisdom and the Tranquility of Order: Reflections on Popes Leo XIII and XIV – Ever Ancient, Ever New: The Sources of Pope Leo XIV | West Suburban Catholic Culture Series
2026-03-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Ruth Lake Country Club, 6200 South Madison Street, Hinsdale, IL
The West Suburban Catholic Culture Series

Ever Ancient, Ever New:
The Sources of Pope Leo XIV
REGISTER BELOW

March 18th:
Wisdom and the Tranquility of Order: Reflections on Popes Leo XIII and XIV
Schedule: 6:30 p.m. Drinks | 7:00 p.m. Dinner, Lecture, & Q&A | 8:30 p.m. End
LECTURE DESCRIPTION
In this lecture, Prof. Roniger will outline the historical context that instigated the development of modern Catholic social doctrine during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903). He will discuss some of Leo’s most important contributions to Magisterial teaching on social issues, contributions that illuminate perennial principles that transcend the circumstances prompting their articulation. He will focus on Leo’s presentation of the dignity of society in all its complementary forms – a social dignity based upon the truth of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ. Finally, he will briefly show how these principles have already been put to good use in the nascent pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.
Business casual attire encouraged. For questions, or if you would like to request a comped ticket as a priest, religious, or high school teacher, please email Margaux (Killackey) Taffet at mtaffet@lumenchristi.org.

Wonder at the Silence of God: Sin and the Mystery of the Divine Presence in Shūsaku Endō's Masterpiece
2026-03-19 13:00 - 16:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
1:00 p.m – 4:30 p.m. (Detailed Schedule Below)
This event is designated for current graduate & advanced undergraduate students and faculty from the University of Chicago & regional colleges and universities. Others interested in auditing should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org.
This project is made possible through the support of In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation and the generous support of our donors.
Description:
Shūsaku Endō’s novel Silence was published in Japanese in 1966 and translated into English in 1969, immediately generating acclaim and intense debate. The conversation surrounding the novel was reinvigorated a decade ago with the release of Martin Scorsese’s 2016 film adaptation. This most recent round of discussion was dominated by two opposing answers to the question: Was Fr. Rodrigues’s climactic action justified? Did he sin or simply do what Christian charity demanded?
In this master class, I will argue that neither side in the debate has it quite right because both sides are posing the wrong question. In order to make this argument, we will begin by asking the question: What is a question? What does it mean to ask the right question, and how is a good question related to philosophical and theological inquiry? After investigating the nature of a question, we will turn to the philosophy and theology of Robert Sokolowski, especially his articulation of the “Christian distinction,” which will enable us to pose the question that opens the door to the deepest dimensions of Endo’s novel. Finally, in light of Sokolowski’s recapitulation of fundamental metaphysical truths in the Catholic tradition, we will discuss what Endo’s novel might reveal to us about ourselves.
Syllabus:

Endō, Silence (at least p. 129-189 in the Johnston translation, Picador Modern Classics, 2016)
Aristotle, Metaphysics, VII.17, 1041a5-1041b35
Robert Sokolowski, “Creation and Christian Understanding.”
1 Kings 19

(Metaphysics & Sokolowski can be found here)
Schedule:

12:30pm – Optional Lunch
1:00pm – First Session
2:30pm – Break
2:45pm – Second Session
4:15pm – Close
4:30-m – Wine and Cheese Reception

Event Type:
Master Class
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a master class at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). A master class is a seminar in miniature, in which top scholars introduce students to a major figure or concept in the Catholic intellectual tradition. The two eighty-minute sessions contain a mixture of lecture, seminar discussion, and close reading. All participants are provided a copy of the text under consideration. Any student interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.

History of Monasticism
2026-03-31 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-07 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-14 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-21 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-28 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-05-05 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-05-12 18:00 - 19:30
REGISTER BELOW
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. | Dinner Provided
This event is designated for current University of Chicago graduate and undergraduate students. University of Chicago faculty and staff are also welcome to attend. Others interested in auditing should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org.
This project is made possible through the support of In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation and the generous support of our donors.
Description:
Monasticism is the form of religious life common to the Latin, Greek, Syriac, and Coptic churches. This course will examine its development from the age of the martyrs to the present and its perennial role within the Body of Christ. Of special interest will be the tensions between the solitary life and common life, flight from the world versus evangelization, and the way these tensions create opportunities for renewal. Also of interest is how monasticism adapts itself to new political situations: the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West, the advance of Islam, the French Revolution and Enlightenment and the prospects for monasticism in the 21st century.
Schedule:

March 31 – The Call of the Desert (1st-4th)
April 7 – Foundations of a New World (5th-7th)
April 14 – Vikings to the North, Saracens to the South (8th-10th)
April 21 – Shifts of Gravity: Cluny, Athos, and Monastic Reform (11th-13th)
April 28 – Cataclysms: The Fall of Constantinople and the Dissolution (14th-16th)
May 5 – The Age of Reason and Romantic Re-imaginings (17th-19th)
May 12 – Global Monasticism (19th-21st)

Series Description:
Non-Credit Course
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a Tuesday evening non-credit course at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). Survey-style lectures are held over a shared meal, with no advanced preparation required. These courses offer accessible introductions to key aspects of the Catholic intellectual tradition. All UChicago students, staff, and faculty members are welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.

What is a “Uni-versity”? Revisiting Newman’s “Idea of a University”
2026-04-01 15:00 - 16:30, 2026-04-08 15:00 - 16:30, 2026-04-15 15:00 - 16:30, 2026-04-22 15:00 - 16:30, 2026-04-29 15:00 - 16:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. | Refreshments Provided
This event is designated for current University of Chicago graduate and undergraduate students. University of Chicago faculty and staff are also welcome to attend. Others interested in auditing should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org. The book may be picked up any time during business hours from Gavin House.
Description:
The crisis of the university has been frequently remarked. Mortimer Adler, onetime University of Chicago professor, decades ago prophetically sounded the tocsin regarding the fragmentation of the modern university. Battles over core curricula, distribution of limited resources, and arguments over research and teaching priorities are all indications of the crisis. Perhaps the greatest threats to the university in our Űber-Tech culture are posed by S.T.E.M. and AI.
So what is a “uni-versity”? What is its purpose? What should be the goals of a university education? Spurred by the modern spiritual and cultural genius of John Henry Newman, we will read and discuss his “Idea of a University.” Several months ago, Newman was declared a “Doctor” of the Catholic Church in recognition of his personal holiness and mastery of the Christian tradition.
In the light of Newman’s insights, come share your experiences at the University of Chicago. What classes have especially impacted you? How have you become a different person? What are your existential desires and hopes?
Schedule:

April 1: Newman’s preface [pp. xxxvii-xlvii] and Discourses One and Two [pp.1-32]
April 8: Discourses Three and Four [pp. 32-74]
April 15: Discourses Five and Six [pp.74-114]
April 22: Discourses Seven and Eight [pp. 114-161]
April 29: Discourses Nine and Ten [pp.161-181]

Class materials are accessible via the class Google folder found here.
Series Description:
Reading Course
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a student-centered reading course at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading course is usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any student interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.

An Ordinary Life Well Lived: Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead
2026-04-01 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-08 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-15 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-22 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-29 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-05-06 18:00 - 19:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
6:00 – 7:30 | Dinner Provided
This event is designated for University of Chicago graduate students. Other students interested in attending should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org.
Description:
“Love is holy because it is like grace–the worthiness of its object is never really what matters.” – Marilynne Robinson, Gilead
Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead tells the story of Congregationalist minister John Ames, who, with the knowledge that the end of his life is near, decides to pen a testament to his seven-year old son, something for his son to keep close as he grows up without his father. Ames’ reflections are wide-ranging and probing: on faith and doubt, on fathers and sons, on forgiveness, and on return of an old friend’s prodigal child who threatens to disturb the peace Ames has made with his life. We’ll meet each week to discuss the novel and what Ames’ testament might teach us about love, grace, parenthood, and what it means to live well. In a world that prizes speed, spectacle, and novelty for its own sake, Gilead urges the opposite: attention, slowness, and fidelity to an ordinary life well lived. This, Marilynne Robinson says, “is an interesting planet. It deserves all the attention you can give it.” Join us each week as we do just that.
Schedule:

Week 1 (Wed. April 1)

Pg. 1–41

Week 2 (Wed. April 8)

Pg. 42–81

Week 3 (Wed. April 15)

Pg. 82–120

Week 4 (Wed. April 22)

Pg. 121–162

Week 5 (Wed. April 29)

Pg 162–206

Week 6 (Wed. May 6)

206–end.

Series Description:
Graduate Student Reading Group
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a number of student-led reading groups at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading groups are usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any graduate student interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.

The Master and Margarita
2026-04-02 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-09 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-16 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-23 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-30 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-05-07 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-05-14 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-05-21 19:00 - 20:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
Meets Weekly on Thursdays: April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21
7:00 – 8:30 (the time has changed) | Dinner Provided
This event is designated for University of Chicago undergraduate students. Students will receive a copy of the texts. You may pick up your copy any time during business hours from Gavin House. Please reach out to William Hurley for any questions (whurley@lumenchristi.org).
A city whose citizens refused to believe in the existence of Jesus, God or Satan. A certain Satan who arrived in this city—Moscow—with his retinue, on a hot spring day. A nameless writer pilloried by his novel on Pontius Pilate and his fiery lover who was willing to do anything to save him, including going to literal hell. A mental facility. A talking black cat who cheated in chess and loved kerosene. The cruel fifth procurator of Judea, the knight Pontius Pilate.
A culmination of religious and political satire, warm humor, and surreal imagination, Mikhail Bulgakov’s masterpiece was at the same time ardent and deeply philosophical.
Our weekly dinnertime reading group will freely discuss the text in an enriching and inclusive communal setting. In our final session on Week 9, Professor Caryl Emerson from Princeton University will join us to answer questions and wrap up important themes of the book.
For each week, there will be 30-40 pages of required reading, and 10-20 pages of optional reading. Our conversation will focus on the required readings. At the end of each session, I will briefly go over the plot in the optional chapters so that we are on the same page. With that said, Bulgakov should be a light and delightful read, and I encourage everyone to do the optional chapters too. The questions and fragmented bullet points, as seen below, are guidelines that may prompt conversation but we definitely don’t have to adhere to them. Note that although they are generalized and willfully opaque, they still contain mild spoilers.
Copies of The Master and Margarita will be provided to all participants. Weekly meetings are held over dinner. Weekly reading assignments are kept at or below 30 pages.
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a number of student-led reading groups at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading groups are usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any undergraduate interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.
Schedule:

April 2

Book One, Ch. 1-3 (p. 3-41)
Optional: Ch. 4-6 (p. 42-67)

April 9

Book One, Ch. 7-9 (p. 68-94)
Optional: Ch. 10 (p. 95-104)

April 16

Book One, Ch. 11-13 (p. 105-139)
Optional: Ch. 14 (p. 140-147)

April 23

Book One, Ch. 15-16 (p. 148-170)
Book One, Ch. 18 (p. 183-201)
Optional: Ch. 17 (p. 171-182)

April 30

Book Two, Ch. 19-22 (p. 205-246)

May 7

Book Two, Ch. 23-24 (p. 247-282)
Optional: Ch. 25 (p. 283-292)

May 14

Book Two, Ch. 26-27 (p. 293-326)
Optional: Ch. 28 (p. 327-337)

May 21

Book Two, Ch. 29-30 (p. 338-353)
Book Two, Ch. 32-Epilogue (p. 363-373)
Optional: Ch. 31 (p. 354-356)

Series Description:
Undergraduate Reading Group
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a number of student-led reading groups at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading groups are usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any undergraduate interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.

The Cloud of Unknowing
2026-04-06 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-13 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-20 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-27 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-05-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. | Dinner Provided
This event is designated for University of Chicago undergraduate students. Students will receive a copy of the text. You may pick up your copy any time during business hours from Gavin House. Other students interested in attending should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org.
Description:
The Cloud of Unknowing, a gem of English mysticism, is both a guide and a warning to the spiritual seeker. Written anonymously in the 14th century, the Cloud troubles the relation between man and God, making spirituality an antidote to the secular world and despair the path towards glimpses of enlightenment. Through the Cloud and the writings of contemporary thinkers and mystics, we will explore the spiritual lives of medieval laity and differing conceptions of the contemplative life.
Schedule:

April 6th: Introduction, What is Spiritual Life?

Exhortation, Chs. 1-6

April 13th: The Contemplative Life

Chs. 7-24

April 20th: The Work of the Soul

Chs. 25-46

April 27th: Perfection of the Soul

Chs. 46-60

May 4th: Conclusion, Practical Considerations

Chs. 61-75, Book of Privy Counseling

Optional Readings: Group Folder
Series Description:
Undergraduate Reading Group
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a number of student-led reading groups at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading groups are usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any undergraduate interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.

Developing a Catholic Social Vision for the Modern World: A Century of Church Teaching – Ever Ancient, Ever New: The Sources of Pope Leo XIV | West Suburban Catholic Culture Series
2026-04-08 18:30 - 20:30 | Ruth Lake Country Club, 6200 South Madison Street, Hinsdale, IL
The West Suburban Catholic Culture Series

Ever Ancient, Ever New:
The Sources of Pope Leo XIV
REGISTER BELOW

April 8:
Developing a Catholic Social Vision for the Modern World:
A Century of Church Teaching

Schedule: 6:30 p.m. Drinks | 7:00 p.m. Dinner, Lecture, & Q&A | 8:30 p.m. End
LECTURE DESCRIPTION
Our April speaker, David Cloutier, will trace the development of Catholic social teaching (CST) from Rerum Novarum through Quadragesimo Anno to Centesimus Annus and beyond. Through many papacies and much change in the world, CST develops a unique and distinctive social vision that speaks to both the hopes and the perils of the contemporary world.
Business casual attire encouraged. For questions, or if you would like to request a comped ticket as a priest, religious, or high school teacher, please email Margaux (Killackey) Taffet at mtaffet@lumenchristi.org.

Greek New Testament (Spring)
2026-04-09 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-04-17 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-04-24 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-05-01 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-05-08 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-05-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Refreshments Provided
This event is designated for current University of Chicago graduate and undergraduate students. University of Chicago faculty and staff are also welcome to attend. Others interested in auditing should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org. Students will receive a copy of the texts.
“In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” This dramatic opening salvo of the Letter to the Hebrews, summarizing salvation history, is one of the most famous and consequential one-liners in the New Testament. But who is this Son? How is he “appointed heir of all things”? What is the relationship between God’s message through him and His message through the prophets? In this reading group, we will examine, through careful study of the Koine Greek text, how the Letter to the Hebrews answers these questions and more, with an eye to the authorship, audience, and genre of this mysterious text. All levels of Greek proficiency are encouraged to join. Advance preparation is recommended but not required.
Schedule:

April 9*: Hebrews 10.1–18 (Christ’s Sacrifice)

April 17: Hebrews 10.19–39 (Exhortation to Persevere)

April 24: Hebrews 11.1–22 (Examples of Faith Part I)

May 1: Hebrews 11.23–40 (Examples of Faith Part 2)

May 8: Hebrews 12

May 15: Hebrews 13

*The first session takes place at the normal time but on Thursday.
Series Description:
Language Reading Group
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts at least one classical language reading group at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). The reading groups are usually held over a shared meal and all participants are provided a copy of the text. Any student interested in working on his or her classical languages is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.

Faculty Colloquium with Bernard McGinn on In the Eagle’s Wake
2026-04-10 09:00 - 12:30 | University of Chicago, 5801 S Ellis Ave Chicago, IL 60637, Hyde Park, IL
This event is by invitation only. For more information contact Geoffrey Zokal gzokal@lumenchristi.org
The Lumen Christi Institute will host a faculty colloquium in honor of the prolific work of Bernard McGinn (University of Chicago) and to discuss his new book In the Eagle’s Wake. The half‑day colloquium offers an opportunity both to engage with an important recent contribution to scholarship and to honor McGinn’s long and illustrious career.
A complementary book will be provided in advance to all participants to facilitate preparation for the colloquium.
Initial remarks will be given at the outset of each session by Kevin Hart (Duke University) and David Albertson (University of Southern California), followed by responses from Professor McGinn. Engaged participant conversation will be moderated by Erin Walsh (University of Chicago) in each session.
Following the event, a lunch will be served in honor of Dr. McGinn.
This event is co-sponsored by the University of Chicago Divinity School and Crossroads Publishing.

On Learned Ignorance: Nicolas of Cusa and the Wonder of the Cosmos
2026-04-10 14:00 - 17:00 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
2:00-5:00 (Detailed Schedule Below) | Refreshments Provided
This event is designated for current graduate & advanced undergraduate students and faculty from the University of Chicago & regional colleges and universities. Others interested in auditing should contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org.
This project is made possible through the support of In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation and the generous support of our donors.
Description:
Is measuring the natural world a secular activity, or does wonder enliven faith in the mystery of God? Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464) was a reformist cardinal who wrote profound treatises in mystical theology in his spare time. He is arguably the most brilliant Christian thinker of the fifteenth century. For Nicholas, engaging in natural science not only deepens wonder at the cosmos and Creator, but spurs one to find God in the limits of human knowing. Mathematical thinking leads directly to theology. We will explore key passages in De docta ignorantia (1440) and De visione dei (1453) that continue to draw the attention of philosophers and theologians today.
Readings: (all from CWS book; I might bring an extra one-page handout with selected paragraphs from later works)

On Learned Ignorance, Book I (I.1-4, I.11-I.17, I.24-26), pp. 87-92, 100-110, 121-127 (21 pages)
On Learned Ignorance, Book II (II.1-3, II.13), pp. 127-137, 166-169 (13 pages)
On Learned Ignorance, Book III (III.1-4), pp. 169-180 (11 pages)
Optional: On the Vision of God: Preface, Chs. 1-6, Ch. 15 (pp. 235-245, 262-265) (13 pages)

Schedule:

1:30pm – Optional Coffee and Pastries
2:00pm – Session I begins
3:20pm – Break
3:40pm – Session II begins
5:00pm – End / Wine & Cheese Reception

Event Type:
Master Class
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts a master class at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). A master class is a seminar in miniature, in which top scholars introduce students to a major figure or concept in the Catholic intellectual tradition. The two eighty-minute sessions contain a mixture of lecture, seminar discussion, and close reading. All participants are provided a copy of the text under consideration. Any student interested in a shared reading of a great text is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.

What Does Empathy Require? Maximilian Kolbe and Triumph of the Heart
2026-04-17 18:00 - 21:00 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
6:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Dinner Served
This event is designated for current University of Chicago graduate and undergraduate students. Please contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org with any questions.
Description:
Triumph of the Heart tells the story of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan priest who volunteered to take the place of another prisoner in the starvation bunker at Auschwitz. Set in one of the darkest moments of the twentieth century, the film invites viewers to reflect on how compassion and solidarity can appear even in extreme suffering. This screening will explore the idea of empathy not as a simple feeling, but as a difficult and sometimes demanding choice in how we relate to others. Before the film, there will be a brief introduction, and afterward we will gather for dessert and refreshments to discuss several scenes and the themes they raise about empathy, solidarity, and human dignity. Pizza dinner will be provided beforehand, and all are welcome to join the conversation.
Each quarter, the Lumen Christi Institute hosts student-led events at Gavin House (1220 E 58th St.). These events are usually held over a shared meal. Any undergraduate interested in a shared discussion of an interesting film is welcome to join. No religious affiliation is necessary.
Schedule:

6:00 – 6:30 | Dinner
6:30 – 8:30 | Film Showing
8:30 – 9:00 | Post Film Discussion

The Turn to Tradition in American Law and Culture
2026-04-22 17:00 - 19:30 | Jenner & Block, 45th Floor, 353 N Clark St, Chicago, IL, 60654, United States
The Turn to Tradition in American Law and Culture
a panel discussion
Jenner & Block Law Offices (353 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654)
Wednesday, April 22
CLE Credit: Attorneys may receive one hour of general CLE meeting credit for attending the entire program. To attain credit, please sign up with your full name, email, and ARDC number at the registration table.

Individual tickets – $75 | Host Committee – $600 (includes 6 tickets) | A limited number of complimentary tickets are reserved for current students. Contact Margaux Taffet (mtaffet@lumenchristi.org) for more info.
5:00pm Cocktail and Hors d’Oeuvres | 6:00 Dialogue and Q&A | 7:30 End
Register Below
This American moment is one of alienation and dislocation. In personal relations, an “epidemic of loneliness” has emerged as in-person friendships dwindle. Politically and morally, what once seemed to be long-held convictions seem suddenly up for debate. Is there still a “We the People,” as the Constitution attests? Does anything still hold this people together?
It is at this moment that “tradition” has made a return. Whether in reference to legal interpretation, moral frameworks, or even the person-to-person connections that bind one to another, tradition is having a moment. From the New York Times to the Supreme Court to the Hallmark Christmas movie, tradition is now being presented as a cure for what ails us.
But what is tradition? Is it something that ought to be overcome or stewarded? Is it something static, or can it develop? What status should long-held traditions hold in the interpretation of the law? What legal status do religious traditions have, and what can development in religious tradition tell us about development of legal tradition?
In this conversation among cutting edge legal and philosophical minds, Marc DeGirolami will lay out some major themes of his new book The Constitution of Practice: On Law and Tradition. Richard W. Garnett and Jennifer Newsome Martin will join him in conversation on the nature of tradition, law, and religion.
This event is co-sponsored by the Catholic Lawyers Guild, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers, and Jenner & Block Law Office.

What Does Virtue Have to Do with the Law?
2026-04-23 18:00 - 19:45 | University of Chicago Law School, Room I, 1111 E 60th St, Chicago, 60637, United States
REGISTER BELOW
*Note: The time has moved from 5:30 to starting at 6:00 p.m. and is in Room I of the University of Chicago Law School
6:00 – Symposium | 7:30 – 7:45 Q & A | 7:45 Wine & Cheese Reception
This event is primarily intended for current University of Chicago students, faculty, and staff. It is open to the general public. Please contact William Hurley (whurley@lumenchristi.org) for any questions.
This project is made possible through the support of In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation and the generous support of our donors.
The University of Chicago chapter of the St. Thomas More Society is co-sponsoring this event.
The University of Chicago Law School Federalist Society is co-sponsoring this event.

Description:
The American experiment depends on the people holding something in common. But what was once taken for granted is now up for debate, as all sorts of norms and established beliefs are under attack.
Is this the result of an improper intrusion of politics and morality into the legal realm? Should the law aspire to be morally naked? Or does the law depend upon a particular set of moral and political virtues?
What makes for a good constitutional judge? Are personal and professional virtues necessary to good judgment? Or do they inhibit it?
Is thinking in these terms helpful to address alienation, lack of trust, and institutional collapse? Or does it distract from the real issue?
In this spirited conversation, law faculty from a number of philosophical positions will come together to discuss the relationship between law, politics, tradition, and virtue.
Schedule:
Room I of the University of Chicago Law School

6:00pm – Event Begins – Garnett Frames and Opens with Question
6:05pm – 6:20pm – DeGirolami Response
6:20pm – 6:30pm – Miller Response
6:35 pm – 6:45pm – Pacold Response
6:50 pm – 7:00pm – Bray Response
7:00pm – 7:30pm – Moderated Conversation
7:30pm – 7:45pm – Audience Q&A
7:45pm – End + Wine and Cheese Reception

Being Human in the Digital Age: A Discussion
2026-04-24 14:00 - 15:30
The dominance of technology in our lives and the precipitous rise of artificial intelligence in the last few years has raised profound questions. We are being asked to think more deeply about what it means to be human, how we should (and whether we can) live with our creations, and what kind of life we can share together. How should we understand these new technologies? How does our use of digital technology form us? Is it changing society in fundamental ways? How should we think about the religious aspirations and dimensions of this new technology? In this webinar, professor of theology Jared Ortiz will interview philosopher Anton Barba-Kay about his new book, A Web of Our Own Making: The Nature of Digital Formation.
This event is being cosponsored by the COLLIS Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture, the Saint Benedict Institute, Fons Vitae at Duke Divinity School, the Kateri Institute, the Harvard Catholic Forum, and the St. Kateri Institute.
To register for the event please click here.
For more information contact Geoffrey Zokal at gzokal@lumenchristi.org
This projects is made possible through the support of In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation and the generous support of our donors.

Conversion In The Modern Church: The World, The Flesh, and The Devil (Spring Monastery Visit)
2026-04-25 17:00 - 19:30 | The Monastery of the Holy Cross, 3111 South Aberdeen St. Chicago, IL 60608, Chicago, IL
REGISTER BELOW
5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Dinner Provided
This event is primarily designated for current University of Chicago students. This event is co-sponsored by the Calvert House. Please reach out to William Hurley (whurley@lumenchristi.org) with any questions.
Description:
Experience silence, prayer, and chant with the monks at the Monastery of the Holy Cross. In addition to a taste of the contemplative life, join a conversation hosted by the Prior of the Monastery, Fr. Peter Funk, OSB. He will lead a discussion on “Conversion in the Modern World,” with a focus on “The Devil.”
In the wake of Christ’s victory over death and hell, we will reflect on the third traditional enemy of the soul: the Devil. Based on the writings of Saint John the of Cross, we will aim to gain insight on the art of spiritual warfare at the subtle level of thoughts and temptations.
Lumen Christi will coordinate rides to and from the monastery for those without transportation.
Schedule:

5:00 p.m. – Arrival
5:15 p.m. – Vespers
6:00 p.m. – Dinner (with reading)
6:20 p.m. – Silent Prayer
6:40 p.m. – Discussion
7:05 p.m. – End Discussion
7:15 p.m. – Compline
7:30 p.m. – End

Chicago Criminal Justice Reform Network Dialogue
2026-05-04 17:00 - 20:30 | St. Ignatius High School, 1076 Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL, United States
The Catholic Criminal Justice Reform Network (CCJRN), an initiative of the Lumen Christi Institute, will host an invite only evening dialogue with dinner in Tully Hall at Saint Ignatius High School to bring together those responsible for our criminal justice system and those most directly impacted by it: survivors of crime and returning citizens. The program will open with an (optional) Mass at the Church of the Holy Family at St. Ignatius.
The event will feature a panel of key players from the criminal justice system, and be followed by round table conversations. The roundtable conversations enable encounters among those who play key roles in our criminal justice system (including prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, corrections officials, and law enforcement) with those persons impacted by the criminal justice system (including the formerly incarcerated, victims of crime, and their families).
For more information contact Geoffrey Zokal at gzokal@lumenchristi.org

AI, The Future of Work, And Pope Leo's First Encyclical: What Magnifica Humanitas Might Say – Ever Ancient, Ever New: The Sources of Pope Leo XIV | West Suburban Catholic Culture Series
2026-05-13 18:30 - 20:30 | Ruth Lake Country Club, 6200 South Madison Street, Hinsdale, IL
The West Suburban Catholic Culture Series

Ever Ancient, Ever New:
The Sources of Pope Leo XIV
REGISTER BELOW

May 13th:
AI, The Future of Work, And Pope Leo’s First Encyclical: What Magnifica Humanitas Might Say
Schedule: 6:30 p.m. Drinks | 7:00 p.m. Dinner, Lecture, & Q&A | 8:30 p.m. End
LECTURE DESCRIPTION
Pope Leo XIV has already spoken movingly about the isolation and stress, especially for the young, of modern life. In a different format from our normal lecture, philosophers Joe Vukov and Mike Murphy will dialogue as they consider the prospects for the future as the Church confronts challenges such as social media, cyberreality and artificial intelligence.
Business casual attire encouraged. For questions, or if you would like to request a comped ticket as a priest, religious, or high school teacher, please email Margaux (Killackey) Taffet at mtaffet@lumenchristi.org.

Faith, Family, Football: a Conversation with Patrick McCaskey
2026-05-14 12:00 - 13:30 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
(Open to Business and Law Students at the University of Chicago Only)
12:00-1:15pm | Lunch Provided
This event is designated only for students of Business or Law at the University of Chicago. This event is co-sponsored by the Calvert House and Catholics at Booth. Please reach out to Margaux Taffet (MTaffet@lumenchristi.org) with any questions.
Description:
Join Patrick McCaskey, Vice President for Special Projects and Board Member of the Chicago Bears football team, at the Lumen Christi Institute, as he reflects on the interweave between faith and work for his fascinating career and history with the Chicago Bears.
Schedule:

12:00pm – Rosary (optional)
12:20pm – Lunch is served
12:25pm – Patrick McCaskey presentation
12:55pm – Conversation/ Q&A
1:15pm – Conclusion

Friends of LCI Bowling Night
2026-05-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Seven Ten Social, 1055 E 55th St., Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
REGISTER BELOW
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Seven Ten Social
This event is designated for current University of Chicago graduate and undergraduate students. Please email William Hurley (whurley@lumenchristi.org) with any questions.
Description:
Join us for an evening of fellowship and fun at the Seven Ten Social, where Lumen Christi will be hosting a group bowling outing on Wednesday, May 20. This event is open to undergraduate and graduate students. Light food and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. All attendees should plan to meet at Seven Ten Social. Hope to see you there!

The Lion and the Lute: Music at the Court of Leo X (Wilmette)
2026-05-21 17:30 - 19:30 | Loyola Academy Chapel, 1100 Laramie Avenue, Wilmette, 60091, United States
REGISTER BELOW
This event is open to the general public.
Wine & Cheese Reception | Concert | Compline

Please email Margaux Taffet (mtaffet@lumenchristi.org) with any questions.
This event is co-sponsored by Schola Antiqua.

Elected pope at thirty-seven, Giovanni de’ Medici – Leo X (r. 1513-1521) – presided over one of the most resplendent courts of worship and art in the Renaissance. His reputation as a champion of sacred music reached far beyond Rome, prompting composers and court across Europe to prepare works and volumes of music in his honor. This program brings together magnificent choral music heard in the pope’s presence and music offered to him from afar, from radiant sacred polyphony to the intimate lute artistry of Francesco da Milano, evoking the sacred beauty that animated his brief but consequential papacy.
Join us for a wine & cheese reception, and a concert featuring Schola Antiqua in the chapel of Loyola Academy.
A Friday concert will also be held at the University of Chicago, more information can be found here.

Schedule:
5:00pm Wine & Cheese Reception
5:30pm Concert
7:20pm Compline
7:30pm End

The Lion and The Lute: Music at the Court of Leo X (University of Chicago)
2026-05-22 17:30 - 19:30 | Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, 5850 S Woodlawn Ave. Chicago, IL 60637, Hyde Park, IL
REGISTER BELOW
Pre-Show Conversation | Concert
(Details Below)
This event is open to the general public. Please email William Hurley (whurley@lumenchristi.org) with any questions.
Note: The previously advertised Mass after the concert has been canceled.
This project is made possible through the support of In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation and the generous support of our donors.
This event is co-sponsored by Schola Antiqua.

Description:
In honor of the election of Pope Leo XIV, the Lumen Christi Institute will host two sacred music concerts on May 21 and 22. The Schola Antiqua will sing the music of one of the pope’s Leonine forebearers, Pope Leo X, the great patron of the arts.
Elected pope at thirty-seven, Giovanni de’ Medici – Leo X (r. 1513-1521) – presided over one of the most resplendent courts of worship and art in the Renaissance. His reputation as a champion of sacred music reached far beyond Rome, prompting composers and courts across Europe to prepare works and volumes of music in his honor.
This program brings together magnificent choral music heard in the pope’s presence and music offered to him from afar, from radiant sacred polyphony to the intimate lute artistry of Francesco da Milano, evoking the sacred beauty that animated his brief but consequential papacy.
This concert will be preceded by a short conversation featuring Ada Palmer (University of Chicago), Fr. Nathan Ford, SJC (St. John Cantius), and Michael Anderson (Schola Antiqua) on the nature of sacred music and the legacy of Leo X.
There will also be a concert at Loyola Academy on Thursday, please click here for more details.
Schedule:

5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Pre-Show Conversation with Michael Anderson, Ada Palmer, and Fr. Nathan Ford, SJC
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Concert

The Vocation of the Patristic Theologian
2026-05-23 16:30 - 18:30 | Lewis Towers, Loyola University of Chicago Water Tower Campus, 111 E Pearson St, Chicago, 60611, United States
This event is open to graduate students and faculty. For more information and to receive the registration link contact gzokal@lumenchristi.org
This forum invites graduate students and scholars to reflect on the vocation of the patristic theologian and its relationship to contemporary theological studies, the academy, and church today. A panel of senior faculty and early career scholars will speak on this topic in order to provide perspectives from those at every stage of their scholarly career. The discussion will be moderated by Fr. Matthew Dunch of Loyola University Chicago.
This reception and forum, following the annual meeting of the North American Patristics Society, is co-organized by the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University of Chicago, The Lumen Christi Institute, and the Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies.

Spring Social
2026-05-29 12:30 - 15:00 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
REGISTER BELOW
12:30-3:00 p.m. | Lunch Provided
*Note: The start time has been changed from noon to 12:30
Students, faculty, and staff of the University of Chicago are welcome to attend. Spouses and children are welcome (and encouraged) to join, too. Please contact William Hurley at whurley@lumenchristi.org with any questions.
Description:
Join us to celebrate the end of the school year and the beginning of summer! We will have barbeque, fellowship, and s’mores.
The first thirty students to arrive get a Lumen Christi t-shirt!

The Mystery of Christ from Chalcedon to Maximus
2026-06-14 - 2026-06-20 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
Apply here
The Mystery of Christ from Chalcedon to Maximus
Please note that this Seminar will now take place at the University of Chicago!
This seminar will offer a contextual study of doctrine of the person of Jesus, beginning with the council of Chalcedon and culminating in Maximus the Confessor. This period is determinative for Christian thought on Christ for subsequent centuries and maps a complex interrelation between philosophy, politics, scriptural exegesis, and the accrued weight of prior Christian tradition. Students will be exposed to a wide range of texts and equipped to teach them effectively in the classroom.
Lewis Ayres, Angelicum University/Durham University
Paul Blowers, Milligan University
Fr. Andrew Summerson, Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies
Co-presented with the Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies at the University of St. Michael’s College.

There are no tuition costs for the seminar and all course materials are provided. Lodging and most meals will be provided. Students will be responsible for some meals on their own.
After completion of the seminar, participants will receive a travel reimbursement of up to $350 to offset travel expenses.
Participants will arrive on Sunday, June 14 and depart on Saturday, June 20.
Fifteen applicants will be admitted to the seminar.

Working knowledge of relevant ancient languages will be helpful, but not essential. Preference will be given to Ph.D. students in theology, philosophy, classics, and other relevant fields of study. Advanced M.A. students will also be considered.
There will be two sessions each day in the morning and in the afternoon. Each session will include lectures and seminar-style discussions. Students will be expected to prepare the readings carefully and participate in the discussions of the material.
The application deadline is February 2, 2026.
Contact us with any questions at seminars@lumenchristi.org.

Glimpses of Wonder: Epiphanies of Beauty in the Midst of Technological Change
2026-06-14 - 2026-06-20 | Duke University, Chapel Drive Durham , NC 27708, Durham, NC
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Glimpses of Wonder: Epiphanies of Beauty in the Midst of Technological Change
Cosponsored by the Society of Catholic Scientists.
Eugene Wigner, a winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1963, was not only a celebrated scientist but also defended the “unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics” in aesthetic terms. The beauty of the natural realm and the capacity of mathematical reason not only to measure the world but to see beyond its own finitude and look for a whole in the midst of parts is both mysterious and ubiquitous. In times of technological change, those parts move at an accelerated pace. True human flourishing is not necessarily about slowing down or accelerating the advance of progress as finding a new measure that allows one to see epiphanies of beauty and learn from them about oneself, the world, and the creator of the beauty of the world.
The point of this seminar will be to compare ancient visions of the wonder and beauty of creation, above all in the Augustinian and Franciscan intellectual tradition, with the challenges of technological revolutions, medieval and modern. The idea of the mechanical arts predates Newtonian mechanism and is already a theme in 13th century Paris, as can be found in distinct realms of technological advancement ranging from the motion of mechanical clocks to the engineering of the Gothic cathedral. The point is not to vindicate ancients, moderns, or contemporaries but to create a fruitful dialogue between ancient grammars of wonder and the intellectual, moral, spiritual, and everyday challenges that arise in the midst of rapid and accelerating technological change.
In order to give a foretaste for the summer seminar, Lumen Christi will offer a virtual masterclass on related themes, to be held on January 23, 2026 for graduate students from any university or discipline. The program is entitled “Glimpses of Wonder: Faith, Reason, and Technology in the University Today” and will be led by the seminar organizers, Peter Casarella and Sr. Damien Marie Savino. Click here for more information and registration.
Instructor: Sr. Damien Marie Savino, FSE, Ph.D., University of Notre Dame,
author of Learning the Language of Creation: Catholic Social Teaching and Integral Ecology, forthcoming in the spring of 2026 with Liturgical Press.
Other presenters from Duke:
Peter Casarella,
author of The Song of Creation: Saint Bonaventure’s Franciscan Pilgrimage into God, forthcoming, Word on Fire Academic.
Matthew Whelan, author of Christianity and Agroecology, Cambridge UP, 2025.
Norman Wirzba, author of Love’s Braided Dance, Yale UP, 2024.
Reinhard Huetter, Duke Divinity School and International Theological Commission
Kevin Hart, author of Lands of Likeness: For a Poetics of Contemplation. Chicago, 2023.
LOCATION AND FORMAT:
The seminar will take place at Duke University in Durham, NC. Admitted students will be required to arrange their own travel to and from the seminar.
Admitted students will be granted a stipend of $350 to offset travel costs in addition to having their lodging and meals covered for the duration of the seminar.
Participants will arrive in Durham, NC on Sunday, June 14 and depart on Saturday, June 20. The seminar will take place from Monday to Friday, with a lecture and discussion session each morning and afternoon.
Participants will be required to read the assigned materials in preparation for the seminar.
In order to receive the $350 stipend, students must participate fully in all seminar activities and complete a survey at the end of the seminar.
Open to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in STEM fields, medicine, the history of science, philosophy, theology, and relevant fields.
Applicants must submit an online application, including details on their course of study, a statement of interest, and a letter of recommendation.
15 applicants will be admitted to the seminar.
This project is made possible through the support of In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation and the generous support of our donors.

The Application Deadline is February 2, 2026.
Contact us with any questions at seminars@lumenchristi.org.

Catholic Social Thought in Business Education
2026-06-16 - 2026-06-19 | Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20064, Washington, DC
Apply here
We are pleased to announce the sixth annual seminar on “Business and Catholic Social Thought: A Primer.” During the seminar, graduate students and faculty members in business schools will cover foundational principles in Catholic social thought and apply them to their own field of research and teaching. This seminar aims at widening epistemological preconceptions and showing practical implications of Catholic social thought for business in a way that affirms the goodness of business directed toward the common good. Participants will delve into social encyclicals, secondary sources, and relevant business texts that show the path for principled entrepreneurship in order to gain knowledge, exchange experiences, receive help with their syllabi and consider how best to integrate Catholic social thought into business education.
The seminar is co-sponsored by the Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Business, the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame; the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America; the Lumen Christi Institute; and the Markets, Culture and Ethics Research Centre at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome.

Location:
The seminar will take place at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. between Tuesday June 16 (day of Arrival) and Friday June 19 (Departure after lunch).

A limited number of travel grants are available to all admitted applicants.

To apply for financial assistance, please complete and submit the attached request for funds to murphyinstit@stthomas.edu by April 27, 2026 – Click for the Attachment

There are no tuition/registration costs to attend the seminar. All participants will be provided with accommodations and meals.

Application Information

This seminar will be open to graduate students and faculty of any specialization in business schools.

Applicants will be required to submit a completed online application, including:

An updated CV/resume.
A brief statement of research interest related to Catholic social thought no longer than 750 words.
All application materials can be submitted via the online application interface. Fifteen participants will be admitted to this seminar.

Application materials are due March 2, 2026.

This seminar will be led by:

David Cloutier, University of Notre Dame

Msgr. Martin Schlag, University of St. Thomas
Nicholas Schmitz, The Catholic University of America

Andreas Widmer, The Catholic University of America

"Judgment in Rome: Art and Papal Teaching from John Paul II to Leo XIV."
2026-06-21 - 2026-06-25 | Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, Piazza Santa Apollinare, 49, 00186 Roma, Italy, Rome, Italy
We are pleased to announce the inaugural summer seminar on Law in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, “Judgment in Rome: Art & Papal Teaching from John Paul II to Leo XIV.” During the seminar, participants will engage in seminar discussions on papal teachings (writings, speeches, etc.) from Pope St. John Paul II to Pope Leo XIV on the topics of law, justice, judgment, and related matters. Attendees will also encounter artistic works located throughout Rome that address the theme of judgment. Participants will be provided with a curated reader of papal teachings on seminar topics. One goal of the seminar is to equip participants to better incorporate Catholic teaching on judgment and jurisprudence into their teaching, scholarship, and service to the academic community and to the legal profession.
The seminar is co-organized by: The Center for The Constitution and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, the Eleanor H. McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy at Villanova University, the Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, The Catholic Criminal Justice Reform Network at the Lumen Christi Institute, and Notre Dame Law School.
Location: The seminar sessions will take place in Rome, with seminars held at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and the Augustinianum, and artistic site visits taking place across Rome.
Participants will arrive on Sunday, June 21 and depart on Thursday, June 25.

All participants will be provided with accommodations and most meals as well as travel stipends of $750

The seminar is by invitation only.

Elisabeth Lev – Duquesne University/University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum)
Scott Roniger – Loyola Marymount University
Fr. Petar Popović – Pontificial University of the Holy Cross
Ralf van Bühren – Pontificial University of the Holy Cross

The Thought of René Girard
2026-07-02 - 2026-07-08 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
Apply here
The Thought of René Girard
For Undergraduate Students.
One of the most influential 20th century Catholic thinkers, René Girard transformed our understanding of culture, religion, and human behavior. His “mimetic theory” builds on the demystifying power of the Old and New Testaments to illuminate the religious history of mankind. Through an intensive reading of his more accessible works, in conjunction with the fiction of the greatest writers, this five-day seminar for undergraduate students will explore Girard’s key insights into imitation, conflict, and scapegoating, connecting them to central themes of Christian theology.

Location and Format:
This seminar will be held at Gavin House in Chicago, Illinois.
Participants will arrive on Thursday, July 2 and depart on Wednesday, July 8.
The seminar will comprise of two 2.5-hour sessions each day (with only afternoon sessions on Sunday). Each session will have a seminar-style discussion of the text and the issues at hand. Students will be expected to prepare the readings carefully, submit study questions in advance, and participate actively in each session. The seminar will also include optional excursions within Chicago.
Admitted students will be granted a stipend of $350 to offset travel costs in addition to having their lodging and meals covered for the duration of the seminar.
Application Information:
This seminar is open to all undergraduate students (including 2026 graduates) interested in understanding the thought of one of the great modern Christian apologists. Applicants must be 18 by the time of the seminar.
Applicants will be required to submit an online application form including:
A list of completed coursework.
At least one and as many as two letter(s) of recommendation from a professor at the school in which the student is currently enrolled.
A statement of interest no longer than 750 words, which includes an explanation of how this seminar might bear on the student’s current intellectual interests.
All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Fifteen applicants will be admitted to this seminar.
Application Deadline is February 2, 2026.

The Thought of John Henry Newman
2026-07-19 - 2026-07-25 | The National Institute of Newman Studies, 211 N. Dithridge St., Pittsburgh, PA, PA 15213, United States
Apply here
National Institute of Newman Studies, Pittsburgh, PA
Fr. Stephen Fields, SJ, Georgetown University
Staff of the National Institute for Newman Studies
Now in its twelfth year, this intensive seminar will examine the achievements of Saint John Henry Newman as a theologian, philosopher, educator, preacher, and writer. Remarkably, in each of these areas Newman produced works that have come to be recognized as classics: An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, The Grammar of Assent, The Idea of a University, and the Apologia Pro Vita Sua. This seminar will approach Newman’s thought through a critical engagement with these texts.
Students will also be introduced to the work and digital Humanities’s tools of the National Institute for Newman Studies.
This seminar is cosponsored by the National Institute of Newman Studies (NINS).
LOCATION AND FORMAT:
The seminar will be held at the National Institute of Newman Studies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
There are no tuition costs for the seminar and all course materials are provided. Lodging and most meals will be provided.
After completion of the seminar, participants will receive a travel reimbursement of up to $350 to offset travel expenses.
Participants will arrive on Sunday, July 19 and depart on Saturday, July 25.
Participants will be required to read the assigned texts in preparation for the seminar.
Fifteen applicants will be admitted to the seminar.
In order to give a foretaste for the summer seminar, Lumen Christi will offer a virtual masterclass on related themes, to be held on January 23, 2026 for graduate students from any university or discipline. The program is entitled “Glimpses of Wonder: Faith, Reason, and Technology in the University Today” and will be led by the seminar organizers, Peter Casarella and Sr. Damien Marie Savino. Click here for more information and registration.
QUALIFICATIONS AND APPLICATION:
This seminar is open to Ph.D. students in theology, philosophy, classics, and other relevant fields of study.

A completed online application form. An updated CV.
At least one and no more than two letter(s) of recommendation.
A statement of research interest no longer than 750 words, which includes an explanation of how this seminar might bear on the student’s current or future research plans.
One academic writing sample (30 pages maximum).
All application materials can be submitted via the online application.

THE APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 2, 2026.
Contact us with any questions at seminars@lumenchristi.org.

Economics and Catholic Social Thought: A Primer
2026-08-02 - 2026-08-05 | University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, Notre Dame, IN
Apply here
Now in its ninth year, this seminar is designed as an introduction and immersion into Catholic social thought for graduate students and (junior) faculty in economics, finance, or related fields. Participants will cover foundational principles in Catholic social thought, starting with the human person, dignity, freedom, subsidiarity, solidarity, and the common good, and moving toward applications of these principles to conceptual understandings and ethical considerations involving economic topics such as utility theory, firm and business ethics, wages, markets, globalization, poverty, and development. Participants will delve into social encyclicals, secondary sources, and relevant economics texts.
This seminar is sponsored by the Lumen Christi Institute; the Catholic Research Economists Discussion Organization; the De Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture; the Kellogg Institute for International Studies; and the the Institute for the Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, College of Arts and Letters, University of Notre Dame.
Format: There will be two sessions each day, featuring a different instructor. Each instructor will open with a lecture, and then we will turn to a seminar-style discussion of the texts and issues at hand. In the final sessions, we will discuss how the material can be applied to each student’s particular area of interest.
Location: The seminar will take place at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend.
Participants will arrive on August 2 and will depart on August 5.
There are no registration or tuition costs to the seminar.

All participants will be provided with accommodations and meals.
Partial travel reimbursement funds are available as awarded to offset travel costs.

Application Information: This seminar will be open to PhD students and faculty in economics, finance and related fields.
Applicants will be required to submit a completed online application form, including:
An updated CV.
A brief statement interest no longer than 750 words.
All application materials can be submitted via the online application.
Fifteen students will be admitted to this seminar.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the seminar is filled. For fullest consideration, apply by April 6, 2026
Please direct any further questions to seminars@lumenchristi.org

Catholic Social Thought: A Critical Investigation
2026-08-02 - 2026-08-08 | Gavin House, 1220 E 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637
Apply here
“The Lumen Christi Institute will host its second week-long seminar for recent PhDs interested in the Catholic intellectual tradition. In this seminar, participants will read, analyze, and discern continuities and discontinuities in Catholic social thought from the late 19th century to the present. Lectures, seminar reports, and discussion will focus on original sources (encyclicals and other magisterial documents), beginning with Rerum novarum (1892) and concluding with Caritas in veritate (2009) and Evangelii Gaudium (2013). This intensive course is multi-disciplinary, since this tradition of social thought overlaps several disciplines in the contemporary university including political science, political philosophy, law, economics, theology, and history. The seminar is an opportunity to meet 12 to 15 promising scholars working in different academic fields, all with interests tied to Catholicism.
This seminar is our 2026 annual postdoctoral/early career scholar seminar.
There are no seminar fees and reading materials are provided. LCI will cover accommodations and most meals. Additionally, participants travel expenses will be reimbursed up to $500.
Applicants must have received the Ph.D. no earlier than January 2022. Ph.D. candidates will be considered and must complete the Ph.D. by seminar (July 1, 2026).
The seminar will begin with Vespers, followed by a welcome dinner on Sunday, August 2 and conclude the evening of Friday, August 8.”
This project is made possible through the support of In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation and the generous support of our donors.

"From Ancient Wisdom to Person-Centered Care": Historical, Philosophical, and Theological Foundations of Healthcare
2026-08-04 - 2026-08-08 | Anselm House (University of Minnesota), 720 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, United States
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Anselm House & Lumen Christi Institute present:
“From Ancient Wisdom to Person-Centered Care”: Historical, Philosophical, and Theological Foundations of Healthcare”
August 4-August 8, 2026
At a time when many learners in the health sciences feel stretched thin, morally conflicted, or uncertain about who they are becoming, we have created a space for the hungry and the weary to slow down, ask deeper questions about the professions they are entering, and deepen their moral and spiritual perspectives as they seek purpose in the healing arts.
From Ancient Wisdom to Person-Centered Care is a 4.5-day immersive experience for graduate-level health sciences learners—especially medical and nursing students—who want time and space to reflect on the deeper meaning of medicine, faith, and vocation amid the realities of modern healthcare.
During the first 2.5 days, participants will gather around shared meals, interactive lectures, seminar-style discussions, and unhurried conversations with faculty to explore foundational texts from the Judeo-Christian tradition and its philosophical partners. Readings range from ancient Greek and Hebrew sources through figures such as Galen, Hildegard of Bingen, and Maimonides. Together, we will wrestle with enduring questions that continue to shape clinical practice today: What does it mean to care for the whole person? What is the clinician–patient relationship really for? How do calling, character, and conscience matter in healthcare? These questions will be explored in conversation with ancient wisdom and carried forward into contemporary contexts.
As the seminar unfolds, learners will also be introduced to modern philosophical and theological accounts of personhood, attending carefully to how the promise and pressure of contemporary medicine—especially where efficiency, technology, and institutional demands collide with deeply held values—can be navigated with integrity and hope.
The experience culminates in a day-and-a-half symposium with the noted physician and philosopher Daniel P. Sulmasy. His work on spirituality in healthcare will enliven participants’ imaginations as they engage him in an intimate setting with one of the leading voices at the intersection of medicine, ethics, and faith.
Hosted at the University of Minnesota, the program also includes time to explore local art and culture, participate in worship at congregations or parishes of one’s choosing, and build community with peers who seek to become clinicians formed not only by competence, but by wisdom.
If you are a graduate-level health sciences student who has ever wondered:

What is medicine and healthcare ultimately for?
How can I live my faith and values with integrity in healthcare?
How do I navigate moral conflict, burnout, or disillusionment as a clinician in training?
Who am I becoming through this work—and who do I hope to be?

—this experience may be for you.
The seminar will be led by Professors Jon C. Tilburt, M.D. (Mayo Clinic), Evan Beacom (University of Minnesota Twin Cities) & Daniel Sulmasy (Georgetown University)
LOCATION AND FORMAT
This is a fully in-person experience; no virtual option is available. Attendance for the full program is required. Learners interested in attending only the final 1.5-day symposium may find more information at www.Anselmhouse.org.
The seminar will be held at Anselm House at the University of Minnesota between Tuesday August 4th and Saturday August 8th.
QUALIFICATIONS AND APPLICATION
The seminar is an opportunity to meet 15 promising scholars training in the medical fields at the graduate or resident level. There are no seminar fees and reading materials are provided. Accommodations and most meals will be provided. Additionally, participants will be reimbursed travel expenses up to $350.
Application Information:

Applicants will be required to submit a completed online application, including:

An updated CV/resume.
A brief statement of research interest related to seminar theme no longer than 750 words.
An academic letter of recommendation that speaks to the applicants academic qualifications and ability to participate in a collaborative learning seminar format.

All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Fifteen participants will be admitted to this seminar.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the seminar is filled. For fullest consideration, apply by April 6, 2026.

This seminar is made possible by Anselm House and the support of the Lumen Christi Institutes grant, In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation, and the generous support of donors.
Learners interested in attending only the final 1.5-day symposium may find more information at www.Anselmhouse.org.
Contact us with any questions at seminars@lumenchristi.org.

Newman Forum Summer Institute | There and Back Again: The Adventures of Heroes, Saints, and Pilgrims
2026-08-05 - 2026-08-09 | University of St. Mary of the Lake, 1000 E Maple Avenue, Mundelein, IL, 60060, United States
Newman Forum for High School Students
2026 Summer Institute
“There and Back Again: The Adventures of Heroes, Saints, and Pilgrims”
August 5-9
University of St. Mary of the Lake
APPLY HERE
SAMPLE SCHEDULE
Registration Deadline: June 29th, 2026 | $450
Early Bird Registration Discount: May 31st, 2026 | $250

Course Description
St. Augustine once wrote that we should “so seek as if we should find, and so find as if we were going to go on seeking.” Join us on the beautiful grounds of Mundelein Seminary for a week of exploring the Western and Catholic intellectual tradition as we examine together the rich theme of the journey. Our texts will be drawn from the Bible, Greek Mythology, and Christian literature, theology, and spirituality from the Medieval Era to the modern day. In our expedition together—alongside the likes of such adventurers as Odysseus, Augustine, Dante, Bonaventure, Teresa of Avila, and Don Quixote—we will consider what it means to set out as sojourners and pilgrims longing for a true homeland in which we’ve never lived, to act heroically in the face of a broken world, and finally to return home to God, accepting the call to be saints. As Pope Francis has said, all Christians are “people on a journey”: how can these biblical, literary, and theological narratives of journeying and pilgrimage help us to understand better our own holy journeys toward the fullness of time, when God shall be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28)?
High school students (including rising freshmen and recently graduated seniors) are welcome to apply for this 5-day seminar. Mornings will consist in academic seminars and small group, and afternoons will focus on these themes through team-building activities.
Applications are open until June 29th. Within two weeks of submitting their application, students will be informed of their admission decision. At that time students or their parents can request scholarship consideration. By July 15, students will be sent a handbook, welcome packet, syllabus & readings, and waiver forms. Students will be able to request a roommate at that time. The Newman Forum will try (but cannot promise) to accommodate all roommate requests. Students will be housed in two-bed units in the USML Conference Center. Males and females will be housed in different wings of the Conference Center.

Time is allocated in the Summer Institute schedule for private reading. Students do not need to prepare in advance. Students will be taught to use the Shorter Christian Prayer breviary to pray morning and night prayer. Mass is held daily and Confession will also be offered.
For more information, please email NewmanForum@LumenChristi.org
