Greetings!
It has been a while since I have posted about life at the ITI.
A new semester has begun, and I am now in the meat of the program. However, before the term began, we bottled a batch of "Dumb Ox Stout" that I brewed back before Christmas. Weighing in at 6%, it is quite tasty!
The courses that I am taking this semester:
One God II: Creator and Creation
Trinity II
Sacramental Theology II: Priesthood, Marriage, and Virginity
Ecclesiology II: Mystical Body of Christ
Pastoral Theology: The Church in the Modern World
Canon Law
Greek
And, with the beginning of this semester, I think that I have the credits and specific courses completed to be finishing my studies for the STM program in December of this year. We are actively making plans for my continuing on with the STL program.
Yesterday, I MC'd Mass for Cardinal Schönborn for the opening of the new semester, which was quite nice - Novus Ordo, Latin, chanted readings and propers, polyphonic hymns - gorgeous.
Also, yesterday was particularly poignant in the History of the ITI, since it was the beginning of the term of the new President of the Institute. The intention of the Board, as it was made clear by His Eminence at his lecture to the students, was to respond to the call of His Holiness, Pope Francis, in doing more to evangelize people. To that end, the Institute will be expanding to offer a bachelor's program in liberal arts.
While all of this is early days yet, it does leave a lot of questions open - the first of which that has already been asked about is the name of the Institute! While they aren't planning on changing any of the theological programs, it would seem that the name is no longer appropriate since the Institute is not going to be focussed solely on Theology. Stay tuned for more updates on that front.
Finally, I hope you will notice the sidebar banner that has appeared. We are returning to Norcia this summer for the Summer Program hosted by the St. Albert the Great Center for Scholastic Studies. I am the Co-Director this year, and we are going to be reading the Epistle to the Romans, and following the Commentary of St. Thomas on the Epistle. If you are interested, be sure to check out the website for more information.
Well, that's about it for now. I will try and keep things updated more often this term.
Pax!
