Catholic Studies Program Publishes New Volume of Arcadia

The Catholic Studies Department and Program announces the publication of the latest volume of Arcadia: A Student Journal for Faith and Culture. This volume features several outstanding Seton Hall student essays about topics today’s Catholics face in their personal and public life. It also includes Catholic Studies faculty members’ reflections on the life and legacy of the late Pope Benedict XVI, as well as the winning essays from the Catholic Studies 2023 High School Essay Contest.

The journal’s first section presents a group of essays by Seton Hall University undergraduate students. Each of these essays includes a unique exploration of the ways in which the Catholic Intellectual Tradition is applied in 21st-century life. The student authors show the integral relationship between theory and practice, as related to decisions pertinent to the future of the Church, choices Catholics make in their family life, and the attitudes that underlie Catholics’ ethical professional practices. In the first essay, Jackalyn Ballard explores the problem of disaffiliation among Catholics—what causes Catholics to leave the Church or to disassociate from the Church in varying degrees. She explains how significantly, parishes and the Universal Church can take steps to authentically accompany Catholics, ultimately perhaps encouraging them to remain in and enrich the life of the Church. In the second essay, Kennedy E. Dierks shares research and reflections on a real-life choice that faces many Catholics: how to navigate decisions about fertility treatments. She shows how the Catholic understanding of life as a gift and of the concept of procreation can enrich the biological understanding of life. Further, she shows how a full appreciation of the human person—body and soul—can motivate the development of advances in fertility care that are consonant with the dignity of parents and children. In the third essay, Joshua Novello considers healthcare ethics, reflecting on one of the most significant elements of the provider-patient relationship: the provider’s reverence for the human dignity of each patient. He demonstrates how recognizing the whole personhood of the patient and the web of relationships that the patient shares with family, friends, and others allows the provider to give holistic care.

In the journal’s second section, Catholic Studies faculty members share their reflections on the life and legacy of Pope Benedict XVI. Some discuss their personal interactions with the late pontiff; others consider how his theology, philosophy, and quiet but firm pastoral leadership has shaped their teaching, scholarship, and ministry.

The volume concludes with a presentation of the winning essays from the Catholic Studies 2023 High School Essay Contest. The Catholic Studies Program invited high school students to consider, in this 10th year of the pontificate of Francis, the challenges faced by their generation: "the Pope Francis Generation." While it is still unknown what attributes will be ascribed to "the Pope Francis Generation", one thing is clear, and is evident in the essays: because of current world events and social realities, this generation is finding innovative ways to renew and refresh the faith of older generations, "bringing Christ to the world" (as Pope Francis has reminded us is our mission) and showing us that there is great reason for hope.

"The simultaneous variety and unity in the pieces published in this year’s Arcadia is a testament to the coordinated effort of our faculty and students to bring the Catholic Intellectual Tradition to their academic disciplines, professional practices, and community life", said Ines Murzaku, Ph.D., Director of Catholic Studies. "Additionally, all of the high school essays we received for the contest—and especially those published in this journal—show the dedication of young people to thinking clearly and creatively about how to bring Christ to our contemporary world. We are thrilled to share in Arcadia this sampling of the work inspired by our courses and programs!"

Categories: Faith and Service