Catholic Studies Publishes New Issue of Arcadia
Thursday, September 2, 2021
This volume includes essays spanning the topics of personal responses to the pandemic; what we can learn from the saints; and the importance of pollution mitigation at a beach in the Tri-State Area. The common thread running through all the articles in this year's volume is the theme of fraternity, as emphasized in Pope Francis's encyclical Fratelli Tutti.
The first section of the journal features a celebration of the life, work, and spirituality of St. Mother Teresa, focusing on ideas presented in the book titled Mother Teresa: Saint of the Peripheries that Dr. Ines Murzaku, the Director of the Catholic Studies Program, published this year. This section shows that while she was a saint of the 20th century, Mother Teresa is most certainly a saint for the 21st century. As globalization simultaneously makes communication easier and threatens to dehumanize us, Mother Teresa's life, mission, and message breathe new life into us. Her valuing of the peripheries and loving the innermost part of each person—and Christ within each person—speak of the tremendous worth of all of us and encourage us to build bridges across cultures.
The journal's second section is a group of essays by Seton Hall University students and a faculty member. These contributions focus on St. Elizabeth Ann Seton; St. Oscar Romero; and mitigating sewage leaks at Jennings Beach in Fairfield, Connecticut. These three articles underscore the ways that a true sense of fraternity and dedication to stewardship work together, allowing us to build up God's kingdom on Earth.
Following a brief reflection on the Year of St. Joseph, the volume concludes with a presentation of the winning essays from the Catholic Studies 2021 essay contest for New Jersey Catholic High School students. This year's topic asked high school students to consider how we can understand and live the concepts of friendship and fraternity, as Pope Francis discusses in Fratelli Tutti, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The high school students who entered the essay contest defined fraternity in creative ways, and the judges were impressed with the students' descriptions of what they have done in the past year to foster openness, engagement, connections, and care," said Dr. Murzaku. "The three winning essays that we have shared in this volume of Arcadia are moving pieces that highlight the power of our young people to reflect on problems, understand truth, and develop uplifting solutions."
About Catholic Studies:
The Catholic Studies Program at Seton Hall University offers an innovative, interdisciplinary
curriculum for students of any creed who are interested in deepening their knowledge
of Catholicism's rich intellectual tradition and living heritage. Combining the study
of history, philosophy, theology, literature, art, sociology, and other disciplines,
Catholic Studies focuses on the Church's dialogue with culture and encounter with
the world. Students interested in Catholic Studies have the option to pursue a major,
minor, or certificate that complements and enhances the university's other degree
programs and fields of study. Over 20 years the academic program and its variegated
activities have stayed true to and fulfilled the Catholic mission and vision of the
University. For more information, please contact Ines Murzaku, PhD, Director of the
Program of Catholic Studies at [email protected] or Gloria Aroneo at [email protected].
Categories: Faith and Service
