Early Sunday morning on November 13th, 16 seniors ventured to the University of Mary to attend a Symposium about Catholic Thought and Life provided by the University of Mary Catholic Studies Program. Upon arriving at the University of Mary’s campus, the students went on a tour of the campus led by University of Mary students. “The campus itself was very cool, and it has a beautiful view since it overlooks the Missouri River,” said student Rylie Mallow.
After the tour, the students went to the Catholic Studies House and were treated to a pasta dinner made by University of Mary students. After the dinner, university president and Catholic priest Monsignor Shea gave opening remarks about the trip and talked about the community at U Mary. Afterwards, the students attended 8:00 mass at the university’s Our Lady of the Annunciation Chapel. “Going to Sunday night mass was my favorite part of the trip,” said senior Ava Romee. “It was incredible: you could really feel the presence of God in the chapel. Everyone was together and knew what to do, and the choir was amazing to listen to. The priest was also great, and everyone enjoyed his homily.”
The next day, the seniors ate breakfast at The Crow’s Nest, the University’s 24-hour dining hall. After breakfast, they attended Colloquium 1, which was presented by Professor Nathan Kilpatrick from the University of Mary’s Catholic Studies Program. They analyzed a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins and discussed the themes of universality and individuality within the poem. After that, students had the opportunity to meet with faculty at the university and ask them questions about different programs and majors. Then, they attended Colloquium 2 to discuss the importance of Catholic studies and how it encompasses a wide variety of topics. On the way home, the seniors made a detour to visit Assumption Abbey. Overall, many of the students who participated feel that the trip was very beneficial.
