College Awarded Grant to Promote Pope John
Paul II’s Vision of Faith & Reason
(August 15, 2002)
"Faith and reason are like two wings on which the
human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God
has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth -
in a word, to know himself - so that by knowing and loving
God, men and women may also come to know the truth about themselves."
- Pope John Paul II, Fides et Ratio (1998).
Following a grant competition sponsored by Dr. Donald and
Mrs. Michele D'Amour, founders of the Fides et Ratio Grant
Competition, Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Cardinal Archbishop
of Chicago, together with the D'Amours, presented President
Tom Dillon with a $300,000 award to Thomas Aquinas College,
during a Convocation held in Chicago on August 12-14.
The College was one of six finalists chosen from among 14
Catholic colleges selected to participate in the grant competition.
The six finalists were also awarded specially commissioned
chalices that were to be, and since have been, blessed by
the Holy Father.
The Convocation, co-sponsored by the Lumen Christi Institute
at the University of Chicago, brought together more than 50
lay and religious presidents, deans, board members, and others
from Catholic institutions across the country to explore how
Pope John Paul's vision of faith and reason can be implemented
in Catholic higher education.
Speakers at the Convocation included Cardinal George who
spoke on "Liberal Arts, the Catholic Church and American
Culture," Bishop Allen Vigneron (Rector of Sacred Heart
Seminary in Detroit), Dr. D'Amour (Grant founder and CEO of
Big Y Foods, Inc.), Dr. John Agresto ( former president, St.
John's College, Santa Fe), Dr. Patrick Powers (Executive Director
of the Fides et Ratio Grant), and Tom Levergood (Director
of the Lumen Christi Institute). Thomas Aquinas College Dean,
Dr. R. Glen Coughlin, attended the Convocation, held at Loyola
University's Kasbeer Hall, along with Tom and Terri Dillon.
"We are extremely grateful for this grant award,"
said President Dillon. "But we are most edified and encouraged
by the work of Dr. D'Amour, the Convocation sponsors, and
the Lumen Christi Institute for helping to promote authentic
Catholic liberal education."
The Grant Committee, which began the application process
in January, 2000, included (in addition to Drs. D'Amour, Agresto
and Powers) Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. (Fordham University),
Rev. James Schall, S.J. (Georgetown University), and Dr. Frederick
Crosson (University of Notre Dame). Participants were asked
to prepare a comprehensive written grant proposal according
to guidelines set by the Committee as well as to submit to
oral interviews with principals from the institution.
The grant, which will be distributed in equal installments
over five years, will be applied toward various expenditures
needed to enhance the College's admissions recruitment efforts.
-- Qtrly Newsletter, Winter 2002
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