-
About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
-
A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
-
A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
-
Admission & Aid
Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
-
Students & Parents
Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
-
Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
President McLean Signs Statement in Defense of Religious Liberty
Mindful that the impending Supreme Court ruling on the status of marriage could have devastating legal consequences for religious schools and colleges, Thomas Aquinas College President Michael F. McLean has co-signed a letter urging the U.S. Congress to ensure these institutions’ liberty.
The letter cites comments that U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli made before the Court in oral arguments on April 28. Asked whether a ruling that redefined marriage to include same-sex couples could adversely affect the tax-exempt status of Christian organizations, Mr. Verrilli frankly admitted, “it’s certainly going to be an issue.”
In their letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner, Dr. McLean and some 73 other signatories contend that “The implications of such a stance are far-reaching and would affect religious schools from grades K-12, colleges and universities, theological seminaries and graduate schools, and any other religious- or non-religious-based educational institution in the United States that holds to natural marriage.”
Noting that there are more than 30,000 religiously affiliated schools and colleges in the U.S., the letter explains that “the tax exempt status they enjoy helps substantially in enabling them to offer quality education to millions of young Americans.” The loss of that status “would result in severe financial distress for those institutions and their millions of students” and “constitute a devastating and dangerous blow to free religious belief and practice in a nation founded upon such.”
Joining Dr. McLean in signing the letter, which was assembled by the Family Research Council, are the leaders of dozens of American seminaries, colleges, universities, private schools, graduate schools, and educational organizations. Among the signatories are representatives of 35 Catholic schools and universities, as well as the Cardinal Newman Society, which helped organize Catholic participation in the effort.
In light of the threats to both religious freedom and American education, the letter offers support for the Government Non-Discrimination Act, which would bar the federal government from discriminating or taking action against private entities as a consequence of their upholding a moral or religious belief in marriage as an institution between one man and one woman.
“We urge you in the strongest terms,” the letter concludes, “to protect the schools we represent, as well as other Americans who live and work in our great country, from such unwarranted and unconstitutional abridgements of the liberty we always have cherished in our nation.”