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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
Photos & Video: Christmas Dinner 2016
Many of the dear friends who have given generously to Thomas Aquinas College and its students over the last year gathered in downtown Los Angeles on December 4 for the annual Christmas Dinner. There they enjoyed excellent food, fine music, and good company.
“This evening we express our gratitude to our friends and benefactors, through whom God’s love has been extended to our College and to our faculty and students,” said President Michael F. McLean in his opening greeting. “We thank God for His bounteous mercy to ourselves and to our country, and we ask Him to help us embrace a life that Pope Francis calls ‘free, faithful, poor in means but rich in love.’”
In keeping with the night’s theme of gratitude, the College made use of the occasion to honor two beloved members of the community. The first was Laura (Steichen ’78) Berquist, author of Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum, director and founder of Mother of Divine Grace School, and the wife of late Thomas Aquinas College Founder Marcus R. Berquist. The second was the College’s long-serving chaplain, Rev. Cornelius M. Buckley, S.J.
“Laura was a founding student and a member of our first graduating class,” said Dr. McLean. “It is a privilege to honor her tonight for her lifelong devotion to classical Catholic education, for the great good she is accomplishing with students and families, and for her many contributions to her alma mater.” In celebration of both Mr. and Mrs. Berquist, as well as the other founders of Thomas Aquinas College, and to celebrate the College and its benefactors, Dr. McLean played the following video presentation:
In saluting Fr. Buckley, Dr. McLean remarked that the 91-year-old Jesuit “has been a friend, a mentor, and a confessor to me and many others in his years at Thomas Aquinas College.” Fr. Buckley, he continued, “is a champion of orthodoxy, completely loyal to the Church and to the very best in the Jesuit tradition” and “a wonderful homilist, a counselor with a deft pastoral touch, a sometimes-irreverent comedian — always with a twinkle in his eye!” Dr. McLean then played the following video tribute, “which captures some of Fr. Buckley’s charm and some of the love and affection we all feel for him.”
After toasting the honored guests and offering them tokens of the College’s appreciation, Dr. McLean introduced Director of Gift Planning Tom Susanka, who read St. Luke’s account of the Nativity. Members of the Grimm family then performed various vocal selections before leading the room in singing several traditional Christmas carols.
