The Most Rev. Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, has accepted President Michael F. McLean’s invitation to serve as Thomas Aquinas College’s 2019 Commencement Speaker.

“We are grateful that Bishop Barron, who has been a faithful friend and champion of the College ever since he became our regional bishop in 2015, has agreed to join us for our 45th Commencement exercises,” says Dr. McLean. “We are honored that he will be part of this important day in the life of the College and for the members of the Class of 2019.”

On November 16 the Thomas Aquinas College Choir performed a complete, unabridged production of Handel’s Messiah at its fall concert. In time for Christmas, we now present, both in video and downloadable audio, the portions of Part I, Scenes 3 and 4, that pertain to the Nativity, beginning with “For Unto Us a Child is Born” and culminating in “Glory to God in the highest.”

Merry Christmas!

Video:

“Not only is God with us, He is also one of us,” writes Thomas Aquinas College sophomore Maria Braga-Henebry in the Bishop’s Bulletin, the monthly journal of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “He is infinite and therefore incomprehensible, but He is also a relatable God, because He took on our nature and shared our weaknesses.”

Final examinations were held at Thomas Aquinas College this past week, and students supplemented their academic preparation with various forms of spiritual preparation — including seeking the intercession of the College’s beloved patron, St. Thomas Aquinas.

It’s finals week at Thomas Aquinas College, and the signs are everywhere. Students can be found scattered across the California campus, reading under arches, studying in small groups on the quadrangle, and strolling beside tutors as they take their oral Seminar examinations.

Finals end tomorrow, and then Christmas vacation begins!

By Geoff Zwemke

I remember when Thomas Aquinas College first came onto our family’s radar. It seemed like a mythical, faraway land where giants still walked the earth. From its first days in trailers to today’s beautiful California campus, nestled in the hills, with its masterfully crafted curriculum built on great books and Socratic dialogue, its impressive alumni and supporters — it loomed large in our imaginations and hearts.

Joining the Family

When asked why she and her husband, Alexander, made the 3,000-mile trip from their home in suburban New York for this year’s Alumni & Parent Day, Paula Cummings answered in a way that any mom (or dad) could understand:

“We couldn’t wait until Thanksgiving to see our son!” the mother of Ian (’22) admitted. “He’s the first one to leave the nest, and it’s really hard.”

An Interview with Dennis McCarthy,
VP for Finance and TAC Dad

Wanting What’s Best for Us

By Stephanie Pipes (’19)

Dear Mom and Dad,

With Jessica having graduated in 2016, and Rachel, Sarah, Mary, and I here now, you are well on your way to sending all eight of your children to Thomas Aquinas College! I know that you are happy that we have made it this far — but I think you are also surprised.