Magdalen College understands itself to be a steward of the Catholic intellectual tradition and a participant in the greater mission of the Church through its unique liberal education. Through our immersion in and cultivation of the best of Catholic intellectual and liturgical culture, integration of faith and reason, and a collegiate ethos that is oriented to growth in Wisdom, the college seeks to grow ever more faithful to its mission. Neither triumphalist nor defensive in our posture, we–like our patron Pope Saint John Paul II–embrace the call to fidelity with joy, hope, and humility. Together, these enable us to bring light and the call to authentic communion to the world. We “go out into the deep” both in search of wisdom and to bring what Benedict XVI called “intellectual charity” to those most in need.
Four documents, among others, are key to our identity and self-understanding as a college:
Institutionally, the college has established several practices and norms that have helped it sustain its Catholicity over time. Though Catholic culture in part springs from the spiritual lives and practices of those who inhabit that culture at a given moment, these practices and norms offer a public witness to those both within and beyond the college of the institution’s fundamental orientation over time.
Each of our theologians seeks the mandatum from our bishop, Peter A. Libasci, and the college is governed according to its own legal documents by Pope Saint John Paul II’s Apostolic Constitution, Ex Corde Ecclesiae (On Catholic Universities).
At the beginning of each academic year, in the presence of the Bishop of the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire, the Catholic faculty and staff of the college freely take the following “Oath of Fidelity” along with the president and local trustees.
Furthermore, according to the college’s governing documents, the president of the college and all of the members of the board of trustees must be Catholic and committed to the integrity of the Church’s teaching.
Finally, speakers at the college are chosen according to the principles outlined by Pope Saint John Paul II in Ex corde ecclesiae with due respect accorded to the proper understanding of academic freedom.
The creation of a Catholic culture that is conducive to the spiritual life is a complex process–one outlined in another essential document for the college, Josef Pieper’s Leisure the Basis of Culture–but these practices and norms provide the “guard rails” that stand beyond any particular person or moment in the college’s history. Within the space these provide, the college invites its members to embrace without reservation the journey toward Wisdom, the riches of the Catholic intellectual tradition, and the education of the integrated person that we offer.
Rev. Fr. Stephen RockerPh.D., University of OttawaPh.L., Catholic University of Louvain S.T.B., Catholic University of Louvain B.A. (philosophy), Wadhams Hall Seminary-College [email protected]
The liturgical cycle of the Church and of our collegiate community reaches its pinnacle during Holy Week and the Paschal Triduum. During this solemn time, all of our efforts combine to render our best gifts of beauty to God. The liturgies, their music, their images, and their profound meaning constitute some of the fondest memories...
In five different states & seven cities, Magdalen’s acclaimed 20-voice Polyphony Choir will present a concert of sacred music for Advent and Christmastide. It features the works of Byrd, Palestrina, Victoria, Joubert, Darke, Todd, and others. Join us for a feast of sacred music capped off by familiar carols for all present to join in...
On Sunday, October 9 Magdalen College was re-consecrated to the Blessed Trinity. Last year the original consecration occurred as the culminating event of our Welcome Weekend—a special gathering of faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, and prospective students that takes place each fall. As we welcomed over 100 guests to this year’s Welcome Weekend, we...
This past Holy Week, the Magdalen College Polyphony Choir traveled to the Cathedral of Saint Joseph to sing for the diocesan Chrism Mass. The Chrism Mass, occurring once a year as the Church is poised to enter the Sacred Paschal Triduum, is one of the most solemn rites that takes place in a cathedral....
On Thursday January 20, 2022, Magdalen College Students gathered in a van before the break of dawn to begin their pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. for the 49th annual March for Life. For many, this was the first trip to the March for Life, and they were thrilled for the opportunity to go. They arrived in...
On a recent Sunday, Magdalen’s polyphony choir traveled to Saint John the Guardian of Our Lady Parish in Clinton, MA, to sing with Cor Unum Chorale under the direction of acclaimed composer and conductor Paul Jernberg. The polyphony choir is Magdalen’s premiere ensemble, auditioned annually and entrusted with singing the finest sacred music in the...
Session II
July 9 – 22, 2023
Limited spots remaining. Register today.
Students will have the opportunity to take one of the following courses for college credit. Taught in Socratic-style seminar discussions, each course enables students to explore a particular interest and consider whether they might like to pursue that academic discipline as a potential college major. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer, liturgy, sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Courses:
Theology of the Body: The Deeper Meaning of Love, Sex, and Marriage (1 credit) – Dr. Ryan Messmore LIMITED SPOTS REMAINING When it comes to romantic relationships and marriage, today’s culture is awash in confusion. The Church calls people to see a deeper meaning to sexual desire and marriage. But what is that, and how can it be pursued in modern times? Saint Pope John Paul II has provided valuable teaching in this area. Along with his “Theology of the Body,” this course will explore the nature of love, the meaning of betrothal and marriage, and sexual ethics from a Christian perspective. Class discussions will be theological and philosophical as well as practical.
Philosophy & Humanities: Friendship in Western Culture (1 credit) – Dr. Brian FitzGerald and Dr. Erik Van Versendaal LIMITED SPOTS REMAINING One of the most important features of human experience is friendship. Drawing on the great books of Western culture in literature, history, philosophy, and theology, from Aristotle and St. Augustine to Jane Austen and C.S. Lewis, this course will reflect on the nature of friendship across the centuries. Why do we need friends? What makes a good one? What are some obstacles to friendship? What happens as friends grow and mature in different ways?
Christ in Scripture (1 credit) – Deacon Karl Cooper LIMITED SPOTS REMAINING “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” In this course we will seek to meet and understand Christ as he presents himself in all the Scriptures. We will read, discuss, enjoy, and pray through the most crucial texts, and focus our work on the living and present Christ.
Tuition:
$395.00 USD Tuition includes room and board. The purchase of a book may be required for some classes. Students should bring spending money for off-campus trips.
Session I
June 18 – July 1, 2023
Limited spots remaining. Register today.
Students will have the opportunity to take one of the following courses for college credit. Taught in Socratic-style seminar discussions, each course enables students to explore a particular interest and consider whether they might like to pursue that academic discipline as a potential college major. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer, liturgy, sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Courses:
Physics: Understanding Boomerangs, Billiard Balls, and Balance Beam Routines (1 credit) – Mr. John Klucinec ENROLLMENT OPEN This course explores the laws of motion as described by Galileo and Newton by reading and discussing these authors and through classroom experiments. Students will gain an understanding of physics in concrete phenomena through studying air flight, fluid dynamics, the aerodynamics of the boomerang, the motion of billiard balls, and the physics of gymnastics and diving.
Poetry and Politics in the Western Tradition (1 credit) – Dr. Mary Mumbach ENROLLMENT OPEN This course will examine poetic form and political form in the tradition of the West. Students will explore, in particular, how the Incarnation shapes the roles of imagination, prudence, and the heroic in literature and political philosophy. Readings in poetry, fiction, and American Founding documents will be considered.
Moral Philosophy: How Do We Make the Right Decisions? (1 credit) – Rev. Fr. Stephen Rocker THIS COURSE IS NOW FULL – A WAITLIST IS AVAILABLE Natural law morality and utilitarianism are incompatible frameworks of moral reasoning, yet elements of both are mixed in the public mind. Catholic moral teaching and the Western system of law are grounded in natural law. This course will present these two moral frameworks and apply them to moral issues.
Tuition:
$395.00 USD Tuition includes room and board. The purchase of a book may be required for some classes. Students should bring spending money for off-campus trips.
Collegiate Summer Programs Registration
Omega Session: College-Level Intensives for Credit
July 10 – 23, 2022
This session is now full.
Students will have the opportunity to earn one college credit by taking one of the following courses offered at Magdalen College. Taught in Socratic-style seminar discussions, each course enables students to explore a particular interest and discover if it could lead to a college major or area of focus. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer liturgy, and sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.
Courses:
Myth in Philosophy: Seeking Wisdom through Poetry and Story (1 credit) – Dr. Erik van Versendaal What is the relationship between poetry and philosophy? Why does speaking about ultimate things lead philosophers into the realms of poem and story? This course considers philosophical works that are undertaken in a poetic mode alongside poems that express philosophic truth.
Physics: Understanding Boomerangs, Billiard Balls, and Balance Beam Routines (1 credit) – Mr. John Klucinec This course explores the laws of motion as described by Galileo and Newton, by reading and discussing these authors and through classroom experiments. Students will gain an understanding of physics in concrete phenomena: through the aerodynamics of the boomerang, the motion of billiard balls, fluid dynamics, air flight and the physics of gymnastics and diving.
Theology of the Body: The Deeper Meaning of Love, Sex, and Marriage (1 credit) – Dr. Ryan Messmore When it comes to romantic relationships and marriage, today’s culture is awash in confusion. The Church calls people to see a deeper meaning to sexual desire and marriage. But what is that, and how can it be pursued in modern times?
Tuition:
$325.00 USD
Alpha Session: Engage a Variety of Liberal Arts Fields
June 19 – July 2, 2022
This session is now full.
Students will experience the joy of learning in a variety of liberal arts fields, including courses in literature, philosophy, theology, and politics. Taught primarily in Socratic-style seminar discussions, these courses allow students to read classic texts and wrestle with big questions across a range of disciplines. Students will spend 3.5-4 hours in class each day, have some assigned homework, and spend the remaining time in prayer, liturgy, and sacred music, relaxation with new friends, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.