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Events
https://www.stbernards.edu/events
History
https://www.stbernards.edu/about-us-history
Opened as a Roman Catholic Seminary in 1893 and restructured into an Institute for Theological and Ministerial studies in 1981, St. Bernard’s has steadily pursued a course of dedication and service to the Church as it meets the challenges and changes within our world. Our founder, Bishop Bernard J. ...
Mission and Vision
https://www.stbernards.edu/mission-and-vision
“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
(Romans 12:2)...
Stephen Loughlin, Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/stephen-loughlin-ph-d
President / Professor of Philosophy
Matthew Kuhner, Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/matthew-kuhner-ph-d
Vice President and Academic Dean / Associate Professor of Systematic Theology
Jean Baric Parker, D.BE
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/jean-baric-parker-d-be
Program Director, Graduate Certificate in Catholic Bioethics
Rev. Anthony Barratt, S.T.L., Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/anthony-barratt-ph-d
Very Rev. Peter Mottola, J.C.L.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/rev-peter-mottola-jcl
Very Rev. Peter Van Lieshout, S.T.L.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/rev-peter-vanlieshout-stl
Bernadette Bobrowski
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/bernadette-bobrowski
Director of Marketing & Communications
Matt Brown, M.P.A.
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/matthew-brown
Director of Admissions and Student Services
Master's Programs
https://www.stbernards.edu/graduate-studies
St. Bernard’s Catholic Masters programs assist students of all ages in coming to know and to love Our Lord and His Church through theological, philosophical, and pastoral engagement. Men and women, cleric and lay, ecclesial ministers and those seeking personal formation and edification enroll in our...
Master of Arts in Theological Studies
https://www.stbernards.edu/master-of-arts-theological-studies
The Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS) seeks to provide students with a thorough understanding of theology that simultaneously increases knowledge of the faith and incites the humble adoration of the mysteries of divine revelation. There are two tracks within the MATS program: an all-cours...
Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies
https://www.stbernards.edu/master-of-arts-in-pastoral-studies
The Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS) seeks to provide students with a dynamic combination of theological and ministerial formation, which prepares them to offer an engaging, well-formed witness to the world. It is designed for those who wish to serve the Church as a lay ecclesial minister; ...
Master of Divinity
https://www.stbernards.edu/master-of-divinity
The Master of Divinity (MDiv) seeks to provide students with an extensive and dynamic combination of theological and ministerial formation, which prepares them to offer an engaging, well-formed witness to the world, usually through professional ministry. It combines an in-depth exploration of all fo...
Master of Arts in Catholic Philosophy
https://www.stbernards.edu/master-of-arts-catholic-philosophy
The Master of Arts in Catholic Philosophy (MACP) seeks to engage students in a systematic study of philosophy as realized within the Catholic intellectual tradition. Students will become historically informed, independent thinkers who can critically and creatively engage in the discipline of philoso...
Distance Learning and Online Education
https://www.stbernards.edu/distance-learning-and-online-education
While the traditional model of in-class instruction is still very much desired by most students, many have come to understand that they need other options if they are to meet their educational goals. To this end, St. Bernard’s offers four different ways of completing any degree program or graduate c...
Pre-Theology Formation
https://www.stbernards.edu/pre-theology-formation
Pre Theology Program
As part of our ongoing contribution to the ministerial needs of our Church, St. Bernard’s developed a Pre-Theology Program to address a need that many dioceses throughout the country face, namely, to prepare young men who, although possessing a bachelor’s degree, have not receiv...
Permanent Diaconate Formation
https://www.stbernards.edu/permanent-diaconate-formation
As part of our ongoing contribution to the ministerial needs of our Church, St. Bernard’s offers formation for the Permanent Diaconate program in partnership with the Dioceses of Rochester, Albany, Buffalo, and Allentown. This formation program is designed to be part of a concerted effort on the par...
Student Handbook
https://www.stbernards.edu/student-handbook
Our Student Handbook is a compendium of policies, procedures, and other information, intended to assist students during their journey at St. Bernard’s. The Handbook answers questions about academic policies and practices, student life and services, and community life.
If you have any questions abou...
Educational Effectiveness
https://www.stbernards.edu/educational-effectiveness
Statement on Educational Effectiveness
To ensure that we are fulfilling our mission and vision, St. Bernard’s administration, faculty, and staff are involved in a continual process of assessment with regard to our graduate programs and the individual courses within those programs. Feedback from our ...
Course Offerings
https://www.stbernards.edu/course-catalog
The St. Bernard’s Course Catalog is a document of record issued every academic year containing information related to the courses offered throughout the curriculum. This document sets out the “beating heart” of the School: its mission to form and to educate takes place primarily in the classroom, in...
Admissions
https://www.stbernards.edu/admissions
At St. Bernard’s, you’ll find a community of students, faculty, and scholars dedicated to pursuing truth, goodness, and beauty, and continuing to build the Church within contemporary society:
...
Scholarships and Financial Aid
https://www.stbernards.edu/scholarships-and-financial-aid
(Academic Year 2024-2025)...
Tuition, Fees, Financial Aid
https://www.stbernards.edu/tuition-fees-financial-aid
Tuition & Fees (Academic Year 2023-2024)...
Why St. Bernard's?
https://www.stbernards.edu/why-st-bernards
Once a renowned seminary, now a dynamic graduate school of theology and ministry,
St. Bernard's welcomes students that come from all walks of life with a love for truth, faith, and ministry., you will receive not just information, but formation: our courses, certificates, and programs all attempt t...
Transcripts
https://www.stbernards.edu/transcripts
Please click on the link below to request a copy of your transcripts. Any further questions, please feel free to contact the Office of the Registrar....
Visit Campus
https://www.stbernards.edu/visit-campus
Rochester Campus
120 French Rd.Rochester, NY 14618
St. Bernard’s campus provides students with ample classroom space, a recently renovated chapel, student lounge, and the Russell Library. Built in 2003, our campus is nestled near the charming village of Pittsford, conveniently located within 15 minu...
Chapel
https://www.stbernards.edu/chapel
At the beginning of the 2003-2004 academic year, St. Bernard’s moved to our current location at 120 French Road in Rochester. Great care was taken in planning the new building to make it both beautiful and practical, keeping in mind the needs of students for generations to come.
Following St. Bernar...
Library
https://www.stbernards.edu/library
The University of Rochester Rush Rhees Library
The Rush Rhees Library is the primary lending library for faculty and students at St. Bernard’s. Most of the theological collection belonging to St. Bernard’s Seminary was merged with the University of Rochester theological collection, creating an acade...
Partnerships
https://www.stbernards.edu/partnerships
Partnerships are an essential aspect of our mission, since they are a key way to build up the ecclesial community in upstate New York and across the country. We are proud to partner with several different communities in our pursuit of goodness, truth, and beauty:...
Alumni
https://www.stbernards.edu/alumni
Welcome to St. Bernard's Alumni page! For over 125 years, St. Bernard’s has been blessed to both educate and form thousands of students. Our alumni have gone on to become ordained ministers and lay leaders that have served as Christ's hands and feet throughout the world.
We are blessed by the indiv...
Job Postings
https://www.stbernards.edu/job-postings
As a Christian community dedicated to the development of the four dimensions of formation, it is important that we assist our current students and alumni in their employment search, which is a key aspect of human and pastoral development. To this end, St. Bernard’s compiles any and all job postings ...
Otto A. Shults Lecture Series
https://www.stbernards.edu/otto-a-shults-lecture-series
The Otto A. Shults Lecture Series on Spirituality was born of the dream of Mr. Otto A. Shults, a faithful and generous advocate of St. Bernard’s Seminary, predecessor of St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry.
Following her husband’s death, Mabel Shults vowed to continue the family’s commitme...
Contact Us
https://www.stbernards.edu/contact-us
120 French RoadRochester, NY 14618Phone: (585) 271 – 3657Have questions or comments? You can find contact information for our main campus in Rochester, NY, by clicking on Staff Directory or Faculty Directory. Not sure whom to contact? Enter your questions/comments in the form below and someone will ...
FAQ
https://www.stbernards.edu/faq
Finances/Student Billing Account
How much money do I need to pay at the time of Registration?
Students are required to pay the registration fee. Courses need to be paid in full by the end of the semester. If this is not possible, you can set up an extended payment schedule by contacting the Directo...
Why Study Theology?
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/why-study-theology
When I was on the brink of becoming a theology major during my college years, I remember feeling a certain apprehension before I took the plunge: were these theology courses going to provide a further encounter with the God that I knew and loved, or were they only going to put me in touch with some ...
What’s the Difference between a Master of Arts in Theology and a Master of Divinity?
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/whats-the-difference-between-a-master-of-arts-in-theology-and-a-master-of-divinity
Any training we take up should be informed ideally by a clear understanding of its purpose and nature. Consider an apprentice who has no idea of politics’ purpose or nature but who wishes to take up a training in the political art under the guidance of a masterful politician. To many, this lacking i...
Prayer
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/prayer
I have often wondered how I would respond if asked about my understanding and practice of prayer. It’s not just the fact that such things are, to my mind, rather personal, somewhat akin to asking about the intimate details of one’s marriage. Nor is it the fact that my prayer is frankly unremarkable ...
Mastering the Master’s Degree: Which Theological Master’s Degree is Right for Me?
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/mastering-the-masters-degree-which-theological-masters-degree-is-right-for-me
One of my favorite things about being Academic Dean at a small theological graduate school is meeting with new students for the first time. Almost without fail, matriculating into a graduate degree program in theology is an important step not only in their professional lives, but in their spiritual ...
Graduate Programs Application
https://www.stbernards.edu/graduate-programs-application
Use the below application to apply for graduate studies in one of our four Master’s programs: Master of Arts (Theological Studies), Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies, Master of Divinity, and Master of Arts in Catholic Philosophy.
For those without an undergraduate degree and are seeking certifica...
Student Loans
https://www.stbernards.edu/student-loans
Federal Direct Loan ProgramSt. Bernard’s realizes that students may still have a financial gap and may need to investigate other finance options. As a student at St. Bernard’s, you are eligible to apply for Federal Student Aid. St. Bernard’s offers Direct Unsubsidized Loans which are low-interest, l...
Matthew Pietropaoli, Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/matthew-pietropaoli-ph-d
Board of Trustees
https://www.stbernards.edu/board-of-trustees
St. Bernard's Board of Trustees exists to support the mission and vision of St. Bernard's through advising and guiding our growing institution. Their gifts are many and varied; we are grateful to each and every member for their guidance and support. ...
Pursuing a Master’s in Theology Online?
https://www.stbernards.edu/pursuing-a-masters-in-theology-online
Typically when pursuing a Master's in Theology, there's an end goal in sight: receive a Master's degree in theology with the hope of going on to do something with it - something practical, hands on, in service to the Church and/or the local community. The question is, how often are skills (let's say...
Academic Writing Guidelines
https://www.stbernards.edu/academic-writing-guidelines
The St. Bernard’s School of Theology & Ministry Style Sheet is a ready-reference guide to the basic format and citation of an academic paper. The sixth edition of A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by Kate L. Turabian (henceforth Turabian Manual) is the standard to be...
Thoughts on the Recent Pew Study
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/75-of-catholics-dont-believe-in-the-true-presence
In a time where so many things seem to be upended and disjointed within the Catholic Church, it’s almost no wonder that a recent Pew Study revealed that 75% of Catholics don’t believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Clergy abuse? Check. Division within the Church’s clergy and laity?...
Thank You
https://www.stbernards.edu/thank-you
Thanks for contacting us! Someone from our team will be in touch with you shortly....
Who do YOU say that I am?
https://www.stbernards.edu/who-do-you-say-that-i-am
75% of Catholics Don't Believe in the True Presence
In a time where so many things seem to be upended and disjointed within the Catholic Church, it’s almost no wonder that a recent Pew Study revealed that 75% of Catholics don’t believe in the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Clergy abuse? C...
How Fr. Ligato’s Pre-Seminary Program Tripled in Size & Saved $100k in 2 Semesters
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/upcoming-live-webinar-how-fr-legatos-pre-seminary-program-tripled-in-size-saved-100k-in-just-2-semesters
One of the more pressing issues facing the Church today is how to affect the formation of the next generation of priests. In an increasingly secular world, one often hostile to the Catholic Faith, we need to provide our seminarians with the means to develop their hearts and minds to withstand the as...
A Merry Christmas to All
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/a-merry-christmas-to-all
Dear Friends,
It is with great joy that I greet you during this blessed season. As we come to these final days of Advent, I am filled with gratitude for you and all you do for Christ and His Church. It is no question that our alumni and students do so much good in being Christ’s hands and feet to so...
BIOETHICS DRAMA IN REAL LIFE
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/bioethics-drama-in-real-life
“Covert Human Experimentation”
“Scorching International Condemnation”
“Sequestered Researcher under Government Surveillance”
“Rogue Scientist Fired, Fined, Jailed”
These captions could well highlight the latest plot sequence in a Netflix action movie. Instead, they describe real-life events which ha...
Auditor Application
https://www.stbernards.edu/auditor-online-application
Use this application to apply to audit a course. Auditing allows you to attend courses without receiving graduate credit.
Once submitted, an email confirmation will be sent to you to finish the application, and our Director of Admissions will be in touch with you. We look forward to hearing from y...
“Behold, I am doing something new”
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/behold-i-am-doing-something-new
I grew up in a big, faith-based family. However, like many people I went through periods of my life where I put my faith and my focus on God on the back burner. So my conversion has not been one big moment like the conversion of St. Paul: it has happened over many years and most especially over the ...
Young People Hold the Future: Steps to Pave Their Way
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/young-people-hold-the-future-steps-to-pave-their-way
The National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) is the celebration of Catholic youth in the United States. It was held over a 3 day period, November 21-23, 2019 in Indianapolis. The Conference included an amazing variety of opportunities for young people to experience an encounter with Christ and His ...
Catholic Spirituality & Culture Retreat Course - Canceled
https://www.stbernards.edu/retreat-course
In light of COVID-19, we have had to sadly cancel our Abbey Retreat Course scheduled for 8/3-8/7/2020. We are however working on preparations for next year's dual sessions - one week in June, 2021, and one week in August, 2021, at the Abbey of the Genesee. Keep an eye on our website for further upda...
Non-Matriculating Application
https://www.stbernards.edu/non-matriculating-application
Use this application to apply to take a graduate course for graduate credit without enrolling in a graduate degree program.
Note that any non-matriculated courses can count towards a graduate degree or certificate program in the future if you so choose.
Once the below form is submitted, an email co...
Let the Children Come
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/let-the-children-come
One of the blessings of my ministry is being able to directly interact with families who have small children. Young children from birth want to learn about God’s love and have the capacity to respond to God’s love and God’s call to be a missionary disciple. It's part of what is knitted into each of ...
The Relationship between Faith & Science
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-relationship-between-faith-science
When I was asked to contribute my thoughts on the relationship between faith and science, I was immediately reminded of the prologue in the Gospel of Luke:
“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us ...
The Ever-Virgin Mary
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-ever-virgin-mary
In the final days of Great Lent, the Church celebrates the glorious feast of the Annunciation of the most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. This feast commemorates the moment of the Incarnation of Our Lord, one of the greatest mysteries of the Christian Faith.
The Church has always held that Ma...
Free Resources During Social Distancing
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/free-resources
Greetings in Christ, and a special blessing to you in these troubled times. My name is Dr. Stephen Loughlin and I am the President of St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester, NY.
As a graduate school, St. Bernard’s has been privileged over the years to offer high quality instructi...
Siobhan Latar, S.T.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/siobhan-latar-std
The Reason for Our Joy & Gladness, Even Now
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-reason-for-our-joy-gladness
Eastertide is upon us! And for that, we should be immensely glad!
But, let’s be honest: this particular season of Easter has been very different compared to the usual springtime outings and gatherings with family after Sunday Mass. I don’t think that I am speaking for myself only when I say that bei...
Your Life is No Longer Your Own
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/your-life-is-no-longer-your-own
One of the exhilarating yet terrifying aspects of a life lived in dedication to the things of God is that one never quite knows where one will end up from year to year. For instance, if someone had told me while I was still an undergraduate philosophy student at St. Jerome’s University in Ontario, C...
Systems & Software Guidebook
https://www.stbernards.edu/systems-software-guidebook
PEDAGOGICAL AND FORMATIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTSPopuli and Canvas are the two platforms used for student records and courses. Below you'll find the Systems and Software Guidebook that will help you navigate these two platforms and more. Simply click on a title within the Table of Contents, and you w...
Far from Perfect
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/far-from-perfect
“God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.” I laugh out loud when I realized He called me. I remember saying that to my pastor when he offered me the job as faith formation coordinator for Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Liverpool. “Are you sure you want me?” I remember asking. Sin...
Lessons in the Dark Night of the Soul
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/lessons-in-the-dark-night-of-the-soul
A dark night of the soul is a spiritual experience, one in which our insights and aspirations, reasonings and imaginings suddenly are not enough to sustain us and must give way to a less graspable but more complete and total form of togetherness with God. In recent years we have seen the term ‘dark ...
Apolonio Latar, S.T.L.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/apolonio-latar-stl
Freedom
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/freedom
If you waltz into a Baskin Robbins, you can choose from 31 different flavors of ice cream. Ben and Jerry's currently offers 54 choices, though not at every location. When I was a child, these options seemed like a promise of bliss—who couldn't attain perfect human happiness from this delectable rang...
Graduate Certificate Program Application
https://www.stbernards.edu/certificate-program-online-application
Use this application to apply for graduate studies in one of our three Graduate Certificate programs: Graduate Certificate in Catechetical Leadership, Graduate Certificate in Catholic Philosophy, and the Graduate Certificate in Catholic Biblical Studies.
Once the below form is submitted, an email co...
In Memoriam
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/in-memoriam
In the steel mill and in the boxing ring, in his commitments and in the grain of his years, Fr. Paul Mankowski had skin in the game. In his review of Philip Eade’s biography of Evelyn Waugh, in which he thoroughly reviews the letters and works of Evelyn Waugh himself, he writes of Waugh’s conversion...
St. Bernard's Magazine
https://www.stbernards.edu/st-bernards-magazine
St. Bernard’s Magazine, formerly known as The Sheaf, is a publication of St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry that has a rich history, dating back to the newsletters of the Seminary and the Sheafs of the St. Bernard’s Institute that started as a means of communicating alumni news and annual...
Marco Stango, Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/marco-stango-ph-d
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Solemnity of All Saints: Relics and Their Mission
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/solemnity-of-all-saints-relics-and-their-mission
On November 1st
we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. This holy day of obligation is a time to honor all those canonized by the Church and those who are in heaven who have not been canonized. We are all called to become holy and to be saints. On this day we should take time to reflect on what th...
Feast of All Souls: The Mystery of God's Mercy and Justice
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/feast-of-all-souls
Following All Saints Day on November 1st is All Souls Day, a day specifically set aside by the Catholic Church to honor and pray for the faithful departed. In fact, the entire month of November is dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. To understand more fully our commitment to prayer for the Hol...
Student Spotlight: Ministering in the Time of Covid-19
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/giving-tuesday-student-spotlight
If you asked me last year what my job was, I would have said that I am a church musician. My main focus was to run choir rehearsals, plan music for liturgies, work with cantors and instrumentalists, and plan concerts. However the pandemic has changed my job description from ‘Music Director” to ‘what...
Student Contributors
https://www.stbernards.edu/student-contributors
St. Bernard's is blessed to have students and alumni who not only desire to learn more about our faith, but seek to live it out and incarnate it in their varying vocations and ministries. Below are those who have contributed to our blog thus far:...
Thanksgiving for Silence and the Poor
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/thanksgiving-for-silence-and-the-poor
The last time I contributed to our St. Bernard’s blog was around Easter earlier this year. At a time when many of us were quarantined in our homes and our churches were closed, I had suggested that we must have patience in waiting to encounter the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist at Mass. Th...
Knights of Columbus Scholarship
https://www.stbernards.edu/knights-of-columbus-scholarship
The Knights of Columbus Scholarship Program is a scholarship fund for the benefit of lay ministry leaders in the Diocese of Rochester who wish to further their education at St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry.
...
CARES Act Reporting
https://www.stbernards.edu/cares-act-reporting
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry CARES Act Reporting Requirements...
Savoring B&B During Advent
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/savoring-b-b-during-advent
This column first appeared on the website: The Catholic Thing (www.thecatholicthing.org). Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission....
Christ's Invisible Coming This Christmas 2020
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/christmas-2020
Dear Friends,
As we approach the close of 2020, I cannot help but be astounded at the graces God has bestowed on us this year, most especially through the support and prayers offered by you on behalf of St. Bernard’s! I offer to you my hearty, humble, and appreciative thanks.
With Advent rapidly com...
Mary in Prayer
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/mary-in-prayer
All who follow Christ believe in developing a relationship with God and praying to God as a means of connection. Christians agree with using the words that Jesus gave us to pray, known as the “Our Father” or the “Lord’s Prayer.” A disagreement and misunderstanding happens when non-Catholics witness ...
The Indisposable Gift of Life: How Love Must Be the Heart of Catholic Social Teaching
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-indisposable-gift-of-life-how-love-must-be-the-heart-of-catholic-social-teaching
Love is needed to bring about a culture of life. Our society has an ever-present culture of death and an obsession with promiscuity and casual sex. As Catholics we are called to examine our mindset towards unplanned pregnancies, pregnancies among adolescents, and those outside of marriage. It seems ...
The Face of Christ: My Time with Catholic Charities during the Pandemic
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-face-of-christ
In the summer of 2020, I had the privilege of working at several food distribution locations offered by Catholic Charities. Before participating in this ministry, I heard of Catholic Charities but did not realize the full extent of the services this ministry provides. Catholic Charities has two soup...
Whitelisting Instructions
https://www.stbernards.edu/whitelisting-instructions
In order to ensure you receive email updates from us regarding upcoming events, courses and free resources, follow these instructions:
For Gmail:
In your Inbox, check under your “Promotions” tab for any emails from either St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry; Matthew Brown at matthew.brown...
Kelly Brunacini
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/kelly-brunacini
Executive Assistant to the President
Speranza: A Reflection on Hope
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/speranza-a-reflection-on-hope
If we pause for a second and think about the way we live today, about how the Western person lives nowadays, it would seem plausible to say that the virtue of hope is absent from the scenario. We should stand outside of grocery stores, schools, and maybe even churches to hand out flyers containing t...
Upcoming Events
https://www.stbernards.edu/upcoming-events
Events, Lectures, and Speaker Series:
St. Bernard’s exists for the building up of Christian disciples in our age, in our region and beyond. It is also a place where conversation, discussion, and engagement occur on important issues related to our faith. St. Bernard’s offers many and varied events, l...
Conferences
https://www.stbernards.edu/conferences
The More You Know, the More You Love: Reflections on the "Catechism"
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/reflections-on-the-catechism
I can’t recall how I came across this story – which is a poor attestation to my capacities as a scholar – but there is a tale I enjoy telling regarding the Catechism of the Catholic Church that involves its principal architect, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn. Now, I know that even prior to relating th...
Hope in Penitence and the Triumph of Easter
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/hope-in-penitence-and-the-triumph-of-easter
My wife often recounts the story of an event that occurred while teaching an ESL class in Egypt a number of years ago, well before we were married. At the time, she was with Coptic Christians and since she possessed that most agreeable accent of the Canadian (a lovely compromise between the American...
Remembering Fr. George Heyman
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/remembering-fr-george-heyman
It is with deep sorrow that we have learned of the passing of Fr. George Heyman, past president of St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry. Fr. George taught with us at St. Bernard's from 2007 until 2015, when he became President of the School, a position he held until 2018. Subsequently, he w...
Divine Mercy: Spiritual Salve for Today’s Soul
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/divine-mercy-spiritual-salve-for-todays-soul
As we continue celebrating the Easter season, and having recently celebrated the Feast of Divine Mercy, I found myself reflecting on the state of our world: how far we’ve come and where we’re going. Having lived through the turbulent 1960s, I never dreamed our world could be even more topsy-turvy. O...
Tribute and Farewell to Sr. Nancy Hawkins, IHM, Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/tribute-and-farewell-to-sr-nancy-hawkins-ihm-ph-d
It is with a very heavy heart that I announce that our beloved Sr. Nancy Hawkins, IHM, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, has decided to take up a new position at Marywood University in Scranton, PA.
Marywood was founded in 1915 by her order, the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate...
Faith in Action: My Time at St. Bernard's
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/faith-in-action-my-time-at-st-bernards
We are all called to serve, but in what capacity? This has been a question I have been discerning for several years.
Throughout my undergraduate studies at Le Moyne College, the word “vocation” was constantly referenced. In the Catholic Church, vocation is usually associated with those that are cal...
Professor Jean Baric Parker, D.BE, Receives Award from Catholic Media Association
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/jean-baric-parker-receives-award-from-cma
This press release first appeared on the Catholic Medical Association's website (www.cathmed.org). ...
Contemplation and Theology: My Time at St. Bernard's
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/contemplation-and-theology-my-time-at-st-bernards
If you were to tell me five years ago that I would have a Master’s Degree in Theology, I would have told you that you were crazy and that one Master’s (in Social Work) was enough. But, that’s the way God works. We often sell ourselves short, while He has big plans for us. We just need to trust Him. ...
Martin Heidegger and the Corona Virus: Awareness of Death Post-Covid
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/heidegger-and-the-corona-virus
Covid-19 is a once-in-a-century event, a global pandemic whose medical, social, economic, and political fallout will reverberate for years to come. The human toll itself from Covid is overwhelming, with well over 3 million people dead already from the disease.
Thankfully, however, the vaccines, the...
Dr. Charles Hughes Huff Named Among CCD Grant Recipients copy
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/dr-charles-hughes-huff-named-among-ccd-grant-recipients-1
This press release first appeared on the USCCB's website (www.usccb.org/news). Reprinted with permission....
Libertà
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/liberta
In this post I would like to briefly explore the topic of freedom as it has been developed by Servant of God, Fr. Luigi Giussani (15 October 1922 – 22 February 2005). Fr. Giussani was an Italian theologian and educator and most importantly the founder of the lay Catholic movement, Communion and Libe...
Student Resources
https://www.stbernards.edu/student-resources
Systems and Software
Please access the various software by clicking below. A Systems and Software Guidebook can be found here....
Applications
https://www.stbernards.edu/applications
We welcome those interested in studying at St. Bernard’s to apply through one of our five applications below. If you have questions about which application to use, please contact the Office of Admissions for assistance....
Partnership Certificate Program - The Saint John Society
https://www.stbernards.edu/partnership-certificate-program-st-john-society
Certificate in Evangelization (CE)
“You must not hide your talent in a napkin, or your light under a bushel. I want a laity, not arrogant, not rash in speech, not disputatious, but men who know their religion, who enter into it, who know just where they stand, who know what they hold, and what they ...
Call for Papers
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/call-for-papers
"Interpretation of Scripture and Ecclesial Exegesis: The Search for an Integrated Theology" with Gregory Vall, Fr. David Meconi, and Robert Louis Wilken
+
In an address given to the Fourteenth Synod of Bishops on October 14, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI stated:
Only when both methodological levels — the...
Lisa Lickona, S.T.L.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/lisa-lickona-s-t-l
Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology
Sifting for the Particular Good: The Relationship between Archeology and the Bible
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/archeology-and-the-bible
When you read the Bible, do you see it? Can you see the countryside, the colors, the fabrics, the buildings, the clothes?
Last night, July 4, I performed traditional pietas with some friends and their neighbors: we cooked burgers, sat outside, sang folk songs, leaned back in our chairs, and told st...
Reflections on Offering
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/reflections-on-offering
One common phrase familiar to many Catholics is “offer it up.” When faced with a challenge or a difficulty, we are asked to perform the activity gratefully while offering to God the stress and discomfort associated with it. Like many such phrases taught in childhood, it is only now in adulthood that...
Certificate in Evangelization Application
https://www.stbernards.edu/certificate-in-evangelization-application
Use this application to apply for the Certificate in Evangelization - a program led by priests of the Saint John Society in partnership with St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry.
Once submitted, an email confirmation will be sent to you to finish the application, and our Director of Admissi...
Graduate Certificate Programs
https://www.stbernards.edu/certificate-programs
Here at St. Bernard’s, anyone who comes to study with us will find a wonderful and varied community of learners. We have those seeking to pursue Master’s degrees, but also those who desire to go deeper in an aspect of their faith without having to commit to a degree program....
Graduate Certificate in Catholic Philosophy
https://www.stbernards.edu/certificate-in-catholic-philosophy
Graduate Certificate in Catholic Philosophy (GCCP)
“… [P]hilosophy shows in different modes and forms that the desire for truth is part of human nature itself. It is an innate property of human reason to ask why things are as they are.” - Pope St. John Paul II, Fides et Ratio, 3, 5
This certificate ...
Graduate Certificate in Catechetical Leadership
https://www.stbernards.edu/certificate-in-catechetical-leadership
Graduate Certificate in Catechetical Leadership (GCCL)
“[M]inistries - such as catechists, directors of prayer and chant, Christians devoted to the service of God's Word or to assisting their brethren in need, the heads of small communities, or other persons charged with the responsibility of aposto...
Graduate Certificate in Catholic Biblical Studies
https://www.stbernards.edu/certificate-in-catholic-biblical-studies
Graduate Certificate in Catholic Biblical Studies (GCCBS)
“This sacred tradition, therefore, and Sacred Scripture of both the Old and New Testaments are like a mirror in which the pilgrim Church on earth looks at God, from whom she has received everything, until she is brought finally to see Him as ...
Certificate in Evangelization
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/certificate-in-evangelization-launch
The following is an interview conducted between representatives from the St. John Society in Portland, Oregon, and St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester, NY. Both institutions recently created a new Certificate in Evangelization, which “aims to equip Catholics to be luminous wit...
Life-Time Free Alumni Audit
https://www.stbernards.edu/life-time-free-alumni-audit
Education as Accompaniment: A New Approach to Lifelong Learning
Why should a student’s investment be limited to just a few years, especially within disciplines that encourage, and even require, continual growth and formation?
St. Bernard’s realizes that students are looking for education and forma...
Building Rental
https://www.stbernards.edu/building-rental
St. Bernard’s exists for the building up of Christian disciples in our age, in our region and beyond. It is also a place where conversation, discussion, and engagement occur on important issues related to our faith.
If you are looking to rent rooms or chapel space, we invite you to contact the Even...
Jessica Cole, D.Min.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/jessica-cole-d-min
Education as Accompaniment: A New Model of Graduate Formation
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/a-new-model-of-graduate-formation
The last twelve months have occasioned much reflection and discernment among the administration, faculty, and staff of St. Bernard’s. One of the basic questions asked has been, quite simply, what are our students looking for, and what do they need? The jarring disruption of the pandemic enabled us t...
Fr. Ignacio Llorente, S.T.L.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/fr-ignacio-llorente-s-t-l
Michael Ceragioli
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/michael-ceragioli
Program Director, Certificate in Evangelization
Our Sure Hope: Entrusting this Academic Year to Our Lady
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/our-sure-hope
As we prepare to begin our 2021 – 2022 academic year, we take to heart the words of our patron, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, from whom comes the motto in our crest, ipsa propitia pervenis:
"O you who find yourself tossed about by the storms of life, turn not your eyes from the brightness of this Star, ...
Carmina Chapp, Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/carmina-chapp-ph-d
Giving
https://www.stbernards.edu/giving
Paving the Way for Future Generations Starts Here
As a donor, you not only contribute to our service of the Church, you also partake of the great gift that St. Bernard’s has been and will continue to be to our students and our community. Your generous financial support enables students to better un...
Deliver Us from Evil
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/deliver-us-from-evil
We always conclude the Our Father by praying, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” The same prayer, however, looks a little different when we find it in the Gospel of Matthew. It reads, “And do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one” (6:13, NAB). W...
The Extraordinary St. Hildegard von Bingen
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/st-hildegard-von-bingen
It is difficult to read or listen to the news without hearing the same attention-grabbing superlatives being used over and over again to describe life during the pandemic. The overuse of words such as “extraordinary” diminishes the true meaning of the word. As a result, we become desensitized to tha...
To Whom Else Would We Go?
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/to-whom-else-would-we-go
Though I attended Catholic schools K- 12, growing up I had very little idea as to what the Church taught. I do not mean that I was merely ignorant of Church teaching on particularly controversial moral questions (though that was true too). But even more importantly, I was ignorant regarding the very...
Interpretation of Scripture and Ecclesial Exegesis: The Search for an Integrated Theology - A Post-Conference Reflection
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-search-for-an-integrated-theology-a-reflection
St. Bernard’s celebrated a great milestone last week, namely our first-ever Scripture conference! Led by Drs. Charles Hughes Huff, Matthew Kuhner, and Nathan Mastnjak, this conference (titled “Interpretation of Scripture and Ecclesial Exegesis: The Search for an Integrated Theology”) brought togethe...
A Different Church?
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/a-different-church
The Synod on Synodality is upon us, and the official handbook for the synod is called the Vademecum. I know this is a problem that only language nerds have, but vade-me-cum, from the Latin, means “go with me,” and is very close the word synod (syn-hodos), from the Greek, which means “journeying with...
Logos, Love, and Light: Reflections on the Incarnation
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/logos-love-and-light
Near the beginning of the Gospel of John we read: “And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” What word is St. John referring to here? In short, he is referring to Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who is born as a baby on Christmas. In the original Greek, St. John stated that Christ is th...
Darkness, Disruption, and Disorientation: Why Christmas Lights are so Important
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/why-christmas-lights-are-so-important
“The People who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Isiah the prophet is here referring to the advent of the Messiah, the coming of Christ. The Incarnation, the event of God becoming man, will, says Isiah, lead to the dispersion of the darkness of sin. This same idea is re-stated at the sta...
A Christmas Reflection
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/a-christmas-reflection
I think that most of us have noted in recent years a marked increase in people’s impatience that typically forebodes a ready and all-too-easy descent into petty quarrelling, anger, and in some cases even violence. We see this play out all too commonly both on and offline among strangers – even among...
O Antiphons
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/o-antiphons
The O Antiphons are antiphons for Vespers in the days leading up to Christmas, beginning December 17. O Come Emmanuel is well known due to the hymn, but each has been set musically many times, from Charpentier to Arvo Pärt. The first known references to these antiphons are medieval. Boethius seems t...
Fortieth Anniversary of the First Ordained Permanent Deacons in the Diocese of Rochester
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/fortieth-anniversary-of-the-first-ordained-permanent-deacons-in-the-diocese-of-rochester
In 2022, the Diocese of Rochester will happily celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the first class to be ordained to the permanent diaconate. The 24 members of the class were ordained on April 17, 1982. Those ordinations, however, did not include the first local ordination to the restored order. F...
Guide Us to Thy Perfect Light
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/guide-us-to-thy-perfect-light
The story of the magi, the men who traveled a great distance following the light of the star, is one that is perplexing and worth considering. St. Matthew recounts their story and tells us that when they encountered King Herod, the magi explained: “We saw his star at its rising and have come to do h...
Children are a Burden
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/children-are-a-burden
“Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” (Mk. 10:15).
“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
It is such a beautiful image: Christ embracing an infant in the midst of his followers and telling th...
Planned Giving
https://www.stbernards.edu/planned-giving
Leaving a Legacy, Securing the Future
Our student experience would not be possible without the generosity of benefactors who have planned their gifts to St. Bernard’s. Charitable gifts help you meet your current philanthropic goals and extend your generosity well into the future. With the right plan...
Alumni Giving
https://www.stbernards.edu/alumni-giving
Securing the Future of Alumni to Come
As an alum of St. Bernard’s, you know how crucial scholarships and financial aid are to the pursuit of a graduate degree. We are blessed by the individuals who make up our alumni community and are enriched by their continual involvement and financial support of...
Securities & Assets
https://www.stbernards.edu/securities-assets
Gifts of stocks, securities, retirement accounts, and other assets can make an impact on St. Bernard’s both during and after your lifetime. We encourage you to consult with your legal and financial advisor to choose a gift that works best for you and your interests. It is important that you inform u...
Celebrating St. Bernard's New Vice President
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/st-bernards-new-vice-president
It is with great joy that I announce our beloved Academic Dean, Dr. Matthew Kuhner, has been promoted to the role of Vice President of St. Bernard’s!
Dr. Kuhner has worked tirelessly these past four and a half years in not only providing and ensuring our school’s academic and ministerial excellence ...
Fr. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/fr-benjamin-roberts-d-min
Pursuing the Heart of Theology: St. Bernard's Fall Conference
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/pursuing-the-heart-of-theology
In the summer between my junior and senior year in college, I hustled everyday back-and-forth between two waitressing gigs—serving Eggs Benedict and Cobb salads to executives at a high-class golfclub by day and schlepping pizzas and pitchers of soda to teens in a local pub by night. Yet somehow, eac...
Journeying Together: A Reflection on Synodality
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/journeying-together-a-reflection-on-synodality
As Director of St. Bernard's Albany Campus, I have the pleasure of spending a significant amount of time interacting with diocesan leaders and staff at the Pastoral Center in Albany. Since October, “synod” – and various forms thereof, like synodal or synodality – has become a bit of a buzzword. I’ve...
Wills and Beneficiary Designations
https://www.stbernards.edu/wills-and-beneficiary-designations
Naming St. Bernard’s as the beneficiary of a bequest is a simple way to forge a legacy that will last for decades. We encourage you to consult with your legal and financial advisor to choose a gift that works best for you and your interests. It is important that you inform us of any gifts, now or se...
Funds, Trusts, and Annuities
https://www.stbernards.edu/funds-trusts-and-annuities
Gifts through funds, trusts, and annuities are unique ways to make an impact on St. Bernard’s. We encourage you to consult with your legal and financial advisor to choose a gift that works best for you and your interests. It is important that you inform us of any gifts, now or set for the future, so...
Past Events & Conferences
https://www.stbernards.edu/past-events
Fruitfulness in the Desert: A Lenten Reflection
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/fruitfulness-in-the-desert
For every one of us, there is a story told, and an untold story. There is the part of us that everyone sees, hears of, is exposed to, and the interior drama of our lives that few, if any, ever know. Especially in the age of social media, everyone has a life that is compartmentalized to varying degre...
Light and High Beauty Forever: A Reflection on Tolkien the Artist
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/light-and-high-beauty-forever
Mary Keniry, MA, JD, LMSW
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/mary-keniry-ma-jd-lmsw
Academic Writing Consultant
Deacon Gary Andelora, MSE, MAT
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/deacon-gary-andelora-mse-mat
Academic Writing Consultant
All Creation, Bless the Lord
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/all-creation-bless-the-lord
When I heard of the recent Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher, I had a simultaneous skepticism and curiosity. I was flooded with questions of why such a film would exist, what could a rational human being possibly learn from an irrational invertebrate, and is this going to be another Tiger King?...
An Easter Blessing born from the Suffering of Lent
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/an-easter-blessing
This has been a most difficult Lent, not only from my perspective but particularly from the accounts offered by my friends, family, and colleagues. The narratives that we spin do not importantly rest upon the troubles that have beset our nations of late. Instead, we rehearse not only the increasing ...
Mary Colleen Drain
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/mary-colleen-drain
Admissions and Marketing Associate
Catholicity as Gift and Task: Introducing St. Bernard’s Fall 2022 Academic Conference
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/catholicity-as-gift-and-task-conference
Has it ever struck you as strange that, during the recitation of the Nicene Creed on Sundays, we profess belief in the Church? Typically when we think of belief within Catholicism, we think of believing in God and in Jesus Christ as true God and true man. But what does it mean to believe in the one,...
CRRSAA and ARP Relief Funds
https://www.stbernards.edu/crrsaa-and-arp-relief-funds
Coronavirus Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds: CRRSAA Higher Education Relief Fund II; ARP Higher Education Relief Fund III
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry received federal funding under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) as part of the Coronavirus Response and Re...
Graduate Certificate in Catholic Bioethics
https://www.stbernards.edu/catholic-bioethics-certificate
“A particularly crucial battleground in today's cultural struggle between the supremacy of technology and human moral responsibility is the field of bioethics, where the very possibility of integral human development is radically called into question.” - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Caritas in Verita...
NEW! Graduate Certificate in Catholic Bioethics
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/new-graduate-certificate-in-catholic-bioethics
Offered by St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry, Rochester, NY, in affiliation with The National Catholic Bioethics Center, Philadelphia, PA...
Partnership Programs
https://www.stbernards.edu/partnership-programs
Partnerships are an essential aspect of our mission, since they are a key way to build up the ecclesial community in upstate New York and across the country. We are grateful for the opportunities to partner with like-minded organizations in providing the below accredited graduate certificates: ...
Daniel Drain, Ph.D. (Cand.)
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/daniel-drain-ph-d
Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology
The Christian Worldview
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-christian-worldview
When two people – or two parties – break off a relationship, we often hear the following reason given: they split because of “a difference in values.” Sometimes it is deemed an irreconcilable difference in values, sometimes an increasingly obvious difference in values, sometimes an unworkable differ...
For Freedom, Christ Set Us Free
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/for-freedom
“For freedom, Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). This, like much from St. Paul, is quite the loaded statement, open to numerous interpretations and deeper readings. Yet what might such freedom look like? And how, if at all, does it connect to the sort of freedom celebrated in the United States...
Partnership Applications
https://www.stbernards.edu/partnership-applications
Please use the below applications to apply for either the Certificate in Evangelization and the Graduate Certificate in Catholic Bioethics.
Should you have questions, please contact the Office of Admissions for assistance....
Graduate Certificate in Catholic Bioethics Application
https://www.stbernards.edu/graduate-certificate-in-catholic-bioethics-application
Use this application to apply for the Graduate Certificate in Catholic Bioethics - a program created with the National Catholic Bioethics Center in partnership with St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry.
Once submitted, an email confirmation will be sent to you to finish the application, and...
The Way of the Church
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-way-of-the-church
“The Redeemer of man, Jesus Christ, is the center of the universe and of history.”
- John Paul II, Redemptor Hominis, 1
Does the Church have authority? If so, over what, and on whose behalf?
These and other questions have to be answered if we wish to actually respond, as Catholics, to questions we ...
Living the Feasts: The Importance of True Leisure
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/living-the-feasts
Just over a month ago, before returning from Rome for the summer, I had the opportunity to take a friend to Casa Balthasar for the first time. Casa Balthasar is a place I have come to know and love, which under the direction of Rev. Jacques Servais, S.J., seeks to provide a place of prayer and disce...
Katharina Nieves
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/katharina-nieves
Registrar and Coordinator of Academic Planning
Erik van Versendaal, Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/erik-van-versendaal-ph-d
St. Bernard's On The Road
https://www.stbernards.edu/on-the-road
The “St. Bernard’s On the Road” initiative features the ongoing availability of St. Bernard's faculty for affordable, in-person talks to parish communities throughout upstate New York. The talks offered represent a convergence of the faculty member’s expertise and the needs of the Church in our time...
Peter J. Colosi, Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/peter-j-colosi-ph-d
The City of God
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-city-of-god
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:1-3).
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. H...
Faculty Reflection: St. Bernard's in the Holy Land
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/st-bernards-in-the-holy-land
Over the summer, St. Bernard's sponsored a six-week trip to Jordan for faculty member, Dr. Charles Hughes-Huff, and one of our students to experience an archaeological dig in the Holy Land. Below is Dr. Hughes Huff’s reflection on his time there.
Jordan is a beautiful country that takes its name fro...
Embodying Catholicity as Gift and Task
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/embodying-catholicity-as-gift-and-task
At the end of this month, we here at St. Bernard’s are meeting to celebrate the anniversary of the journal Communio: International Catholic Review, which was founded fifty years ago by a group of scholars who wanted to begin a genuinely catholic conversation—one that spans the centuries and the cont...
Catholic Anthropology, Truth, Love, and Medical Ethics
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/catholic-anthropology-truth-love-and-medical-ethics
The below article was first delivered by Dr. Peter J. Colosi as remarks for the inaugural session of St. Bernard's Graduate Certificate in Catholic Bioethics on August 30th, 2022. More details on this graduate certificate can be found here.
Part 1: A Catholic Anthropology: Human Persons as Bodily-...
Kasey Kimball, Ph.D. (Cand.)
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/kasey-kimball
Hearts, Upward! Lifting up Every Moment as a Eucharistic Offering
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/hearts-upward
The below reflection first appeared in St. Bernard's Magazine for the fall 2022 issue. If you'd like to receive a copy of the St. Bernard's Magazine in the mail, you can submit your mailing address here. ...
The Eucharist is a Sacrifice of the Whole Mass
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-eucharist-is-a-sacrifice-of-the-whole-mass
Louis Bouyer, in his book Liturgical Piety, brings out an impressive historical overview of the connection between the liturgy and the Eucharist, especially in the last 500 years. What is remarkable is the disconnect that occurred in the Romantic period between the Eucharist and the Mass, whereby ad...
Catholicity as Gift and Task: A Reflection on St. Bernard's Academic Conference
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/catholicity-as-gift-and-task
The call to papers for St. Bernard’s recent conference — “Catholicity as Gift and Task: The 50th Anniversary of Communio” — asked a series of questions about the theological journal Communio: International Catholic Review. These questions were adapted from those asked of the journal at its 25th anni...
The Church as an Event with Dr. Giovanni Maddalena
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-church-as-an-event
On October 15th Pope Francis gathered with the members of the lay Catholic movement, Communion and Liberation, to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Msgr. Luigi Giussani, the founder of the movement. Fr. Giussani notoriously used to say that “he never meant to found anything,” and that at the o...
A Christmas Reflection
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/christmas-reflection
Grappling with St. Thomas’ thought is often very challenging, but in my experience always quite rewarding. His views concerning human emotion are no exception. Many of us take a rather simple, delimited view of our affectivity, one that does not allow for variation of kind but only of degree of inte...
Fr. Benjamin Roberts Elected Vice President of The Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/fr-benjamin-roberts-elected-vp-of-cath
Fr. Benjamin Roberts Elected Vice President of The Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics
Louisville, KY - December 1, 2022: St. Bernard's is proud to announce the recent election of professor Rev. Benjamin A. Roberts to the position of Vice President of The Catholic Association of Teachers ...
Why Study Theology?
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/studying-theology
This blog post was first published in August 2019. Reprinted with permission....
One Free Summer Audit Opportunity
https://www.stbernards.edu/one-free-audit
Thanks to the generous support of the Knights of Columbus Finger Lakes Chapter, St. Bernard's is delighted to offer the opportunity of auditing one summer course for free. We are a Catholic graduate school committed to featuring courses that enhance the truths of our faith, and as such, wish to shar...
Remembering Bishop Matthew Clark
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/remembering-bishop-matthew-clark
Bishop Clark expressed his great love and hope for this School, describing St. Bernard's as "a precious resource" dedicated to "theological study and to the preparation of pastoral ministers" for the challenges that face our community and those we serve, something that we do to this very day. Reflec...
Public Notice of ATS Evaluation
https://www.stbernards.edu/ats-evaluation-2023
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry is hosting a comprehensive evaluation visit for reaffirmation of accreditation by the ATS Commission on Accrediting on March 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, 2023. The purpose of this visit is to verify that the school meets all applicable Commission Standard...
“Lord, I Love You”: The Vocation of the Ecclesiastical Man
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/lord-i-love-you
As the page turned from 2022 to 2023, the Church mourned the loss of two men who devoted their entire lives to the service. Confronted with the reality of the Gospel and what it means for the world and for them personally, they gave themselves entirely to the service of the Gospel. Beyond any office...
One Free Summer Auditor Application
https://www.stbernards.edu/free-summer-audit-application
To audit one graduate summer course for free, please complete the form below. Once submitted, a new window will open with your application. Please contact our Office of Admissions with any questions! ...
Choosing Life
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/choosing-life
“Choose life” is a phrase many of us hear in our Catholic and pro-life circles. I have a sweatshirt from Students for Life of America, where I previously worked, with those two simple words written across the front. For many people, “choose life” is a clear and explicit opposition of abortion and th...
Rev. Eugene P. Ritz, M.Div., M.A., J.C.L.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/rev-eugene-ritz
Homiletical Foundations for a Eucharistic Revival
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/homiletical-foundations-for-a-eucharistic-revival
This blog post first appeared in St. Bernard's Magazine, Spring 2022 edition. Reprinted with permission. ...
Lent and Love
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/lent-and-love
With an immediacy that seems inescapable, the Church in her wisdom directs our path once again to the desert, that place where our “yes” and “no” are refined, purified, and elevated beyond the conditioned reality of our everydayness. And yet, such a purifying refinement can only occur in the midst o...
The Most Beautiful Creature
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-most-beautiful-creature
It came in an unexpected way, in a seemingly insignificant place, at a seemingly insignificant time, and yet it was the most perfect time to the most perfect creature: Gabriel came to Mary to announce that she was to receive the eternal Son of the Father. Israel had been waiting for this very moment...
Easter Joy and the Totality of Being
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/easter-joy-and-the-totality-of-being
My wife and I have been enjoying the latest depiction of the life of Christ in a series called “The Chosen.” There is much good to be found in this loving presentation of our Lord’s Person and ministry. And even though Zeffirelli's “Jesus of Nazareth” still holds pride of place for those of us broug...
Atheism as a Pastoral Problem
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/atheism-as-a-pastoral-problem
“Atheism, true ‘existential’ atheism, burning with hatred of a seemingly unjust or unmerciful God is a spiritual state; it is a real attempt to grapple with the true God whose ways are so inexplicable even to the most believing of men, and it has more than once been known to end in a blinding vision...
Easter Praise: The Day of Resurrection has Dawned
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/easter-praise-the-day-of-resurrection-has-dawned
There is a strange and powerful silence after the Lord Jesus cries out from the Cross, “It is finished.” There is a strange and powerful silence, for the Savior sleeps in death. No more words, no more sounds, no more teachings, no more healings: all that remains are the muffled sounds of the tears o...
Deacon Ed Knauf
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/deacon-ed-knauf
Director of Finance and Human Resources
From the Heart of St. Bernard’s: Theology, Sanctity, and Evangelization
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/from-the-heart-of-st-bernards-theology-sanctity-and-evangelization
Hans Urs von Balthasar’s seminal essay Theology and Sanctity is a virtual code of conduct for the faculty of St. Bernard’s. In it, Balthasar asserts the truth that a theologian's vocation is to “expound revelation in its fullness,” and therefore since Revelation culminates and is truly Jesus Christ...
Fire of Desire: Full-Time Ministry and Ongoing Faith Formation
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/fire-of-desire-full-time-ministry-and-ongoing-faith-formation
In 2010, a friend invited me to help with her kindergarten/grade 1 parish Faith Formation class. I responded with immense hesitation.
“I don’t know enough,” I told her. “But I suppose that I could take attendance and do some craft projects with them.”
That year, I also entered the Rite of Christian ...
Evangelization: The Gospel as “Good News for Me”
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-gospel-as-good-news-for-me
The following is an adaptation from a newly published book, "Sent Forth: Handbook for a Missionary Church," by Fr. Ignacio Llorente and Michael Ceragioli
Information assails us. We see too much and hear too much — too much we cannot make much of. We are like snorkelers in a frenetic, color-streaked...
Standing the Test of Time: Catholic Bioethics Today
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/catholic-bioethics-today
St. Bernard’s Graduate Certificate in Catholic Bioethics is an innovative program in partnership with the renowned National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC), located in Philadelphia, PA. This unique graduate certificate is designed to comprehensively address a variety of pastoral and clinical situat...
Catherine Yanko, Ph.D. (Cand.)
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/catherine-yanko-phd
St. Bonaventure and Christ's Mystical Body
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/st-bonaventure
One Sunday in August of 2018, I found myself at an outdoor Mass seated between the Protestant friends with whom I was vacationing on one side, and a Catholic stranger on the other. The order in which we happened to sit on that morning was oddly symbolic: I’d been wandering in ecclesiastical no-man’s...
St. Bernard's Reaccredited for the Next 10 Years
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/st-bernards-reaccredited
There is a great deal of work that goes on behind the scenes at St. Bernard’s to provide the educational experience for which we are well known. One of the more humble and rather consuming projects of late has been that of the reaccreditation of our institution by the Association of Theological Scho...
Why Catholic Philosophy?
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/why-catholic-philosophy
I decided to study Catholic Philosophy at St. Bernard’s because I am on a
quest for meaning in the second half of life. Like the beginning of Dante’s Inferno,
I found myself last year in mid-life, wandering through a “Dark Wood.” This was
something akin to what Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung, taught ...
Matthew Ramage, Ph.D.
https://www.stbernards.edu/faculty/matthew-ramage-ph-d
Daniel Drain, Ph.D. (Cand.)
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/daniel-drain-ph-d
Pastoral Field Education
Discounted Fall Audit
https://www.stbernards.edu/discounted-fall-audit
St. Bernard's is delighted to offer the opportunity of auditing our fall 2023 course, "Faith, Fiction, and Film: The Drama of Belief" for $35. We are committed to featuring courses that enhance the truths of our faith, and as such, wish to share our offerings with as many people as possible.
Our Di...
Discounted Fall Audit Application
https://www.stbernards.edu/discounted-audit-application
Use this application to apply to our Discounted Fall Audit for "Faith, Fiction, and Film: The Drama of Belief" with Dr. Matthew Kuhner. Auditing allows you to attend courses without receiving graduate credit.
Once submitted, an email confirmation will be sent to you to finish the application, and o...
Light Kindled by a Leaping Spark: Education Beyond Information
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/education-beyond-information
It is hard sometimes to shake off the feeling, at age thirty-seven, of being completely outdated, a sort of youngish museum piece from the past. For one thing, I am a teacher, not a biomedical engineer, a computer scientist, or a TikTok celebrity. As if this were not enough, I teach philosophy at a ...
Julia Sengenberger
https://www.stbernards.edu/staff/julia-sengenberger
Academics & Library Assistant
God's Providence and Timing: My Journey to the Catholic Church
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/my-journey-to-the-catholic-church
“Do not be troubled if you do not immediately receive from God what you ask Him; for He desires to do something even greater for you while you cling to Him in prayer.”- Evagrius Ponticus
April 6th, 2021, was a day I’ll never forget. At 12:30 am, I woke up abruptly, just two days after Easter Sunday....
The Power (δύναμις, or Dunamis) of Scripture
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-power-of-scripture
“The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” (Ps. 119:105). As I reflect upon this prodigious verse, I have come to treasure more and more, not only the distinctive, linguistic beauty of Scripture, but its incredible transforming power.
The Bible has always been an integral pa...
Discounted Spring Audit
https://www.stbernards.edu/marycourse
As a Catholic graduate school, St. Bernard's is delighted to offer the opportunity of auditing our spring 2024 course, "Mary, Mother of God" for $35. We are committed to featuring courses that enhance the truths of our faith, and as such, wish to share our offerings with as many people as possible. ...
Discounted Spring Audit Application
https://www.stbernards.edu/discounted-spring-audit-application
Use this application to apply to our Discounted Spring Audit for "Mary, Mother of God" with Dr. Matthew Kuhner and Professor Lisa Lickona, S.T.L. Auditing allows you to attend courses without receiving graduate credit.
Once submitted, an email confirmation will be sent to you to finish the applicat...
In the Eucharist Our Redemption is Accomplished
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/the-eucharist
This article first appeared in the "St. Bernard's Magazine," fall 2022 issue. Sign ups to receive the latest copy of our "Magazine" in the mail are available here. ...
Truth’s Own Splendor: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and the New York State Eucharistic Congress
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/truths-own-splendor
Professor Lisa Lickona will be delivering a keynote address on the Eucharist in the lives of women saints on October 22, 2023, at the New York State Eucharistic Congress. What follows is a small preview of her presentation:
New York businessman, Will Seton, arrived in Livorno, Italy, in November 18...
Our Hearts Are Restless Until They Rest in Him
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/our-hearts-are-restless
Growing up, my typical Sunday mornings would begin with waking to the smell of meat and eggs being prepared by my father, enjoying a hot breakfast while listening to Casey Kasem’s “American Top 40” radio countdown, fighting for the shower with my sister, and my father counting down the minutes until...
Being Loved
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/being-loved
You and I are made in the image and likeness of God. When we forget that we are in fact sons and daughters of the Father, then we do the same thing Adam and Eve did: we fashion for ourselves fig leaves to try and cover that filial identity that is ours. We define ourselves by the clothes we have fas...
Wrestling with God
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/wrestling-with-god
Jacob wrestling with the angel, found in Genesis 32, reveals to us the intimacy that is possible with God. There we read that Jacob was left alone in the dark and he met a “man” or an angel, and they wrestled until the break of dawn. Jacob was not making any progress; it seems as if whatever he did ...
The Call to Sanctity That is For All
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/sanctity-for-all
This month of November began with two beautiful liturgical celebrations: All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. I think that these two liturgical celebrations remind us of our fundamental equality and shared dignity as baptized members of the Church. All Saints’ Day reminds us of our goal – it reminds ...
Human Action & The Drama of Accompaniment: A Reflection on St. Bernard's Academic Conference
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/fall-conference-2023
The 30th anniversary of Veritatis Splendor, also the 10th anniversary of Francis’s pontificate, seemed an appropriate moment to consider the legacy of the renewal of moral theology in the postconciliar era, with a special focus on the text of Veritatis Splendor and its ecclesial reception. In order ...
Re-consecrating St. Bernard’s to the Blessed Virgin Mary
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/reconsecration-to-mary
This address was originally presented by Professor Lickona at St. Bernard's Re-Consecration to Mary event on September 21, 2023.
We are gathering today to re-consecrate our school to the Blessed Virgin Mary. And we are at the same time dedicating our very selves to her, trusting in her motherly af...
Gaudete Sunday
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/gaudete-sunday
Knowing a good many people in my life right now who are struggling with a lot of things, I was struck to the core by the second reading for this Gaudete Sunday when St. Paul tells us: “In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”
That sounds wonderfully re...
President's Christmas Message
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/presidents-christmas-message
I’ve often entertained the reflection that at the moment of our Savior’s birth, the world paused from its descent into futility, ceased from its constant strife, and for one brief moment reverenced the coming of our God, catching its breath, incredulous in the face of this Incarnation! But then, aft...
Philosophy in the Modern Age
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/philosophy-in-the-modern-age
When asked why it's important to study philosophy today, I immediately think of those slogans I've heard so many times: "Philosophy teaches you how to think critically!" "It allows you to clarify your ideas!" "It makes you ask the big questions about life and reality!" If you take a look at the webs...
On Vocation and the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker Farm
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/on-vocation-and-the-dorothy-day-catholic-worker-farm
Recently, I was asked to speak to a group of high school seniors about vocations. These students were four months away from graduation, and you could tell they had senioritis pretty badly. Most knew what they were doing after high school, whether it be college or otherwise, however when I asked them...
Lent and Love
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/lent-and-love-2024
This blog post was first published in March, 2023. Reprinted with permission....
Theological Studies and Ministry: My Time at St. Bernard’s
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/theological-studies-and-ministry
My name is Tyler Davis, and I am a second year Master of Arts in Theological Studies student at St. Bernard’s! Outside of school, I work full-time in the Diocese of Rochester, NY, as a Pastoral Associate for the Southeast Rochester Catholic Community. In my position, I oversee Youth and Young Adult ...
One Free Summer Audit Opportunity
https://www.stbernards.edu/freeaudit
Thanks to the generous support of the Knights of Columbus Finger Lakes Chapter, St. Bernard's is delighted to offer the opportunity of auditing one summer course for free. We are a Catholic graduate school committed to featuring courses that enhance the truths of our faith, and as such, wish to shar...
Faith, Fiction, and Film: Human Experience and Longing for the Divine
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/faithfictionfilm
In the fall of 2023, I was blessed to be able to audit Faith, Fiction, and Film: The Drama of Belief, a course taught by Dr. Matthew Kuhner through the Discounted Fall Audit Initiative. It was not my first course at St. Bernard’s, but it had been quite some time since I had last taken or audited a c...
Deafening Silence of the Word: The 40 Hours Before the Resurrection
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/40-hours-devotion
During Advent and Lent, it is quite common for Catholic parishes to offer “40 Hours Devotion.” These remarkable events are typically held over the course of three days featuring Masses, the sacrament of penance, Eucharistic adoration, and perhaps meditative reflections. In preparation to participate...
Maurice Blondel: On the Reason and Essence of Human Action
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/maurice-blondel
One of my college professors used to say that philosophers should be happy to embrace the assessment coming from some detractors who claim that, “philosophy talks about the obvious.” What do we mean by ‘obvious,’ if not what is always in front of us and stares us in the face? And what need would we ...
An Opportunity of Growth: My Time at St. Bernard's
https://www.stbernards.edu/blog/opportunity-of-growth
This piece was first featured in the "St. Bernard's Magazine" Spring 2023 issue. More information on how to be recipient of the bi-annual "St. Bernard's Magazine" can be found here.
How did you hear about St. Bernard's and why did you decide to apply?
After my conversion in high school, I found the...
