Successful summer at Saints and Scholars 2022

By Andrew L. Ouellette, MA
Director of the Saints & Scholars Institute
Director of Office of Campus Ministry
Adjunct Faculty, Theology
Managing Editor, Ecce Mater Tua

The Saints & Scholars Institute at Holy Cross College celebrated its seventh year in June with a two-week program that welcomed nearly 80 high school students from our local diocese, the country, and around the world (Canada, Ireland, Germany, El Salvador, Chile).

High School students lived, ate, prayed, and studied at Holy Cross College being put in one of six tracks: Education, Leadership, Media, Public Health, Human Rights, and Ecology. Each track, taught by a faculty member and assisted by two College mentors, is grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition to teach students how the Catholic faith informs and enriches our culture.

Each day of the program was filled with the praying of the Liturgy of the Hours, daily Mass, off-campus experiences, fellowship, and fun. Highlights of the program include a Theology & the Arts session (featuring music, painting, and dance), a trivia night, a competitive tournament including ultimate frisbee and sand volleyball, and a banquet dinner honoring the achievement of our high school students completing the Saints & Scholars program. Our guest of honor for Week 1 was Father David Tyson, CSC – outgoing president of Holy Cross College, and our guest of honor for Week 2 was Dr. Marco Clark – incoming (and current) president of the College. The entire Saints & Scholars program concluded with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Bishop Rhoades expressed his great admiration of Holy Cross College and, in particular, Saints & Scholars for forming young people in an authentically Catholic atmosphere.