Treasures New and Old

Encounter the Catholic Intellectual Tradition

Thinking with the whole Church

The St. Irenaeus Institute offers opportunities for all who are interested—from seasoned scholars to those exploring the faith for the first time—to discover, ponder, and engage deeply with the Catholic intellectual tradition.

The people we serve

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Scholars and students

Cultivating a robust conversation between the university and the Catholic intellectual tradition.

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Lay men and women

Providing forums for Catholics and other Christians to study the great texts and ideas of the Church’s tradition and to explore the fundamental questions of our day.

Priests and deacons

Fostering intellectual life and friendship among the clergy.

News and events

Our upcoming events and ongoing programs

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Announcement

New Scholar-in-Residence: Dr. Joshua Hren

We are very pleased to announce that Dr. Joshua Hren is the newly appointed Scholar-in-Residence at the St. Irenaeus Institute. Joshua is founder and editor of Wiseblood Books and co-founder of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of St. Thomas, Houston. A prolific author and revered teacher, Joshua recently sat down with us to tell more about himself and his new role with St. Irenaeus. You can read the full interview by clicking the link below.

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Cathedral Lecture

Intellectual Conversion in the Secular Academy Today

August 2, 2025

To mark the publication of Converting the Blue Devils: Becoming Catholic at Duke (Emmaus Road, 2025), edited by Milwaukeeans D. Hayden Hagerman and Joshua Miller, PeterJ. Casarella (Duke Divinity School) will give a public lecture at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist: "'By the Renewal of Your Mind': Intellectual Conversion in the Secular Academy Today." 10:00 AM, Saturday, August 2, 2025.

Academic Conference

The Legacies of Nicaea I and Vatican II: An Inheritance Unfolding

September 4, 2025

The Legacies Conference, taking place from September 4-7, 2025, will commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325) together with the 60th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council (1962-5). The Conference begins at 7:00 PM on Thursday, September 4 with the Archbishop's annual Pallium Lecture, delivered this year by Most Rev. Daniel E. Flores, S.T.D.

Short Course

St. Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle

September 11, 2025

You have dilated my heart, oh God! Dilatasti cor meum (Psalm 118), St. Teresa prayed out of the depths of her being, summoning us to a spiritual nobility that will enlarge our horizons, shattering the glass ceilings of the secular world with the “immortal diamond” of the soul. Enter then this fall, over seven evenings, chapter by chapter of The Interior Castle, through the Seven Mansions St. Teresa reveals to us. Further details to come. Taught by Joshua Hren, St. Irenaeus Scholar-in-Residence

Recurring Seminar

Fides Patrum

September 20, 2025

Fides Patrum (“The Faith of the Fathers”) is a seminar dedicated to exploring the theology of the Church Fathers through study and discussion of their key writings. To mark the 1700th anniversary of the very first ecumenical council (Nicaea I, A.D. 325), the topic for Fall 2025 is "Nicaea and Its Legacy." The dates are: September 20, October 11, October 25, November 15, and December 6. Fides Patrum meets at 10:30 AM at the UWM Newman Center, preceded by Mass (9:00 AM) and coffee hour.

Full Schedule and Details

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Our mission

The St. Irenaeus Institute exists to make the Catholic intellectual tradition a vital part of the Church and the university in the greater Milwaukee area. Under the patronage of St. Irenaeus, the early patristic expression of that tradition animates our work even as we reflect upon the entire intellectual patrimony of the Church, from theology and philosophy, to the arts and sciences. We serve students, scholars, priests, and lay Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

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Catholic

Believing in order to understand.

Intellectual

Reasoning in the light of faith.

Tradition

Treasuring the wisdom handed down.

Milwaukee

Handing on the deposit here and now.

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Our Partners

In Lumine Network

The St. Irenaeus Institute is a member of the In Lumine Network, a consortium of select Catholic institutes around the country devoted to the exploration of fundamental questions of human existence in the light of the Catholic intellectual tradition. Through fellowship programs, lectures, and seminars, In Lumine institutes foster intellectual friendships, cultivate a sense of wonder, and equip students with the virtues necessary for flourishing.

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Lux Patrum

Lux Patrum is dedicated to making the wisdom of the Church Fathers and medieval theologians accessible to modern readers by publishing high-quality editions at an affordable price. Help keep our books inexpensive by donating.

Upcoming Publications

Two female students stand in a group and smile

Joshua Miller, founder of the St. Irenaeus Institue, lectures in front of a group of students.

Support Catholic intellectual formation in Milwaukee

“Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it.”
‍—Psalm 127:1

First, please pray for our labors, that they bring many yields and fulfill God’s will. Please also consider making a one-time or recurring donation to the St. Irenaeus Institute. Without your generous gifts, our programs would not be possible; our distinctive / unique efforts revitalize the intellectual life, serving the city of Milwaukee from the heart of the Church, would cease.

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