Our programs
Making the Catholic intellectual tradition a vital part of the Church and the university in Milwaukee
The St. Irenaeus Lecture in Patristics
The annual St. Irenaeus Lecture in Patristics is delivered each January by an esteemed patristics scholar. It aims to provide a high-level and thought-provoking introduction to the text, topic, or figure under discussion in the Spring Fides Patrum series. Past lectures have been delivered by Marcus Plested (on Origen’s On First Principles) and Fr. Andrew Summerson (on St. Gregory’s Theological Orations).
"Augustine's Confessions: An Ancient Text for the Modern World"
We are pleased to announce that this year the St. Irenaeus Lecture in Patristics will be delivered by distinguished Catholic theologian John Cavadini (Notre Dame/McGrath Institute) on "Augustine's Confessions: An Ancient Text for the Modern World." The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in the beautiful Eisenberg Reading Room of Marquette University's Sensenbrenner Hall. It will be preceded by Mass at 9:00 in Gesu Church next door and followed by a reception at 11:00. Parking is available in Lot J behind Gesu Church (tell the attendant you have come for the theology lecture). Registration kindly requested.
This year's St. Irenaeus Lecture in Patristics is co-sponsored by the Marquette University Theology Department and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
The Life of the Mind: Intellectual Virtues and Human Flourishing
Why do human beings desire to know the nature and truth of things and not merely their usefulness to us? What need do we have of wisdom beyond practical skill and technical mastery? What are the virtues of mind and will required to sustain the love of learning in a community such as the university? Catholic philosopher Jennifer Frey will take up these questions in a public lecture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, in the Fireside Lounge of the Student Union, on Thursday, January 23 at 7:00 PM. Reception to follow at 8:00.
Further Information
Paid parking is available in the Union Garage of the Student Union (2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.) and free parking is available on nearby streets. Pizza will be available beforehand beginning at 6:30 PM for university students.
This event is co-sponsored by the UWM Newman Center and the Lumen Christi Institute and made possible through the support of 'In Lumine: Supporting the Catholic Intellectual Tradition on Campuses Nationwide' (Grant #62372) from the John Templeton Foundation.
Fides Patrum
Fides Patrum (“The Faith of the Fathers”) is a seminar series dedicated to exploring the rich and extensive theology of the Church Fathers. Each fall and spring we run a new five-part series. Past series have explored such texts and topics as St. Irenaeus’ Against Heresies; Origen’s On First Principles; St. Athanasius’ On the Incarnation; St. Gregory the Theologian’s Five Theological Orations; Asceticism; and the Holy Spirit.
Upcoming events
The Thought of St. Augustine
This year (2024-25), Fides Patrum will be exploring the theology of St. Augustine in two parts. The Fall series will proceed topically: (1) Faith and Reason (2) The Church and Sacraments; (3) Nature and Grace (4) Politics and the City; and (5) The Trinity. The Spring series will be a reading, over five meetings, of St. Augustine’s Confessions. The dates for our spring meetings are: February 8, March 1, March 22, April 12, and May 3. Fides Patrum meets on Saturday mornings at the UWM Panther Newman Center at 10:30AM, following 9:00AM Mass and 9:30AM coffee hour.
Early Christianity / CA 509
In conjunction with Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, the St. Irenaeus Institute will be offering a course on Early Christianity in Spring 2025 that UW-Milwaukee students can take for credit as an elective equivalent to RELIGST 309 (Early Christianity). The course is focused on the development of Christian thought, practices, and institutions over the first five to eight centuries of the common era. It is free for UWM students, and will meet on Wednesdays from 1:30-4:00 PM at the UWM Newman Center beginning on January 22. To learn more about the course and to register contact Dr. Aaron Ebert (aaron.ebert@st-irenaeus.org).
The Legacies of Nicaea I and Vatican II: An Inheritance Unfolding
The Legacies Conference, scheduled for September 4-7, 2025 in Milwaukee, 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). In doing so, it will reflect on the Church’s rich conciliar tradition as a whole. The conference will gather prominent scholars and Catholic clergy, along with students, seminarians, and lay participants, to reflect on these significant events and their legacies in a context aimed at benefiting both the Church and the academy.
Event details
Two prominent bishops will deliver keynote addresses each evening, and additional papers and lectures will be delivered during the days by esteemed scholars of Nicaea I and Vatican II.
Other events
