Ex Corde Ecclesiae

January 28, 2003 marked an historic moment in the life of Aquinas College, as its newest President, Sister Thomas Aquinas took the Oath of Fidelity and led the nine theology professors in a public Profession of Faith and a defined acceptance of Church teaching as called for by Pope John Paul II in his document on Catholic universities, Ex Corde Ecclesiae.   The document calls for integrity of doctrine taught, as its title suggests, “In the Heart of the Church.”  On the Feast of its patron the College demonstrated its commitment to living fully its mission.   In a spirit of collaboration and with a keen sense of both the dignity and responsibility of the task they perform so generously, the theology faculty received the mandatum to teach Catholic Theology from Bishop Edward Kmiec. 

Catholic members of the faculty from other disciplines also made the Profession of Faith, agreeing to uphold the teachings of the Church.  A study of the document is underway in an effort to better integrate the truths of our faith into the curriculum while still maintaining the integrity of each academic discipline.  Sr. Thomas Aquinas explains, “The deepening of the Catholic identity is central to our mission.  The nature of a Catholic institution of higher learning is that the Christian message must be a part of the curriculum.” The task of systematically examining the curriculum will be spearheaded by Fr. John Rock, S.J., chaplain to the Motherhouse and Professor of Moral Theology, who will be joined by administrators, professors and staff members.  The goal will not be to overlay theology on each subject but to enlighten reason by faith. 

The seeds of the College were first sown in 1928, with the establishment of St. Cecilia Normal School for the education of the sisters.  Degrees were granted through an affiliation with Catholic University of America.  In 1961 Aquinas Junior College opened to the public at its present location in West Nashville. Today it is a four-year institution with programs in education, nursing and business with a two year program in liberal arts.  Aquinas continues to educate the Dominican Sisters, with 65 in preparation for the teaching apostolate.  With the building of an endowment and increases in the number of lay students attending the college, Aquinas is experiencing the beginning of a period of growth.  Over the past year enrollment has increased 24% and the college will be hiring new faculty for the 2003-2004 academic year.

Aquinas College is proud of the education it provides its students, preparing nurses well grounded in professional skills, medical ethics and in the awareness of the dignity of the human person; teachers able to develop the intellectual and spiritual dimension of their students; and business professionals who understand the ethical principles that should undergird all our endeavors.

For more information on Aquinas College, visit their website at:  www. aquinas-tn.edu or call 615-297-7545.