The 487 Correspondent

Winter 2010

On Friday, February 19, Archbishop Francis Cardinal George was the keynote speaker at the third Thomistic Circles event held by the Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception. A response from emi-nent philosopher Dr. Russell Hittinger followed the Cardinal’s talk, entitled Secularism and the Natural Desire to Know God.

The aim of the Thomistic Circles conferences is to bring together scholars of the highest level to present with clarity and insight the wisdom of Aquinas, in dialogue with one another, and in response to modern problems and questions. “The Thomistic Circles,” stated Fr. Tho-mas Joseph White, O.P., the organizer of the Thomistic Circles, “are an annual cycle of conferences designed to help renew in the Church today a sense of the perennial importance of the thought of Thomas Aquinas, the An-gelic doctor.”

Cardinal George expressed his gratitude for the Domini-can intellectual tradition which he encountered through his own formation as a priest. He expressed his hope that the Dominican tradition of Thomistic studies that characterized so many European intellectual centers in the mid-twentieth century would be carried on by the PFIC in the United States.

Saturday featured a number of lectures that expounded upon the problem of secularism. The participating speak-ers included: Dr. Paul Griffiths (Duke Divinity School), Dr. Reinhard Hütter (Duke Divinity School), Fr. John Cor-bett, O.P. (PFIC), and Dr. Bruce Marshall (Perkins School of The-ology at SMU, Dallas). The lectures were well-attended and drew an audience of students and scholars from as far away as South Carolina and Indiana.

The schedule allowed time for attendees to participate in the liturgies at the Priory. The conscious attempt to in-form study of Sacred Truth with habitual prayer was suc-cessful as the Chapel was crowded with guests through-out the weekend.

This is the third event of the 2009-2010 Thomistic Cir-cles. Notre Dame professor of philosophy Alasdair Mac-Intyre lectured about Dominican philosophical education in September. The lecture, titled “What should a Do-minican Philosophical Education be Nowadays,” drew a crowd of over 200 people. In October, eight Thomistic scholars from around the world gathered to discuss “Thomism and the Renewal of Contemporary Theology.”

For more information about the Thomistic Circles, please call us at (202) 495-3820. A video recording of Cardinal George’s lecture and Dr. Hittinger’s response is available online at: www.dhs.edu.

Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I.

Aquin Hall was filled for the Cardinal’s lecture.

CARDINAL GEORGE KEYNOTE LECTURER FOR THOMISTIC CIRCLES

The Newsletter of the Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception

Six PFIC Students Ordained Deacons

On January 9, 2010, six PFIC students, four Dominican Fri-ars and two Marians of the Immaculate Conception, were ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Martin Holley, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. After years of preparation, Br. Hyacinth Cordell, O.P., Br. Kenneth Dos Santos, M.I.C., Br. Ignatius Schweitzer, O.P., Br. James McCormack, M.I.C., Br. Ezra Sullivan, O.P., and Br. Austin Litke, O.P. were ordaned to the Order of Dea-cons. The newly ordained will serve the local Washington, D.C. community by preaching, teaching, and baptizing at their assigned parishes while completing their degrees at the Dominican House of Studies. Br. Ignatius and Br. Austin are completing the S.T.B., Br. Ezra and Br. Hyacinth are pursu-ing their S.T.L., and Br. Ken and Br. James are completing the M.Div. Br. Hyacinth said, “It is overwhelming to realize that I am now forever configured to Christ the Servant in a special way. I love serving the community and the Church as a dea-con, and I hope to treasure this time of grace in preparation for the yet further grace of priesthood.” The ordinanti were supported by their Brothers who served or concelebrated the Mass. The Dominican schola, directed by Br. Michael O’Connor, sang at the Mass.

Letter from the

President Dear Friends, Alumni & Benefactors:

Winter can seem to be a bleak time, especially when the remnants of record snowfalls linger… We can forget too easily that the vanishing snows of winter provide the flowing waters of Spring growth and new life. Amidst our Lenten disci-plines, we can sometimes forget that this Season of Grace is essentially about personal and eccle-sial renewal and the promise of new life, for the Lord pledged that “…whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (Jn 4:14) We can become so attentive to our own efforts that we can forget how Grace precedes, accompanies, and accomplishes any good in us and in the Church. We can forget that it is the Triune God crowning the gifts already bestowed upon us in good measure. So much can slip past us.

And so, this issue of The 487 Correspondent is meant to be a reminder of God’s many gifts as Winter and the Lenten Season give way. We see new life in the vitality of the Thomistic Circles, the diaconal ordination of six PFIC students, the Solemn Profession of five Dominicans, and new faculty. And we see the commitment and number of our benefactors increase. All these are signs of God’s goodness, encouraging us to persevere in hope for a future that is, as yet, shielded from our eyes—but a certain future, because the One who promised is worthy of trust.

Sincerely yours in the Lord,

Very Rev. Steven C. Boguslawski, O.P. President, PFIC

From left, Dominican Brothers Ignatius, Austin, Ezra, Hyacinth, and Marian Brother Ken lying prostrate during their ordination to the Diaconate in January, at the Basilica of the

National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

2 · The Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception

Serving the Poor

During their first couple of years in the studentate, brothers gain experience by personally serving the poor and the disenfranchised, elderly retirees and young schoolchildren, people dying of AIDS and women struggling with crisis pregnancies. They serve at homes and kitchens operated by the Missionaries of Charity and Catholic grassroots movements such as The Simple House. The brothers give tours at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and provide counsel and material assistance to pregnant women and their families at the Northwest Pregnancy Cen-ter. They tutor at Archbishop Carroll high school and take life lessons from venerable friars at St. Domi-nic’s Priory and the residents of the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Group Faith Formation & R.C.I.A.

The brothers move from individual one-on-one as-signments to serving in a group setting. As a comple-ment to their studies in theology and a way to hand on the fruits of their study and contemplation, this often takes the form of faith formation through R.C.I.A. programs, bible study groups, or catechetical

initiatives. These formative programs often take place in parishes, on university campuses, or in schools.

University, Hospital, & Prison Chaplaincies

After these initial apostolic experiences, the next phase of apostolic training introduces the brothers to a more specialized apostolate, namely, chaplaincies. These chaplaincies serve to engage brothers with par-ticular groups of people with their own particular needs. University chaplaincies at American Univer-sity and University of Maryland familiarize brothers to working with undergraduate and graduate stu-dents, the hospital chaplaincy at Washington Hospital Center with the sick and the suffering, and the prison chaplaincy at the Arlington County Detention Facility with inmates.

Parishes

During their diaconate year in the studentate, the brothers serve at local parishes and contribute to the edification of the Church through sacramental minis-try, preaching, young adult groups, and parish faith formation programs. The parish communities which they serve include St. Peter’s on Capitol Hill, St. Matthew’s Cathedral, and St. Stephen Martyr in Washington, as well as St. Mary’s in Landover Hills, Maryland.

Apostolates of our Student Brothers Studying at the PFIC

The Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception · 3

As Jesus Christ sent his apostles out into the world to preach the Gospel, to administer the sacraments, and to have compassion on his people, religious seminarians from the Dominican House of Studies go out into the Washington, D.C. area to serve the people of God through various apostolates. Every academic year these brothers devote them-selves to an apostolic assignment each week. Through these apostolates, they serve the people of God while preparing for their future work as priests or brothers.

4 · The Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception The Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception · 5

When St. Dominic founded his Order in 1216, he envisioned a band of preachers that relied on the generosity of others for their sustenance so that they might be free to preach and teach the Gospel. In 2010, we still rely on the generosity of others to further our mission of preaching Jesus Christ. For our benefactors, we offer our prayers and call upon the inter-cession of great Dominican saints for their needs and requests.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to those who have generously contributed

to the PFIC between July 2007 and January 2010.

St. Albert the Great

(1206-1280) German bishop of Ratisbon, theologian, philosopher, and scientist. Universal Doctor. Canonized 1931.

Feast November 15. ($50,000 —$99,999)

Mr. Sean Fieler

St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Italian virgin, mystic,

ascetic, stigmatist, and author of The Dialogue. Doctor of the Church. Canonized 1461. Feast April 29.

($20,000 —$49,999) Mr. Sean Brady Mrs. Dorothy Cunningham

St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419) Spanish priest, itinerant preacher and ascetic. Canonized 1455.

Memorial May 5. ($10,000—$19,999)

Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Crall Mr. & Mrs. William Hanrahan Mr. & Mrs. Michael Haselden Mr. & Mrs. Paul J. Hill & Mr. Frederick Hill Mr. Josef Neusser & Dr. Susan Timoney Ms. Florence O'Brien Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Reisenauer Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Roti Mr. & Mrs. Aluinanto Sandjojo Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Weingartz Mr. Harold Ziegler

St. Peter Martyr of Verona (1206-1252) Priest and proto-martyr of

the Order of Preachers. Canonized 1253. Memorial June 4.

($5,000—$9,999) Mr. & Mrs. William Brown Ms. Therese Errigo Rev. Joseph Fox, O.P. Mr. & Mrs. James Hofer Mr. & Mrs. C. W. Gilluly Mr. & Mrs. Dana Gioia Ms. Theresa Morrison Mr. Patrick Nolan Mr. & Mrs. Albert Schaller Most Rev. Thomas Joseph Tobin

St. Raymond Peñafort (1175-1275) Spanish priest, canon

lawyer, and third Master of the Order. Canonized 1601. Memorial January 7.

($2,500—$4,999) Mr. & Mrs. Peter Connell Mr. & Mrs. Michael Kirchner Mr. & Mrs. Peter C. Krause Ms. Bernadette Lane Ms. Caitlin Long

St. Hyacinth (1187-1257) Polish priest and

missionary to the Slavic people. Canonized 1594. Memorial August 17.

($1,000—$2,499) The Joy Amisano Charitable Trust Ave Maria University Most Rev. Leonard Blair Ms. Barbara Anne Block Dr. & Mrs. John Brown Mr. & Mrs. Mario Brunetta Mr. Gregory Curtin Mr. & Mrs. Michael Demcsak Rev. Adrian Dionne, O.P. Capt. R.F. DiPalma, U.S.N. (Ret.) Council for the Theological Formation of

Dominican Nuns Mr. & Mrs. James Edwards Mr. & Mrs. John Edwards Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Gallagher Mr. & Mrs. Robert Garvey Mr. & Mrs. Albert Giambrone Mr. Matthew Giambrone Dr. Eugene Giannini

Mr. & Mrs. James Goodman Mr. & Mrs. Vincent W. Kyle Mr. & Mrs. Paul Lawless Mr. John J. Mahoney Mr. John Marella Mr. J. H. Maxwell-Scott Rev. Frederick Miller Very Rev. David O'Connell, C.M. Mr. John Ogden Mr. & Mrs. Richard Schaller Mr. & Mrs. Randal Schmidt Mr. & Mrs. Edward Schweitzer Mr. Robert Joseph Schwenk Rev. Peter Stravinskas Dr. & Mrs. Francis Yao

St. Antoninus (1389-1459) Archbishop of

Florence, moral theologian, and reformer. Canonized 1523. Memorial May 10.

($500—$999) Dr. Joan Adams Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Boland Mr. & Mrs. Robert Brent Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Conti Rev. Msgr. John J. Enzler Rt. Rev. Caedmon Holmes, O.S.B. Keany Produce Rev. Paul Keller, O.P. Legatus of Morris County Mr. & Mrs. Mark Machuga Mr. & Mrs. Paul Maher Mr. & Mrs. Ralph McDonough Mr. Edward Misey Mr. Colin Moran Mr. William Morris, Jr. Ms. Dorothy Murphy Ms. Gloria Radosevich Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Tarantina Mr. & Mrs. John Weisgerber

St. Martin de Porres (1579-1639) Peruvian cooperator Brother,

infirmarian, worker of miracles, and servant to the poor. Canonized 1962.

Feast November 3. ($250—$499)

Mrs. Barbara Boland Most Rev. Michael Bransfield Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Brisken Ms. Rosemary Burns

Honor Roll of Donors to the PFIC (Cumulative Gifts from June 2007 to January 2010)

4 · The Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception The Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception · 5

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Cox Rev. John Crossin, O.S.F.S. Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Devine Mr. & Mrs. William Eshelman Mr. David Giandomenico Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Ford Ms. Grenevere Hoffman Mr. & Mrs. Mark Jorgensen Ms. Kathleen Jarboe & Beaver Press Mr. Jeffrey D. Ludwig Ms. Zena Martin Rev. Msgr. Godfrey Mosley Mr. & Mrs. William Raaths Mr. & Mrs. Robert Royal Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Sands Mr. & Mrs. Chetan Sanghvi Mr. & Mrs. John Schnakenberg Ms. Karen Servidea Rev. Tam Xuan Tran Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Winters Special Collection from the Chapel at

Ft. Meyer, Virginia

St. Rose of Lima (1586-1617) Peruvian virgin, mystic, ascetic, and first canonized saint born

in the Americas. Canonized 1671. Memorial August 23. (Gifts up to $249)

Mr. Howard Bathon, Jr. Ms. Jane Anne Beachner Mr. William Becker Mr. Donal Berens Mr. & Mrs. David Birtwistle Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Bissmeyer Ms. Patricia Bonner Mr. & Mrs. David Borchers Mr. & Mrs. Roger Borchers Mr. & Mrs. Robert Bork Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Bosnick Mr. James Brislin Ms. Dorothy Brocki Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Brunetta Rev. Joseph Calipare Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Collins Mr. Daniel Collins Mr. Richard Coyle Mr. & Mrs. David Crenshaw Ms. Kathleen Curran Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Daley

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas D'Amico Mr. & Mrs. Peter Denker Ms. Deirdre Dessingue Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Dodd Mr. Arthur Duran Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Eberstadt Mr. & Mrs. Carl Ewald Mr. & Mrs. Vagn Fausing Mr. John Ferguson Ms. Danielle & Ms. Pauline Ferris Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Feulner Franciscan Friars of the Atonement Mr. & Mrs. Harry Gieske Ms. Irene Gifford Mr. Harry Gildenhorn Mr. Lawrence Hayes Mr. & Mrs. Julian Heron, Jr. Mrs. Margaret Anne Hilburn Mr. Joe Hinnebusch Mr. Shenkuang Huang Rev. John Hurley Mr. & Mrs. Aniello Iacono Mr. & Mrs. Walter Janero Ms. Kathleen Jarboe Ms. Mary Catherine Jennings Ms. Ruth Jin Mr. & Mrs. James Jordan Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Kane Mr. Navid Karimeddiny Most Rev. William Cardinal Keeler Mr. & Mrs. David Keppel Ms. Donna Kerrigan Rev. Michael King Mr. & Mrs. Paul Kirkham Mr. & Mrs. William Klepczynski Mr. & Mrs. Alpine Knapik Mr. & Mrs. Donald Kocarek Mr. Daniel Kovach Mr. James Kruggel Ms. A. Kuchukian Ms. Lauren F. Liebrecht Mr. Martin Leopold Mr. & Mrs. Joe Loehr Mr. Guy Lombardo Mr. & Mrs. Willis Lowery Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Narduzzi Mr. & Mrs. David Masterson Mr. & Mrs. John McCann Mr. Carl B. McCarthy Mr. & Mrs. Paul McCormack

Mr. & Mrs. Charles McKigney Ms. Margaret McManus Dr. & Mrs. Michel Mennesson Ms. Renee Merolli Ms. Patricia Metzger Mr. & Mrs. Jason Mittelbach Rev. Thomas Morrow Mr. Andrew Nosacek Ms. Mary Ann Novak Mr. & Mrs. J. P. O'Connor Mr. John O’Gorman Rev. James Olson Mr. & Mrs. James O'Reilly Mr. & Mrs. Romualdo Pelle Ms. Joan Pendergraph Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Pendergraph Ms. Margaret E. Perry Mr. & Mrs. James Pollock Mr. & Mrs. William Peerenboom Mr. James Reid Mr. & Mrs. Donald Ross Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Rossi Ms. Jocelyn Rowe Mr. & Mrs. Russell Shaw Ms. Lois Simms Mr. Mark Shepard Ms. Prudence Simeon Ms. Lois Simms Ms. Carol Lynn Smith Mr. & Mrs. Richard Stewart Mr. & Mrs. Robert Stovenour Mr. & Mrs. James Sullivan Ms. Armelle Tallec Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Tancrell Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Tapie Mr. & Mrs. John Tierney Mr. Natale Torchia Mr. & Mrs. John Tracy Ms. Juanita Vacarro Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Van Doren Mr. & Mrs. LaMonte Walker Mr. David Winship Ms. Mary Witt Mr. & Mrs. Robert Woods

Special Donations:

$58,750: Anonymous Gifts $ 5,771: Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area

Honor Roll of Donors to the PFIC (Cumulative Gifts from June 2007 to January 2010)

Five Dominicans Make Their Solemn Profession

On November 14, 2009, Br. Ezra Mary Sullivan, Br. Dominic Joseph Bump (pictured above), and Br. Austin Domi-nic Litke made their solemn profession in the Order of Preachers at the Priory of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. A week previous, on November 7, 2009, Fr. Gabriel Gillen, and Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, professed their solemn vows at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in New York City.

During the Mass of solemn profession these Friars lay prostrate on the ground in the form of a cross. By this cruciform gesture, these men ex-pressed their desire to be totally con-formed to Christ crucified unto death. Lying on the ground, they petitioned for the mercy of God and of their Do-minican brethren.

Later, kneeling before the Provincial, Fr. Dominic Izzo, O.P., and holding the Book of Constitutions and Ordinations of the Friars Preachers, they made profes-sion in obedience to the authority and solicitude of their superior according to the legislation of the Order. This gesture has its roots in medieval cul-ture. In such a posture, the Brothers made their vows and so were conse-crated to the Lord.

Spotlight on the Faculty:

Fr. John Baptist Ku, O.P.

On December 18, 2009, Fr. John Baptist, O.P. successfully defended his doctoral dissertation God the Father in the Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. Once it is published, he will have earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology (S.T.D.) and a Ph.D. from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland.

Fr. Ku is now a member of the faculty of the PFIC and is currently teaching a course on the Trinity and an upper level seminar on the thought of St. Thomas. Fr. Ku completed his earlier theological studies at the PFIC with an S.T.L. in 2000. In his words, “It is a dream come true to have studied under Fr. Gilles Emery, O.P. at the University of Fribourg and now to teach dogmatic theology at the Dominican House of Studies.”

St. Thomas’ Prayer Before Study:

Grant me, O merciful God, that what is pleasing to Thee, I may ardently desire, prudently examine, truthfully acknowledge, and perfectly accomplish for the praise and glory of Thy Name. Amen.

6 · The Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception

You are invited to join us for the celebration of the

Easter Triduum

March 28: Palm Sunday Mass & Blessing of Palms

March 30: Holy Wednesday Tenebrae & Compline

April 1: Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper

April 2: Good Friday Veneration of the Cross &

Communion Liturgy

April 3: Easter Vigil April 4: Easter High Mass

Please call the Dominican House of Studies

for the full schedule: (202) 529-5300

We acknowledge those honored or memorialized

by special gifts to the PFIC. Please keep these individuals in your thoughts and prayers.

Honoring:

Fr. Brian Chrzastek, O.P. Fr. John Martin Egan, O.P.

Fr. Joseph Fox, O.P. Br. Austin Litke, O.P.

Mr. Joseph J. Reid Br. Ignatius Schweitzer, O.P.

Dominican Chaplains of Teams of Our Lady

In Memoriam: Mrs. Joy Amisano

Fr. Milton Ballor, C. PP. S. Mrs. Dorothy Murphy

Mr. Neil Katchen Fr. George G. Maley, O.P.

Mr. John Ryan www.dhs.edu

The Pontifical Faculty of Theology of the Immaculate Conception · 7

The PFIC relies on the generosity of its

friends and alumni. Please consider

making a gift to the PFIC so that we may

continue our work of forming

young men for the priesthood, and

preparing laity and religious alike for

a life of service in the Church.

487 Michigan Ave, NE

Washington, DC 20017

(202) 495-3820 | www.dhs.edu

PFIC ADMINISTRATION & STAFF

Very Rev. Steven C. Boguslawski, O.P. President

Rev. Gabriel O’Donnell, O.P. Academic Dean Very Rev. Joseph Fox, O.P. Vice President for Advancement

Rev. Bernard Mulcahy, O.P. Librarian

Br. Gerard Thayer, O.P. Director of Facilities

Mr. Caro Alcuaz, Administrative Assistant Ms. Joan Butler, Secretary

Mr. Tobias Nathe, Registrar Ms. Margaret Perry, Director of Alumni and Friends

Ms. Shauna Roye, Treasurer

Ms. Honya Weeks, Administrative Assistant

One of the aspects of Dominican life that I love most is the pursuit of truth and wisdom. This pursuit took me last sum-mer to Cairo, Egypt, where the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies conducted a two-week immersion seminar on Islam and interrelig-ious dialogue. With 17 other Dominicans from around the world, I ap-

plied myself to a studious and critical engagement with Islam and Islamic culture in a land saturated with reli-gious significance.

From the age of the Pharaohs and Israel’s sojourn down into and departure from the “house of slavery” (Ex. 20:2; Dt. 5:6), to Coptic Christianity and early Christian de-sert monasticism, to the Islamic conquests and establish-ment, Egypt’s religious landscape is fertile, ancient, and complex. Cairo, in particular, is a cultural capital and gateway to the Muslim world, enjoying international prominence politically, intellectually, and religiously. Cairo provides exceptional opportunities to investigate and encounter Islam. This exchange has been a consider-able concern of the Church, as articulated in the Vatican II declaration, Nostra Aetate. Through our seminar, I came to a better appreciation of the longstanding commitment of the Order of Preachers to “work sincerely for mutual understanding” (Nostra Aetate, 3) between Muslims and Christians.

One of the most instructive lessons that I learned during the course of the seminar concerned the distinctively

Dominican approach to Islam. While doctrinal truth is of the utmost concern for serious and sincere dialogue and constitutes its final purpose and ultimate objective, given “the course of centuries”, even to our own present day, that has seen “not a few quarrels and hostilities [that] have arisen between Christians and Mus-lims” (Nostra Aetate, 3), the Dominican approach begins with and is sustained by the truth of friendship. Seeking in charity and in justice to establish a relationship of au-thentic mutual respect for the dignity of the other is of paramount importance in this interreligious venture. This profound respect for the religious aspirations and truth-seeking nature of human persons was apparent in the various lectures, presentations, conversations, and visits during the seminar. This approach to Muslim-Christian relations might prove to be a crucial factor in the ever-increasing encounter between these two great reli-gious cultures, an en-counter not infre-quently marked by tension, hostility, and hatred.

At the end of the seminar, we made a pilgrimage to Mt. Sinai. During Mass celebrated at the summit, I remember praying to God in gratitude for the Order of Preachers and for my vocation in the Order. I also was moved to pray for those who do not yet know the love of God in Jesus Christ. I suppose that, through my encounter with Islam, I came to appreciate, in a deeper way, the incredi-ble and humbling task of bringing the saving light of Christ to others, a task that demands study, prayer, and, above all, truthful love.

Br. Augustine with fellow Dominican

brothers at the summit of Mt. Sinai.

Visit to Al-Azhar University

and Mosque (est. 970 AD).

Entering the World of Islam by Br. Augustine Reisenauer, O.P.

THE PONTIFICAL FACULTY OF THEOLOGY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 487 Michigan Ave, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20017

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