The Road to Emmaus

TRANSFORMING LIVES

CHANGING THE WORLD

THE ROAD TO EMMAUS

Saint John’s Graduate School of Theology and Seminary (SOT/Sem), located in Emmaus

Hall, forms students and faculty into a faith community, energized to serve Christ and dedicated to influence both Church and society in Christ’s name. By studying in a place where liturgy and prayer are essential to their daily lives, students walk in a tradition that has significantly contributed to the life not only of the Catholic Church, but also to the life of nearly every Christian denomination in North America and beyond. And that journey continues.

The Benedictine character of Saint John’s keeps this community centered on Christ, while its accompanying imagination opens eyes, minds, and hearts to find new ways to widen the reach of Christ’s ministry. Together, faculty, students, and staff draw from the contemplative, Benedictine environment to form Christian disciples for a life in academia and ministry.

Such a community needs a building which reflects Saint John’s sense of place and which inspires collaborative ministry. The renovation of Emmaus Hall will more closely mirror our vision of the Church as the Pilgrim People of God, a faith community of disciples pursuing Wisdom and encountering Christ while bringing him to others.

Classrooms and Study Carrels We read in the Gospel of Luke (24:1335) that Cleopas and his wife head toward Emmaus after the violent events in Jerusalem. As they travel, Christ joins them along the road, and when they have supper, he reveals himself in the Eucharist. That encounter inspires the couple to run back to Jerusalem to proclaim the good news to those still dwelling in discouragement and fear. Similarly, professors and students, with the objective of spreading the Gospel, take on the role of those two disciples, journeying with Christ on the road of theological inquiry.

The great joy of teaching and learning at Emmaus is having one’s eyes opened to recognize Christ’s presence among the gathered People of God, in Sacred Scripture, and within the theological tradition. Employing state of the art technology, the new classrooms and study carrels provide the classroom space for those on campus and online participation for those at a distance.

Gathering Spaces Community forms when people gather for worship, fellowship, and inquiry, as seen in the two disciples meeting Christ on the road to Emmaus. In a like vein, the School of Theology and Seminary draws from the vibrant, monastic presence which inspires students, faculty, and staff of every age and from various backgrounds to foster creative thought and conversation; it is a dynamic unique to Saint John’s. Together we seek the ways the Holy Spirit is leading the faithful to deal with the world before us. For this holy venture, the School of Theology and Seminary requires spaces that excite the imagination and increase the encounter between theologians, budding scholars, and aspiring workers in the vineyard.

In addition to its academic and pastoral work, Saint John’s spreads the Gospel through its fine theological programming as seen in its Theology Days, conferences, talks, and seminars. As the scope of our outreach increases, there will be a greater demand for medium and large spaces to accommodate visitors seeking ongoing education, faith formation, workshops, parish retreats and the like.

Emmaus Hall Chapel The journey of the two disciples in Luke’s Gospel begins in discouragement and ends in joy. The story itself describes the Christian life. It is fitting, therefore, that the remaking of the Emmaus Hall Chapel should be at the center of the renovation project, for in this building future students and faculty—as a faith community—will meet Christ in the “breaking of the bread” (Luke 24:35) Built 70 years ago for seminarians, the Emmaus Hall Chapel has many remarkable elements, which can now facilitate focused attention on the role of beauty in the search for Christ. Open, bright, and inviting, this newly designed worship space encapsulates the Benedictine tradition, which draws much from what is old and takes some from what is new in order to forge a vison and path into the future. Whether studying for ordained or non-ordained ministry, both women and men will form a community in pursuit of Wisdom, a community which in its vocational call to bring Christ to the world is sustained by the liturgy.

Spaces can cultivate collaborative community and influence a student’s formation whether gathering for scholarship, fellowship, or worship.

“Emmaus chapel is the living center of our community - the Second Vatican Council said the liturgy is the “source and summit” of the church’s life. A beautifully renovated chapel will reinvigorate our worship life and be a strong statement of our deepest Catholic, Benedictine, and ecumenical values.”

- Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, ‘93 Associate Professor

Questions? Contact Grace at gellens@csbsju.edu or 320-363-2551

www.csbsju.edu/sot

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