Br. Gerard Thayer, OP, Celebrates Jubilee
Faculty Publications and Apperances In October, Fr. Joseph Alobaidi, OP, gave a talk “The Interpretation of Violent Texts in the Bible” at the Interfaith Center at John Hopkins University, Baltimore MD. In September, Fr. Basil Cole, OP, and Dr. Jem Sullivan gave a joint lecture on: “The Beauty of Angels: What Does Faith and Art Teach Us About Them and The New Evangelization” at the John Paul II Cultural Center. In November, Fr. Joseph Fox, OP, gave a lecture, Decoding the Vatican: A Tour of St. Peter’s Square, to over 200 people as part of the Smithsonian Associates Program at their lecture hall in the Sackler Gallery. Fr. John Baptist Ku, OP, published a review of Emmanuel Durand, OP, Le Pere, Alpha et Omega de la vie trinitaire, in The Thomist #74. Dr. Gregory F. LaNave, published “Why Holiness Is Necessary for Theology: Some Thomistic Distinctions,” in The Thomist #74. Fr. Stephen Ryan, OP had the article “Messianism in the Old Testament: The Biblical Roots of Jewish and Christian Expectation” in The Bible Today 48/6 (2010). Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP, wrote a review of Lawrence Feingold’s The Natural Desire to See God according to St. Thomas Aquinas and His Interpreters, in The Thomist #74.
Br. Gerard Thayer, OP, Director of Facilities at the PFIC, celebrated his 50th year as a Dominican on February 8th, 2011 with the entire community at the Dominican House of Studies. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Br. Gerard made his solemn profession as a Dominican in 1961, at the age of 19. His first assignment was at our African mission in Kenya. From there he moved to Pakistan, where he helped establish and maintain a school for village children. Speaking about his life and ministry, he was reluctant to name any place as his favorite, but when pressed admitted that his time in Pakistan was extraordinary. The villages were incredibly poor, and the priests and brothers had to convince the parents that education for their boys was more important than farming and staying at home. (Many of the young men Br. Gerard taught there still keep in touch with him, and have moved their families to the United States or Europe.) Upon returning to the US in the 1980s, Br. Gerard spent many years at St. Mary’s in New Haven, Connecticut. Then, in 2007, he was appointed as the Director of Facilities at the PFIC. His main duty was to work with the contractors for oversight of the new Academic Center and the conversion of the 2nd floor of the priory into Academic offices, classrooms, and a suite of guest rooms. Without Br. Gerard’s tireless work on behalf of the PFIC, the new Academic Center and Dominican Library
Above: (L to R) Fr. Joseph Fox, OP, Br. Gerard Thayer, OP, and Fr. Steven Boguslawski, OP at the luncheon celebrating the dedication of the new Academic Center for the PFIC in April 2009. Below: the early construction of the Academic Center, 2007.
could not have been built. Br. Gerard continues to serve as Director of Facilities. In January, 2011, he was appointed the interim Director of the Dominican Theological Library.
P o n t i f i c a l F a c u lt y o f T h e o l o g y of the I m m a c u l at e C o n c e p t i o n o f f e r s t h e following Summer courses: Lo gic/Epistemolo gy • Fr. James Brent, OP Philosophyic al Anthrop olo gy • Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP M etaphysics • M r. Br ian Car l Philosophic al Ethics • Fr. James Brent, OP The Master of Arts in Theology offered by the PFIC relies on a foundation in Thomistic Philosophy. This summer program prepares students for the M.A. program and provides a Thomistic perspective for students with little or no previous course work in philosophy. I ntensive L atin I & II • Dr. Carole Bur nett I ntensive G reek I & II • Ms. Dana R obinson For terms and registration, please contact Mr. Tobias Nathe at registrar@dhs.edu. Summer course descriptions may be viewed at: www.dhs.edu/academics/academicschedules.aspx or www.dhs.edu/academics/academiccatalog.aspx
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