By Peter Rao ’24
At the beginning of every school year, Thomas More College reserves a day on which to set aside classes and acknowledge the community that will be living and working together over the next two semesters. The College is ever-changing in that a familiar class must graduate and an unfamiliar one be integrated. But however much the student body may change, the partnership in pursuit of truth that defines the College remains the same. TMC’s fall Convocation and Traditio, which was held on September 15, 2023, offered the community a serious opportunity to reflect on the College’s unwavering mission.
The day began with Traditio. Students and faculty gathered to discuss St. Thomas More’s letter to Maarten van Dorp, a theologian and mutual friend of More’s through Desiderius Erasmus. In this long and often comical, yet always sincere letter, More responds to Dorp’s criticism of The Praise of Folly, Erasmus’s satire on scholasticism. This year’s panel included faculty members Dr. Amy Fahey and Dr. Denis Kitzinger as well as new Visiting Fellow Mr. Matthew Edholm. All shared their major takeaways from the letter and explained their methods for analyzing and preparing a text for presentation.
The College reconvened for Mass, which was celebrated by Fr. Kevin Chalifoux of the Diocese of Burlington, VT with the assistance of Fr. Donald Brick, OCD. Music was provided by the Thomas More College Choir under the direction of Joel Marshall ’24. In his homily, Fr. Chalifoux stressed the important mission Catholics have of carrying in their hearts the fire of the Faith. “Our task,” he explained, “is to build fires in the dark and cold, such that wherever we may be, the darkness is expelled, and the cold is diminished.”
Following Mass and dinner, students, faculty, and board members gathered for the culminating event of the evening: the formal assembling of the College, with special attention paid to its newest members. In keeping with school tradition, members of the Class of 2027 added their signatures to the matriculation book, thus uniting themselves to the College’s cause.
TMC was honored to have in attendance Dr. David Whalen, former Provost at Hillsdale College and past student of John Senior. Dr. Whalen addressed the College concerning the importance of contemplation in the life of the student. He especially emphasized the need for silence and stillness, given the increasing intensity of distractions in society that prevent man from listening to the voice of God.
Students brought the day to a close with refreshments, music, song, and other staples of TMC culture, looking forward to the academic year and grateful to be back on campus.
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