And the other two are sold and shipped! All I can say is: Wow. . .thanks. . .and God bless!
WOW! My thanks to the generous soul who purchased seven of the nine books for the library! Let me know if you need a letter for tax purposes. . .(leave a comment, I won't publish it. . .)
WOW! My thanks to the generous soul who purchased seven of the nine books for the library! Let me know if you need a letter for tax purposes. . .(leave a comment, I won't publish it. . .)
As regular readers of HancAquam know all too well, I am not shy about begging for books for my philosophy library.
What I want to do now is beg for some books for the university library!
Why the Angelicum library? Our library here has a very good collection of books in medieval and early modern philosophy and theology. (Remember: this is the university of the great Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.and Pope John Paul II.) Our holdings in contemporary philosophy are not so good. Like most of the ministries in the Order, we are woefully underfunded and understaffed. It's a rule in the Order that if a man is good with money, he's automatically excluded from consideration as a friar and sent to the Jebbies! More than one friar has suggested that we turn our financial dealings over to our Jesuit brothers (ahem). I think there have been serious moral objections made to this possibility. . .
Anyway, the university's student body is mostly composed of religious men and women from Central and South America, Asia, and Africa. This means that their ability to purchase books for themselves is severely limited. Profs, more often than not, resort to lots of handouts, or distribute class materials via the internet. Because of the shortage of books, students are not allowed to check them out of the library.
Since Angelicum students often go back to their communities tobecome superiors and/or bishops, the Ang is training the future leadership of the Church in those areas where the Church is growing the fastest.
Here's how you can help train that future leadership. . .
If you click over to the WISH LIST you will find that the first nine books listed are philosophy anthologies. These books will give philosophy students here at the university much needed resources for research.
So, send me the books and I will give them to Fr. Miguel Itza, OP (our librarian) for inclusion in the university's holdings. We can probably arrange a donation letter for tax purposes if you want one.
Don't be shy! Check 'em out. . .
Father,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry but this may seem like a dumb question but what did pope John Paul II have to do with the Angelicum? and while I'm here, I have an unrelated question concerning the Dominicans. What is the most traditional or conservative, if you will, province of the Dominicans in the United States? Thanks...
Elliot,
ReplyDeleteJP2 got his PhD in philosopher here back in the 50's.
Here's my very diplomatic answer to your other question...
All of the OP Provinces in the U.S. have friars who are more conservative/traditional than other friars within their own province. Some have longer histories as provinces (the East); some have a more monastic feel to their formation houses (the West), etc.
It is entirely possible that within the ten years it takes you to become an OP priest, a "conservative" province can become a "liberal" one and vice-versa. A lot has to do with the temperament of the provincial, his council, the student and novice master--all of which can change as many as three times in ten years.
My own province (the South) is the youngest American province and b/c we work in the Protestant south our work is best described as missionary. We don't have any legacy academic or medical institutional commitments. Most of our friars are in either parishes or teaching in Catholic colleges. We also have friars in Ecuador.
I know this isn't the answer you wanted, but it's the truth. I would urge you--if you are considering an OP vocation--to check out all of the provinces and get a feel for each as best you can. And remember: everything changes. . always.
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ReplyDeleteFather,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your response. I didn't know that Pope John Paul did his doctoral work at the Angelicum and as to the various provinces...ummm...interesting...
Elliot,
ReplyDeleteYup...the room where he defended is still used for dissertation defenses...I'll defend mine there someday. . .