Dear Readers,
Greetings friends, family, students, and faculty of Belmont Abbey’s Honors College! This semester the Honors College has gone through many changes, with Dr. Varacalli stepping into his new role as head of the Honors College, Father Joseph Matlak joining the Honors faculty, and Dr. Boor launching the new Masters of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education. Much like the transition from fall to spring, the end of this semester yields the completion of renovations on St. Leo’s room 301 and the plans for Grace Auditorium continue to grow. Your support continues to make learning possible in environments that call the minds of students and faculty upwards. Thank you for your generosity!
In a continued attempt to grow in mind, body, and spirit, students and faculty have participated in many cultural events, ranging from lectures by Dr. David Bobb and Trent Horn and a dramatic retelling of the Screwtape Letters to the Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte and presentations from Thales Academy, Seton Teaching Fellows, Valor, and Catholic Talent Project. The fall All-Night-Republic-Reading tradition came full circle this year, as the founders of the custom, the class of 2025, will graduate in the spring. Please join us in welcoming new and returning faces in our Editor Staff, including Susan Brandolini (Honors ‘23), Alex Marchand (‘26), Marino Alexander (‘27), Hudson Jordan (‘28), Caden Martinez (‘28), and Mariela Braud (‘28). Thank you for your continued interest in the Honors College community, and we look forward to presenting more to you in the spring! Enjoy this assortment of articles about our goings-on from this Fall 2024 semester.
—Mary Amanda Weaver, Class of '27, Student Editor of The Forum
Construction Updates
St. Leo's Room 301 Renovation: Eugene F. Thuot Seminar Room
The Eugene F. Thuot Seminar room was completed and will make its debut as a new classroom and meeting space for the Honors College in the new year. The seminar-style room will make for more intimate conversations for smaller class sizes and provide a professional environment for meetings.
Faculty & Staff Updates
Dr. Boor Investiture
In October, Dr. Boor was officially invested as the Vilma György Pallos Endowed Chair in Classical and Liberal Education, where she will oversee the development of Belmont Abbey's newest program, the Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education.
Father Matlak Joins Honors Faculty
The Honors College happily welcomes Father Joseph Matlak to its faculty! Father Matlak is a priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Parma and is the pastor of St. Basil’s parish in Charlotte. He is also an oblate of St. Benedict and a member of the Constantinian Order of St. George. He received his PhD this year from the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies of Cambridge, England, and he currently teaches ancient Greek, Biblical Texts I and II, and the senior seminar on Love, Marriage, and Friendship. His deep knowledge of Scripture and the eastern and western traditions of the Church is greatly enriching to the students with whom he so happily shares his expertise. We are looking forward to all Father Joseph has to teach in the future and we are happy to have all that he brings to our community.
Partnership with the CLT
Belmont Abbey College will be partnering with the Classic Learning Test in the implementation of their new Classical Teaching Corps. This highly competitive program places college seniors and recent college graduates in top classical Christian, Catholic, and charter schools around the country. Students accepted into the program will begin their experience by participating in a summer teaching workshop that counts for graduate credit and prepares them for their placements at three colleges, including Belmont Abbey College. This credit will count toward a Master program offered by the college partner. In the case of Belmont Abbey College, students would be beginning the MA in Classical and Liberal Education under the guidance of Dr. Christine Boor, the Vilma György Pallos Chair in Classical and Liberal Education and Associate Professor in the Honors College.
To learn more about our Master in Arts in Classical and Liberal Education program, see the Conversatio episode below!
Student News
C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters Performance
On October 13th, 100 Honors students attended the performance of C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters. The beautiful rendition of C.S. Lewis's work occurred at the Belk Theatre in Charlotte and was put on by the Fellowship for the Performing Arts.
"The production was able to make a one-sided dialogue very interesting and entertaining." - Hudson Jordan ('28)
Students pose in the Belk Theater after the performance.
Students Study Abroad in Ireland
In June, the Honors Class of 2025 participated in the college's annual semester abroad program in Limerick, Ireland. While based at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, the students had the opportunity to tour the beautiful country. Their excursions around the Emerald Isle took them to Galway, Dublin, the Giant's Causeway, and the Cliffs of Moher. The students toured multiple medieval monastic sites and historical locations, allowing them to see and experience what they had learned in their classes. Outside their organized coursework and field trips, the students could experience the Irish culture independently, attending rugby matches and musical gatherings, exploring museums, and visiting some of Ireland's famous pubs. The trip allowed students to learn in the best possible way through experience, exploration, and friendship.
Left: Zion Morris and Truman Hale. Top right: Students tour a historical holy site in rural Ireland. Bottom Right: Lily Miller.
The Sophomore Beach Retreat
In May, the sophomores traveled to Hilton Head Island for an academic retreat, where they read and discussed Shakespeare’s Tempest in several seminars throughout the trip. The students had plenty of time for leisure, during which they went to Mass, relaxed on the beach, and played games in the evening. They prepared meals for each other and even had a cooking competition between the men and women, which was judged by the faculty.
Fourth Annual All-Night Reading of Plato's Republic
Students continued the Honors College tradition of reading the entirety of Plato’s Republic over the course of one night. Setting a record-breaking time of thirteen hours and three minutes, students took turns reading aloud all ten chapters of this classic philosophy book. Started by the class of 2025, these seniors have seen the tradition they initiated grow as it has been embraced by other classes. After completing the book, the bleary-eyed students collapsed victoriously in the grass in front of Stowe Hall as the sun began to rise.
Top Left: Hudson Jordan and Caden Martinez. Bottom left: Students reading book one of Plato's Republic. Right: The senior class of 2025 who started the tradition.
Junior-Freshman Party at the Alumni House
At the beginning of the semester, the juniors hosted an American-themed party for the freshman class. The students played a high-spirited deduction game and later enjoyed a few rounds of faculty-themed trivia, concluding the night with fellowship and fun.
Top: Members of the freshman class display their American spirit by dressing at the President and Secret Service agents. Bottom: Patrick Gerrity (Honors '26) explains the rules to Two Rooms and a Boom.
Senior Thesis
This year the Honors College tried something different for the senior thesis presentations. Instead of individually scheduled presentations, it was decided to place each senior thesis in the context of an academic conference titled, "Perennial Questions: An Interdisciplinary Humanities Conference Inspired by Classical Liberal Education."
Panel 1: “Timeless Lessons from Women in Literature” featured the theses of Mary Brugger, Kathryn Linton, and Anais Naupari.
Panel 2: “Confronting the Modern Ethos” featured Dennis Graveline, Anna Steiner, and Juliana Lutz.
Panel 3: “Theological Explorations” featured Luke Davis, Truman Hale, and Zion Morris.
Panel 4: “Literary Insights Into Human Nature” comprised the theses of David Cornwell, Lily Miller, and Jonah Dollenger.
Top left: Luke Davis ('25) presenting his thesis. Top right: Lily Miller ('25) presenting her thesis. Bottom: Dr. Wysocki questioning Dennis Graveline ('25), Anna Steiner ('25), and Juliana Lutz ('25).
Cultural Events
Duc In Altum at Belmont Abbey College
On June 25th, 2024, Bishop Michael Martin, OFM, appeared at Belmont Abbey College for the Diocese of Charlotte's Duc in Altum retreat. The five day retreat for young women took place on campus, and those involved were invited to take a deeper examination of their relationship with God and a renewed consideration of their present vocation as beloved daughters. The participants were also invited to open their hearts to God's voice, as in to better prepare themselves for whatever vocation the Lord will call them to serve in.
Charlotte Eucharistic Congress
This past August, Belmont Abbey students were given the opportunity to attend the Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte. The Congress provided many amazing experiences, including the Eucharistic procession through the city of Charlotte and the praying of Solemn Vespers led by the monks of Belmont Abbey. The Honors students had the unique privilege of meeting and talking with the writer and director, Anthony D'Ambrosio. The students could discuss and ask questions about the inspiration behind his new film on St. Maximilian Kolbe, "Triumph of the Heart", and, along with all the other attendees at the Congress, were allowed to watch an editor's cut of the movie. Overall, the Eucharistic Congress was a fantastic experience of fellowship and joy.
Top left: Thousands of faithful Catholics joined in the Eucharistic procession around Charlotte, NC. Top right: The monks pray Solemn Vespers with the attendees of the Eucharistic Congress. Bottom: Honors students listen attentively as Anthony D'Ambrosio discusses his faith and the inspiration behind his new film.
James G. Martin Center Conference
This semester, faculty and students of the Honors College attended the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal’s ninth annual policy banquet. The James G. Martin Center is a non-profit organization focused on promoting policies that encourage accountability and excellence in higher education. This year’s banquet took place in Raleigh, North Carolina. The keynote speaker was Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes Magazine. Members of the Honors College Community got the chance to hear Mr. Forbes’ keynote address and to meet him after the banquet.
Students and Faculty pose with Mr. Forbes.
Constitution Day Lecture with Dr. David Bobb
On September 19th, the Honors College invited Dr. David Bobb from the Bill of Rights Institute to speak at the annual Constitution Day event. The lecture was held in The Haid Ballroom and was titled "What is the Constitution For?"
Trent Horn on "Why We're Catholic"
Catholic Answers Apologist Trent Horn was invited by the Young America's Foundation of Belmont Abbey to give a lecture on "Why We're Catholic." The event took place on November 20th in the Haid Ballroom to a full auditorium.
To learn more about "Why We're Catholic," watch this episode of Conversatio, featuring Dr. Varacalli and Trent Horn.
Presentations
Several different institutions visited the Abbey to speak to students about possible career paths to pursue after graduation. This semester, Belmont Abbey hosted speakers from the Seton Teaching Fellows, Thales Academy, Valor, and the Catholic Talent Project. These speakers outlined what a career in their institution would look like, as well as what qualities they desired in applicants.
Top: Valor poetry reading. Bottom Left: Tom Carroll presenting for the Catholic Talent Project. Bottom Right: Thales Academy presentation.
Conferences
This semester, the Abbey held a series of conferences, including the Haid Symposium on Catholic History in the American South. Held in honor of the life of Abbot Leo Haid, this conference saw panels discussing many different topics, such as Catholicism in the early South, women’s religious orders, Benedictine contributions to the South, and Catholicism during the civil rights movement.
Lucy Crosby ('28), Hannah Martin ('27), and Catherine Hendershott ('24) attended the Nashville Student Summit for the Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women.
Student Spotlights
Mr. Samuel Ransom
From: Durham, NC
High School: Homeschool
Favorite book: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
Why the Abbey? I was really interested in the Honors College and the ability to read all of the great books. I wanted to have a good baseline of knowledge about the human condition for when I go into counseling. Belmont Abbey seemed like the best place to do it and I really like the campus. It is very beautiful and it stuck out to me.
What has your first year experience in the Honors College been like? I think my favorite part of my freshman year has been the community I have found with friends and professors. I really enjoy the late night discussions with friends and the after-class discussions with professors. The interactions with Plato in a more structured setting has been helpful and I really enjoy the lighthearted nature of the classes even when we have difficult topics. We don't get bogged down and we are able to remain rooted in joy and have fun in class.
Ms. Eleanor Mathewes
From: Wadmalaw Island, SC
High School: Bishop England High School
Favorite book: The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Why the Abbey? I chose the Abbey because I wanted a genuinely Catholic college with a Catholic community. I also fell in love with the Abbey the first time I walked on campus; it felt like home.
What has your first year experience in the Honors College been like? I have truly loved my time in the Honors College so far. I didn't think it was possible to find a community with such great friends who not only have fun but also complete our reading together and support each other in school and our faith lives, as well as try to get each other to heaven. I am also super grateful for my professors. They have helped me rediscover my love of reading, especially of the classics. I can tell that our professors really care about us and want us to grow.
Access these video clips of three Honors freshmen and meet more of the class of 2028!
As the events in this semester’s Forum attest, the year 2024 was a transformational year for the Honors College. Perhaps the most rewarding moment occurred on October 5, when over thirty alumni and their families celebrated the life of Dr. Eugene F. Thuot, the founder of the Honors Program, Institute, and College. Dr. Thuot taught at Belmont Abbey for forty-five years and made an indelible impact upon the college. He was a master teacher, who demonstrated an exemplary integration of the moral and intellectual virtues and instilled in his students a deep love for the close reading of texts. Abbot Placid Solari, Dr. William Thierfelder, Dr. Joseph Wysocki, Dr. Christine Boor, and the Honors faculty were delighted to rename St. Leo’s 301, the old Honors seminar room, the Eugene F. Thuot Seminar Room. Honors classes will resume in the Thuot Seminar Room in the spring.
Congratulations are doubly in order to Dr. Wysocki. First, in May, his wife, Jeanne, gave birth to their eighth child, Jude, who was born over two months prematurely. I’m delighted to report that Jude is healthy, handsome, and safe with his family. Second, during the same week as the birth of his son, he was selected by Dr. Thierfelder to serve as Provost. Dr. Wysocki was chosen for many reasons. He loves Belmont Abbey passionately. He is a faithful Catholic, a loving husband, and the father of eight beautiful children. He is a good man. But in addition to all these characteristics, he is a proven and innovative leader; he sees the whole. Over the last seven years, he rejuvenated the previous Honors Institute into a nationally recognized seat of Classical education and Catholic liberal learning. He traveled extensively, recruiting serious students who love to read and think. He partnered with organizations, such as CiRCE, the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education, and the Classical Learning Test, to increase our reach throughout the country. He brought in prestigious speakers, hosted conferences, received several generous grants, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. He hired good faculty, and he established our new Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education. Dr. Wysocki leaves the Honors College in a very strong position. We have 130 undergraduate students and 27 graduate students.
Dr. Wysocki continues to be a mentor to me, and I am honored to be named Interim Dean. My vision for the Honors College is simple, but ambitious: I want it to be the center of Catholic liberal education and Classical learning in the American South. I hope it becomes a nursery of monks, priests, religious, teachers, professors, statesmen, lawyers, doctors, nurses, businessmen, and all the noble professions. Most important of all, our students are to be patriotic citizens, faithful spouses, nurturing parents, and devout Christians.
The stories covered in the Forum demonstrate that the work of the Honors College is already bearing fruit. Under the direction of Dr. Boor, we matriculated our first class of graduate students. In August, we welcomed 45 undergraduate students, our second largest cohort, into the freshman class. Our students continue to appreciate our new traditions (like our fourth annual all-night reading of Plato’s Republic) while also enjoying our older traditions (such as our cultural events in the Belk Theater). I especially wish to thank sophomore Mary Amanda Weaver ('27) for weaving this volume together; she has done a terrific job.
Everything in the Honors College – from its great books seminars to our leisurely activities – exists to serve and glorify God. We have our Catholic faith and our Benedictine charism because “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (Jn 1:14). On behalf of the Honors College, I am very pleased to wish you a Merry Christmas.
God Bless,
Dr. Thomas Varacalli
Interim Dean of the Honors College
Father Elias Correa-Torres
Fr. Elias was born in Oklahoma and grew up moving frequently, as his father served in the Air Force. In addition to living in many states, he has also lived in Japan and Germany. Fr. Elias has been at Belmont Abbey since March of 2008, professing solemn vows in 2012. As a monk, he completed a Master of Arts degree in Theology, with a concentration in Monastic Studies, from St. John's University (Collegeville MN) in 2013. He was ordained a priest in April 2014, and has since served as Formation Director for the monastery. He is also an adjunct professor in the Mathematics and Physics Department of Belmont Abbey College.
Where did you go for school and what was your education like?
"My first education was at Florida State University where I studied meteorology. I got interested in it during middle school and, through all of high school, I knew I wanted to study it. I was able to get in with a good major professor even as an undergraduate, and I worked in his lab to complete the doctorate right there all in one fell swoop. Florida State is a large state school with more than 20,000 students at the time I was there and far more even now. It was also very secular, so not exactly ideal, but I found a close group of friends in the meteorology program and in campus ministry, and that was kind of my mini-college within the huge, gigantic college."
What was the most influential class you’ve ever taken or taught?
"I would say the most influential class is one I did in seminary, and that was from Sister Mary Foreman. I took four classes with her, so they bleed together. But one in particular I remember because I was the only student who signed up for the class. Normally, she would have canceled the class, but instead she sacrificed herself to share the material with me. It was Monastic History III, which covers the modern period of monastic history. She was a very influential professor for me because she was very demanding. It was said by some of the other people in the department that she walked on water and that she asked that her students did as well. She was demanding, but she was wonderful, delightful, and was willing to work hard. I remember the first paper I wrote for her; she completely marked it up. I was very imprecise, did not follow the instructions, and she tore it up. But then she spoke to me and invited me to rework it. And from then on, I really learned the discipline of precision in writing. So she was very influential. I actually consider her like a second formation director in my life as a monk."
What brought you to the Abbey?
"Well, I would just say God's providence. When I graduated from college in meteorology, I got a job working for a company doing weather forecasting, and that company eventually moved me to Raleigh, North Carolina. It was there, because of circumstances in life, I began to feel this attraction to religious life and the thought of maybe pursuing some type of a discernment. I grew up moving all over the place, so there was no state that I was really attached to or one I would call home. So Raleigh was just the last place I'd arrived at without really even a solid connection to North Carolina. But by God's providence, that's where I was when I began to discern religious life. The priest I spoke to suggested I visit some nearby communities, and lo and behold, there's Belmont two and a half hours away. So all of that seems a little random to me, but of course, I understand that God's providence was behind it all."
What are your favorite classes to teach and why? Do you have a favorite Honors class to teach?
"I've not taught a lot of classes here at the college. I've taught Intro to Meteorology, Intro to the Atmosphere, Physical World, Algebra, and FYS, which is the precursor to the FYE class that they that have now. I would say of those, my favorites were the FYS classes in the old format. I liked these especially because I enjoyed sharing my love of the rule of Saint Benedict, the life of Saint Benedict, and monastic history. When I spoke about it, I could really put my heart into the class, and I really enjoyed it. I think I was able to communicate to the students the charism of the school they are attending. Physical World is the other course I really enjoy. Physical World is a survey of science. Sometimes I really get into it, especially when I introduce students to the way scientists think about how they investigate the world, while acknowledging science's limitations."
What is one lesson every student should learn while in college?
"This is a tough one because there's so much that can be learned. For college students, this is really their first experience of being on their own without having parents overseeing the structures and the boundaries of family life. For me, the most important thing about life is to make sure God is involved. I think the thing I would say that every college student should learn is how to make sure that God is involved in all aspects of their life, as an independent adult. I think that's essential. Everything else is really secondary. But if we can find God and live out that relationship that we're meant to have with Him, then everything will fall into place."
If you could grab lunch with any biblical figure besides Christ who would it be?
"Well, in some ways, that's kind of a no brainer for me. It'd be the Blessed Virgin Mary. I've always had a strong devotion to her. It's interesting because, although I grew up Catholic, I was not introduced to the rosary until I was 12 or 13, very late. But when I first heard about it and prayed it, I was just amazed. It just seems so beautiful and so wonderful. From that moment, I've had a very strong devotion to our Blessed Mother. I've enjoyed reading her apparitions and the stories from them and what she said in those. There have been very important moments in my life where I feel that she has intervened and actually communicated and spoken to me. So, if I had to choose a lunch, it'd be with her, but I wouldn't mind if Joseph came along and I could have lunch with the two of them. Then, of course, if the two of them are there, Jesus will be there too. So it'd be with the whole family."
If you could learn any new subject or skill, what would it be?
"I was thinking about this, and that's a really good question. Initially, I thought medicine to be a doctor. But for me as a monk and as a priest, as weird as it sounds, I don't know Latin. I never learned Latin. In my seminary, that was not part of our instruction. Knowing that Latin is the language of the church and that there's so much written in it that hasn't been translated into other languages, including some some of the writings of the Doctors of the Church, I feel that that's the real kind of missing piece for what I am and who I am. So if I had to choose the single thing right now, it would be Latin."
Who is your favorite character from epic poetry?
"As you asked the question, the name that came to my mind is Odysseus. With all of the difficulties he had to face, he was able to keep moving. He never gave up. It's interesting because the whole Trojan War was full of a lot of kind of difficult and kind of questionable characters who had a lot of faults and failings. But he seemed to me to be noble through the whole thing. In more modern times, Frodo Baggins is also a real hero. At the Council of Elrond when they're trying to figure out what to do with that ring, and he realizes 'I have to do this,' he's willing to take it up and to carry that burden at great personal cost all the way to Mordor. It's also interesting that at the end, when he claims the ring, there was just kind of that weakness. But, in a way, God's grace steps in to help him go over that hump. So I think he's a great figure too."
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Thank you to Rolando Rivas, Thomas Varacalli (Honors '11), Susan Brandolini (Honors '23), and Theresa Brandolini ('26) for use of their photos throughout.
Credits:
Joseph Wysocki