Fides Patrum is back after a summer hiatus and has the privilege of hosting a number of different sessions and speakers this fall, united around the theme of “Prayer and Asceticism in the Fathers.” Both “prayer” and “asceticism” are spiritual realities central to the patristic heritage and to the Christian life, and in each context they should be understood as integrally related to one another.
This theme also ties in nicely with the “Duderonomy in the Desert” program happening this fall, which will promote readings from the Desert Fathers of the Church and an increase in the practices of prayer and fasting, along with other ascetical disciplines. (Men who are interested in participating should contact Kevin Landgraf at klandgrafmke@gmail.com.)
Bu wait, there’s more!
Thus far Fides Patrum has been hosting (roughly) triweekly seminars at the Newman Center devoted to specific lectures and discussions of texts and topics from the first few hundred years of the Christian tradition. In this enterprise, we have been blessed by the generous support of the prestigious Lumen Christi Institute, who has agreed to continue supplying the texts that we study.
In addition to maintaining and developing our partnership with Lumen Christi, we are hoping to broaden our educational efforts by working with Saint Francis de Sales Seminary on an exciting new endeavor. This will take the form of a series of talks aimed at introducing a wider audience of lay Catholics in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to particularly important and influential Church Fathers.
The first of these talks is scheduled for the evening of Monday, October 17, and will be about St. Ignatius of Antioch (not to be confused with the founder of the Jesuits). More details to come, but for now, mark your calendar for what promises to be an enriching and inspiring event!
In the meantime, here is the rest of the Fides Patrum fall schedule. Updates and additional information will be communicated as necessary through the seminar email list and the Cor ad Cor newsletter.
Fides Patrum Schedule, Fall 2022
Saturday, September 10 – “Patristic Principles of Prayer and Anecdotes of Asceticism” (Josh Miller)
Saturday, September 24 – “St. John Cassian on Prayer: Introduction and 8 Vices” (Brett Pavia)
Saturday, October 15 – “St. John Cassian on Prayer: Conference 9” (Brett Pavia)
**Monday, October 17 – Meet Your Fathers Forum - St. Ignatius of Antioch (Fr. Justin Kizewski)
Saturday, November 5 – “St. John Cassian on Prayer: Conference 10” (Brett Pavia)
Saturday, November 19 – “Technology and Asceticism in the Fathers” (Nicholas Waddell)
**Monday, December 5 – Meet Your Fathers Forum - St. Irenaeus of Lyons (Fr. Justin Webeer)
Saturday, December 10 – TBD
Note: all Saturday seminars are from 10:30am-12pm at the UWM Newman Center (3001 N Downer Ave, Milwaukee); time and place of Monday events TBD.