LATROBE, PA. – The 10th annual Faith and Reason Summer Program at Saint Vincent College, an intensive, one-week introduction to the Catholic, liberal arts tradition, will be held Sunday, June 21, through Saturday, June 27.

Directed by Dr. Michael Krom, professor of philosophy at Saint Vincent College, the weeklong program is designed for advanced high school and first-year college students who are seeking an opportunity to come to a richer, deeper understanding of the Catholic faith and its integration in college education. Admission to the program is open to students aged 15 and older.

“The Saint Vincent College Faith and Reason Summer Program introduces bright young minds to the intellectual tradition of the Roman Catholic faith,” said Krom. “Designed to prompt students to address the questions and concepts most fundamental to humanity in the context of Catholic thought, the program offers participants an opportunity to examine these topics through seminal works that are an integral part of any Catholic, liberal arts program.”

The program features a liberal arts approach to learning, as all staff are Benedictine and lay faculty members of Saint Vincent College. Participants will have an opportunity to explore the relationship between faith and reason, examine the perennial questions of humanity, develop their communication skills, learn how to analyze difficult arguments, prepare for college studies and integrate their moral, intellectual and spiritual development.

“Many students have difficulty integrating their education with their faith commitment,” Krom said. “Jesus Christ teaches that He is the truth who will set us free, and yet often youth are afraid to engage with the questions and views that must be addressed in order to grow in their faith. The Faith and Reason Summer Program promises to help participants work through these types of challenges by means of philosophical and theological discussions.”

“We welcome academically oriented young adults who are college-bound and have religious curiosity,” he continued. “In no way is it presupposed that students will be confident about their faith, but simply open to philosophical and theological inquiry. The framework of the program is Catholic but students of all religions or no religion at all are welcome”

Each day is structured around the Saint Vincent monastic schedule of prayer and Mass. During the class sessions, students analyze and discuss selected reading passages in the seminar setting. There is also leisure time for recreational activities, movies and excursions to attractions in the Laurel Highlands and Pittsburgh areas.

Housing in a college residence hall and three daily meals in the college dining hall are included in the cost ($495). Saint Vincent College students will serve as residence hall directors.

Limited scholarship funding is available. Further information is available by contacting Dr. Krom at 724-805-2844 or michael.krom@stvincent.edu.

More information on the Faith and Reason Summer Program, as well as online registration, is available at www.stvincent.edu/academics/special-programs/summer-sessions/faith-and-reason.

Krom joined the Saint Vincent College faculty in 2007 after earning his Ph.D. in philosophy from Emory University and a master of arts degree from Boston College. He has published works in the areas of Catholic social thought and published a book on religion and politics. He and his wife, Jessica, reside in Latrobe with their six children.

PHOTO 1: 2019 Faith and Reason Summer Program participants enjoy a nature hike through the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve

PHOTO 2: Saint Vincent College professor Dr. Jerome Foss leads a discussion during the 2019 Faith and Reason Summer Program

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