One of the Largest Celebrations of Our Patronal Feast
The Angelicum’s 2019 Patronal Feast of the Common Doctor of the Church, Saint Thomas Aquinas (observed for the university on 7 March) was one of the largest celebrations of recent memory for the friars, faculty and students. An estimated 800 participants were in the Aula Giovanni Paolo II (aula magna). “I have never seen the Aula Magna with so many people” said a seminarian from Bismarck (North Dakota USA), “I was so proud of my Alma Mater and to study here.” See original promotional poster. (Italiano)
Multiple times, His Excellency, Bishop Robert Barron received standing ovations after expressing his love for Aquinas and the privilege of receiving the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from our Faculty of Theology and offering his academic discourse in the same aula where Pope St. John Paul II addressed the university community (17 Nov. 1979) after his elevation to the papacy.
Both the main university church and the friars’ choir chapel were needed to accommodate the crowds who came for the Mass. Bishop Barron was the celebrant and preacher. His homily and other photos will be made available soon on the university’s social media. Check out the extraordinary photos from Bishop Barron’s social media of the Mass HERE and of the event in the Aula Magna HERE.
Special thanks to all the volunteers who made the event happen!
photo credits: © Bishop Barron
His Excellency, Bishop Robert Barron and our Rector Magnficus, Fr. Michal Paluch OP