Women Contemplate Leisure as part of “Dorm Talk Series”

In the most recent installment of the monthly Dorm Talk Series she sponsors in St. Bernard Hall, Resident Assistant Sarah Dufresne (’14) presented a talk on a subject of increasing importance as students approach Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations — leisure.

The focus of the discussion was the book Leisure: The Basis of Culture by Dr. Josef Pieper, the late German Catholic philosopher and Thomist. “I basically outlined his book during the talk and brought a practical application of his thesis in at the end,” said Miss Dufresne.

Specifically Miss Dufresne addressed the question of how the faithful should make use of their free time. “In our best moments we are glorifying God Himself, and this, too, can be achieved during leisure,” she said. “Christian leisure should look different from what our culture considers to be leisure.”

Noting that “the way we spend our leisure time illuminates our characters as human beings,” Miss Dufresne observed that “as Christians, we must be intentional about how we spend our time in leisure.” Dr. Pieper, she explained, argued that the root of leisure lies in celebration and feast. “The Church is a festive Church, with our liturgical calendar centered around feasts and seasons,” Miss Dufresne added. “The Church has a deep understanding of feasts, and  we must look to Her for guidance as to how to have good and true leisure.”

The Dorm Talk Series, which Miss Dufresne launched last year, consists of monthly discussions designed “to provide a venue for the girls on campus to delve into the spiritual life as it pertains to women in particular, to encourage and nurture growth of the heart and mind, and to foster sisterly community outside of the classroom.” The informal talks, which usually take place at 7:00 on Wednesday nights, consist of refreshments, a 45-minute presentation, and a question-and-answer session, featuring female tutors, tutors’ wives, and other women in the Thomas Aquinas community.