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About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
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A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
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A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
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Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
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Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
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Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
Sr. John Paul Maria (Michaella ’12) Pape, MSSR, Talks Human Formation, Discernment
Sharing from a wealth of wisdom and from her own personal experience, Sr. John Paul Maria (Michaella ’12) Pape, MSSR, recently returned to Thomas Aquinas College, California, to speak on the subject of “The Importance of Human Formation in Discerning Your Vocation.”
A member of the Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa, Sr. John Paul Maria challenged students to consider how their past might affect their vocation. She noted how bad habits, sins, and unaddressed wounds can often hinder those who are genuinely seeking to discern God’s will. Growing in virtue and self-knowledge, healing from wounds, and finding freedom from vice are integral steps in discovering and living out the life that God has planned, whether that be a vocation to the religious or priestly life or to marriage.
“I remember back when I was a student, how much of what I read in all the subjects formed my interior and helped me to examine my past, where I came from, and where Our Lord wanted to call me in the future.”
This call to ongoing human formation, Sister shared, is one of the four pillars of formation — along with spiritual, intellectual, and apostolic formation — that priests and religious undergo as part of their discernment process. Acknowledging the importance of all these pillars, she focused on human formation as foundational, since God’s grace builds upon nature. “We are body and soul,” Sr. John Paul Maria told students. “We can’t just supernaturalize everything and expect spiritual formation to take care of everything for us. We have to have that bodily, human formation as well, and that cooperates with grace.”
Her talk gave students practical advice for growing in self-knowledge and virtue so that they can become authentic witnesses of Christ to others, in whatever vocation they are ultimately called to. “We need to be those warm, real, and deep persons that are approachable, just like the original 12 apostles were!” she said.
Speaking from her experience as a graduate of the College, Sr. John Paul Maria encouraged her listeners that, even amidst the busyness of their lives as students, their time at the College can be an opportunity to grow in personal formation and deepen their discernment. “This curriculum is a great help!” she said. “I remember back when I was a student, how much of what I read in all the subjects formed my interior and helped me to examine my past, where I came from, and where Our Lord wanted to call me in the future.”
In closing, she assured students that focusing on their own human formation will help open their hearts to grace, but that, of course, they cannot do this alone. “Bring Our Lord into it,” she said. “Let Him heal. Let Him purify. Let Him affirm you. Let Him show you where He wants you to go. Bring Him in.”