Thomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
Truth, 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.
The intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
There is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
The weekend has begun! Students on the New England High School Summer Program have wrapped up their first week of classes. Ending their school week with a discussion of St. Thomas and Fabre, they moved into Friday’s open recreation period. Some visited the Pope St. John Paul II Athletic Center, while others went to Olivia Music Hall. Many students from Section Three took the initiative to gather in the Bl. Frassati Student Center to read Antigone out loud, wanting to experience the beautiful Greek Tragedy again in a new way.
Around four o’clock, students wrapped up their various activities and headed down to Dolben Auditorium for a lecture by a special guest, Dr. John Francis Nieto. A tutor from the California campus, Dr. Nieto came to New England to share some words and slides on art and beauty in preparation for the group’s visit to the Clark Art Institute and a concert at Tanglewood on Saturday.
Dr. John Francis Nieto
Dr. Nieto discussed St. Thomas Aquinas’s definition of beauty: “What when being apprehended (or seen) pleases”or, in Latin, quod apprehensum (or visum) placet. He explained that each of the words contains a certain property that beauty ought to have. Quod, or what, explains that the beautiful thing must be whole or united; in other words, it must have integrity. Apprehensum, or beingapprehended, means that beauty is something grasped by a knowing power. Dr. Nieto observed that truth and goodness are also qualities that are apprehended, but beauty is unique in that it pleases and need not act beyond that. The viewer does not necessarily need to possess the beautiful thing, it is enough that he delights in it, which is covered by the last term of the definition, placet, or pleases.
The lecture lasted until dinner, where students ate angel-hair pasta with shrimp, brussels sprouts, and garlic bread. Then Program Chaplain Fr. Miguel led programmers in the Stations of the Cross in the Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel.
Friday night had lots of excitement! After Stations of the Cross, the group gathered in Olivia for Open-Mic Night. Student Daniel G. opened the show with a performance of the “Veggie Tales” theme song on his tuba. The talent didn’t stop after that. Students sang, recited poetry, and one even performed a karate routine! At the end of Act One, students were surprised by a guest performance — the Renaissance Boys! The band was made up of Admissions Counselor Jean Carlos Guerreiro and prefects Luke Cecchi, Pedro da Silva, Stephen Brown, and Martin O’Heir. Their choreographed dance and lip-sync routine was met with a thunderous applause as they were pursued from the stage by the cheering female prefects.
Photos: Open-Mic Night
The acts kept on coming, and Open-Mic Night concluded with a jaw-dropping performance from students Gabriel L., Tobias L., and Paul L., who dazzled the crowd with an incredible juggling act set to music. As if that weren’t enough, halfway through their performance, the lights went off, and the three boys continued their juggling with glow-in-the dark balls. The crowd erupted!
But the evening still wasn’t over! After Open-Mic Night, students gathered in Dolben Auditorium, where the day’s long-promised “mystery activity” was revealed — Jeopardy! The students organized themselves into their sections and put their heads together to answer fun facts about Thomas Aquinas College, the Summer Program prefects and readings, Boston, and pop culture. All the teams were quick and clever with their answers, and after a two-round game, Section One emerged triumphant!
Photos: Jeopardy!
At last, students trundled off to their residence halls, still laughing from their tremendous day. A fun weekend lies ahead, beginning with today’s cultural excursions. Come back to read all about it tomorrow!
