Beauty in Art and God’s Love

The afternoon also had a special addition, with Dr. John Francis Nieto presenting a lecture on “Art & Beauty” to prepare students for today’s trip to the Getty Center and Tchaikovsky concert at the Hollywood Bowl.

With students gathered in the St. Cecilia Lecture and Concert Hall, Dr. Nieto took a Thomistic approach to the notion of beauty, giving St. Thomas’s definition, “that which is pleasing to be seen or apprehended.” He presented three principles of beauty: integrity, clarity, and proportion, sharing arguments for each and analyzing works at the Getty and elsewhere to illustrate the implications of the theologian’s definition. Throughout, Dr. Nieto shared some of his own experiences with art and beauty, from recollection of wonderment at a butterfly at the age of three, encountering Venus de Milo in an encyclopedia, and finding his draw to beautiful things a key part of his formation as a student at Thomas Aquinas College.

Thoughts of beauty stirring in their minds, the students next enjoyed a steak dinner in St. Joseph Commons and discussed the day’s happenings. Some remarked with excitement at the earlier classes, finding that the examination of Scripture led to an especially active day of conversation, with even the quietest students jumping in with contributions.

At a productive Study Hall, students dug into Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling and Boethius’s Consolation of Philosophy:

Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel then filled for the nightly Rosary, after which Program Chaplain Fr. Sebastian took to the ambo and guided congregants through a reflection upon the Prodigal Son. He related the parable to the universal struggle to attain holiness, despite worldly temptations and man’s fallen nature. Along the way, he exhorted students to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, should they need it, saying, God “is not like a harsh shepherd who drives us — He’s like a good shepherd who places us onto his shoulders and carries us home. That is how He is to us when we come back after we sin.”

Before descending from the ambo, the priest added, “My children, when you sin, God does not want you back as a slave. He wants His son, His daughter.” From there followed a “Holy Half Hour,” as Fr. Sebastian and California Chaplain Fr. Marczewski heard confessions while the congregation adored Our Lord in the monstrance atop the Chapel’s marble altar.

The night ended, per usual, with Coffee Shop, this time with brownie sundaes …

… and students then retired to their residence halls after a long, stimulating day. There will be just one class this morning — Kierkegaard! — after which students will make their trip to Los Angeles. Come back to the Summer Program Blog this afternoon updates and photos!