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New Catholic university center has resources on St. Thomas
More Catholic News Service DALLAS (CNS) -- U.S. politics has suffered from a perception of bipartisan corruption and war between the two dominant parties. But lawmakers of good will saw hope for their profession in Pope John Paul II's Oct. 31 decree making St. Thomas More the patron saint of statesmen and politicians. Now comes a new channel for learning lessons from the life of the 16th-century English martyr, whom the pope said is a reminder to all that politics and morality must not be separated. The Center for Thomas More Studies has been inaugurated at the Catholic-run University of Dallas and is headed by professor Gerard Wegemer, a More scholar. The center's mandate is to illuminate ``More's importance as a hero for our times, and to encourage both the formal study and the concrete implementation of his principles of statesmanship in every profession,''according to an announcement. ``Our purpose is to promote the study of Thomas More and to foster true leaders for all professions,'' said Wegemer, who wrote ``Thomas More on Statesmanship'' and has taught at the University of Dallas since the mid-1980s. The center will provide conferences for teachers interested in the saint and his writings, as well as continuing legal education courses for lawyers and judges in major cities, including Dallas, Houston, San Diego and Los Angeles. Plans are in the works to expand it to other major metropolitan areas. An annual summer program called ``Thomas More in England'' is available for 30 to 35 high school students from around the country, who can earn three college credits while studying his writings and traveling to locations significant in his life, such as Canterbury and London. ``He's relevant to literature, history and law,'' assistant
center director Steve Smith said in an interview. By studying
his life, students are taken with ``his fidelity to principles,''
he added. The center also will work on publishing an anthology of More's works, which will be accessible to all interested readers but also suitable for university courses. A lawyer, statesman and widower who helped raise seven children -- four of his own, his second wife's child and two adopted children -- Thomas More died for his convictions in 1535 when More refused to bend to demands by King Henry VIII that he authorize the king's elevation as leader of the Church of England. A third-generation Londoner, St. Thomas was educated by a socially active father and surrounded by accomplished relatives who were involved in civic life. His refusal to compromise his principles cemented his place among the pantheon of great leaders. ``He was a very attractive person whom people would want to be like,'' Wegemer said. ``He had a great sense of humor, with a light touch, and he even made jokes while on the scaffold before being beheaded.'' St. Thomas More, canonized in 1935, was named ``Lawyer of the Millennium'' by the Law Society of Great Britain in 1999. In a testament to his broad appeal, More was added to the calendar of saints of the Anglican Communion. The saint presents an integrated, well-balanced life that
most people are looking for, such as taking care of a family,
and managing professional responsibilities ethically, said Wegemer. Smith echoed that theme of More's relevance to contemporary
politics and business. ``We want more people to study More and
to actually implement his principles in their profession in order
to have principled leadership,'' Smith said. ``The culture is
dying for it.'' The center's Web address is www.udallas.edu/CTMS. Additional |
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