A superposition of an image of the Pleiades star cluster and Van Gogh's painting "Starry Night." Courtesy of Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. – 2 Corinthians 5: 17
First-year students at Le Moyne College are celebrating the bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth by exploring questions of human identity. Asking: “What are we?” entails analysis of human beings as animals or even chemical ‘byproducts’ of this planet. Proceeding to: “Who are we?” and “Why are we?” truly marks us as human.
This discussion is understood at Le Moyne as necessarily inter-disciplinary, reflecting our Catholic, Jesuit approach to liberal arts. Integrally related to these themes is the Fall 2009 course “Dynamic Creation: Faith and Reason,” jointly taught by two visiting Jesuit scholars: Belgian scripture scholar Rev. Jan Lambrecht, S.J., S.S.D., professor emeritus of New Testament at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) and Bro. Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Ph.D., an astronomer at the Vatican Observatory. Crosslisted in both the chemistry and physics department and the religious studies department, the course is a remarkable and rare opportunity to explore the intersections between faith and reason in the search for truths about the universe, and was facilitated by Le Moyne College’s Father Donald Maldari, S.J. and Sanzone Center Director Tom Boland. Brother Consolmagno is the holder of the Lanigan Endowed Chair, and Father Lambrecht is the holder of the Mitchell Chair of Christian Wisdom.
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him'." Matthew 2: 1-2
Mosaic of the Adoration of the Magi from Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna. Courtesy of Donald Maldari, S.J.
Upcoming Sanzone Center Events
Beyond Ricci: A Celebration of 400 Years of the Chinese Catholic Church. 
Jeremy Clarke, S.J. postdoctoral fellow at Boston College and visiting fellow in the Division of Pacific and Asian History at Australian National University will speak on November 19 2009 at 7:30 pm in Grewen Auditorium. Clarke will describe the history of Christianity in China and show video footage from a documentary he is preparing.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Academic Vice President, the departments of history and religious studies, and the Center for Peace and Global Studies.
Sanzone Center Academic Offerings
Certificate Program for Pastoral Ministry
The Sanzone Center offers a joint certificate program with the Diocese of Syracuse to prepare pastoral ministers for work in parishes. Students take courses at Le Moyne and receive spiritual and practical mentoring with the Diocese, culminating in certification for work as a pastoral minister in the Diocese of Syracuse. Click here to read an article in the Catholic Sun about the program.
Download the program brochure
Service-Learning Course
Students who are engaged in service work through Le Moyne College that is not already related to a course are able to enroll in Religious Studies 100. This course, initiated by the Sanzone Center, allows students the opportunity to engage in academic reflection about their service experience.
Cilck here for more information.
Dominica Service-Learning Project
All students in the LEAD learning community who participate in the 2009 Dominica Service-Learning Project in May 2009 will participate in the Service-Learning Course sponsored by the Sanzone Center.
Click here for more information
Click here for photos
Previous Sanzone Center Events and Programs
Only a Theory? Evolution, Darwin and the Question of Intelligent Design. Dr. Ken Miller of Brown University addressed the campus on November 11 2009.
Science and Religion in Society. Dr. Ken Miller, Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J. (Vatican Observatory), and Le Moyne scholars Father Donald Maldari, S.J. (department of religious studies) and Dr. Devon Keeney (department of biological sciences) presented a panel discussion on November 11 2009.
Evolution and Resurrection. Guy Consolmagno, S.J. and Jan Lambrecht, S.J.,Tuesday, October 20, 2009. "Understand that you might believe; believe that you might understand." Thursday, April 2, 2009.
From 'Pay, Pray, and Obey' to Lay Ecclesial Ministry: the Role of the Laity since Vatican II. Aurelie A. Hagstrom, S.T.D.., associate professor of theology at Providence College. Dr. Hagstrom also conducted a seminar to explore further the role of the laity in the Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council.
Felix Mendelssohn's St. Paul Oratorio, Op.36 March 1, 2009 Our Lady of Pompei Church. In celebration of the Pauline Year (June 29, 2008, to June 29, 2009) and of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Felix Mendelssohn (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847), the Sanzone Center sponsored a performance of selections from Mendelssohn's acclaimed oratorio in honor of St. Paul, as well as lectures on Mendelssohn's work by Andrew Russo, artist-in-residence, and on St. Paul by J. Mark Lawson, adjunct instructor of New Testament at Le Moyne College. Musicians and singers were drawn from Le Moyne College, the Syracuse Symphany Orchestra, and the Syracuse University Oratorio Society. Click here for photos of the event.
The Darwin Effect: Perspectives from the Humanities. On February 12, 2009, the birthday of Charles Darwin, the Sanzone Center co-sponsored one of Le Moyne's celebrations of the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth. Presentations included: "The Elusive Mr. Darwin" by Assistant Professor of English, Dr. Maura Brady; "Darwin and the Narrative of Human Origins" by Associate Professor of English, Dr. Michael Davis; "Life Without Purpose Frees Us Up" by Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Dr. Jeremy Bendik-Keymer; and "Is God Still 'Creator of Heaven and Earth?" by associate Professor of Religious Studies, Father Don Maldari, S.J.
Click here to read the story in the February 26, 2009 Catholic Sun.
An audio recording of the October 24 lecture by Jan Lambrecht, S.J., "Following Christ: Markan Spirituality Today," may be heard by clicking here.
Family Weekend Seminar "What's a Jesuit Education, Anyway?" presented by Terrance Coleman (2011), Donald Maldari, S.J., Ph.D. and Monica Sylvia, Ph.D.
Click here for the PowerPoint presentation
Drew Christiansen, S.J.: "Light and Darkness: The Holy Land in Catholic-Jewish Relations" (mp3 of the lecture)
Mission
The Sanzone Center for Catholic Studies and Theological Reflection at Le Moyne College promotes the College’s mission by sponsoring events and activities for the College community which are intended to
1 deepen the community’s knowledge and understanding of the Catholic theological tradition
2 contribute to the continual development of that tradition
3 facilitate interdisciplinary inquiry regarding Catholic theology.
Director