Program
Overview
The two-year Humanities program leads to an Associate of Arts degree. The study of the liberal arts, combined with a classical humanistic curriculum, is calculated to achieve several ends: to lay a solid cultural foundation steeped in the wisdom of the Western heritage, to broaden horizons, to sharpen, deepen, and discipline the students’ mental abilities, and to enlarge their social outlook, preparing them to pursue further degrees in Philosophy and Theology and ultimately to be ready for their ministry as Roman Catholic priests within the cultural context of our time.
In the College’s pedagogical approach to achieve the goals set for each subject and to strive for excellence in all areas of formation, it seeks to imbue all students with an integral formation. The College understands this concept to mean that all areas are interconnected and mutually supportive. Faculty and formators in the spiritual, human, and apostolic areas meet regularly to coordinate their efforts and integrate them in a view of the particular needs of the students and of the community as a whole.
Within the academic field, the faculty is committed to streamline syllabi and contents to facilitate an organic presentation of contents across subjects. Furthermore, various courses benefit from team teaching by means of which faculty members enrich with specific contributions according to their expertise.
General Objectives
Legionaries studying at our College are
1) To acquire and round out a solid general education, especially in the cultural areas of history, ideas, art, literature, music, and science;
2) To learn how to listen, which means understanding from a human and Christian perspective the driving forces in man, society, and culture past and present through a panoramic and deep contact with representative ideas, trends, events, authors and works most outstanding in shaping Western culture;
3) To learn and acquire proficiency in the classical languages of Latin and Greek at least for ecclesiastical and biblical use, and Spanish as the universal language of the Legion of Christ, while consolidating English as needed for college level;
4) To prepare and train the capacity to engage culture through mature judgment, dialogue, and direct contribution;
5) To formulate their ideas with logical rigor and express them orally and in writing with clarity and elegance;
6) To consolidate learning habits and train intellectual processes (assimilate, analyze, synthesize, relate, judge, create), along with an eagerness to learn and the commitment to hard work in studies.
According to other institutional goals, the students are
7) To form a well-rounded personality through the harmonious integration of feelings, passions, imagination, memory, intellect, and will, in agreement with the demands of their personal life, their faith and convictions and of their future mission;
8) To foster the ability of living in community, working together in teams, and the mutual exchange across languages and cultures as a fruit of the internationality of the student body.
Integral Formation
The academic program provided by the College is part of a comprehensive preparation for the Roman Catholic priesthood. According to the ancient tradition of religious life, the daily schedule is characterized by a healthy combination of prayer, work, study, and relaxation.
One of the main principles is personalized formation. Each member is encouraged to take ownership and responsibility for his growth in all areas, but he is also accompanied by a team of formators. In addition to receiving frequent spiritual and human guidance on an individual basis, the religious have an academic adviser who guides them individually in all aspects of their academic work.
Readings during meals, special group presentations on academic subjects for the whole community (“academies”) several times a year, regular “Cheshire Lectures” given by faculty members or qualified outside speakers, and visits to museums, historical places, exhibitions, and classical music concerts are elements that enrich the ordinary formation program.
The internationality of the community contributes to avoid prejudices and to promote openness to other cultures and traditions by living a universal spirit characteristic of the Catholic Church. The community is divided up into teams where each individual listens and learns from others, collaborates with them, has initiatives, and exercises the skill of leadership and responsibility.
For their human formation, all are required to cooperate in the cleanliness and maintenance of the house and the gardens, and to fulfill chores in the kitchen and in the dining room. Further, the house has a choir and a band. Team sports, individual exercise, and regular community outings for hikes apply the ancient formation principle: mens sana in corpore sano -a healthy mind and a healthy body belong together.
Opportunities to train in apostolic work by participating in youth groups, teaching Catechesis, giving talks in parishes, organizing events in the lay apostolate, and accompanying experienced priests in their ministry help the religious to see their studies within the context of their future mission. These moments lived outside of their ordinary environment contribute to the task of evangelization even from the early stages of their formation.