Student Stories: Cameron Maloney

I entered Hope College in 2019. I came in wide-eyed and excited to start the next chapter of my life. I grew up attending Catholic schools and I had grown accustomed to the structure of faith being implanted in my daily routine. When I got to Hope that mandatory structure was gone and instead I had multiple, optional, opportunities. This gave me a unique chance to truly make my faith my own. I sought out more opportunities to practice my faith on campus. This is when the Saint Benedict Institute became a part of my life.

It all started when Fr. Nick invited me to get coffee during my freshman year. I learned about daily Mass on campus, adoration, confession, and spiritual mentorship. All of these things were offered to me, and I quickly made them a part of my weekly routine. The opportunities that the Saint Benedict Institute offered and the community that came with it changed my life. My faith was challenged, pushed, and expanded. My belief in God seemed to grow with every conversation that I had and from every question that I asked.

This year, as an intern for the Saint Benedict Institute, I have been given an incredible opportunity to pour into underclassmen who are like me when I was  their age. I get a chance to witness their faith life growing as they ask the same questions that I wrestled with. And I get to lead them through a program that drew me closer to the Lord, Exodus 90.

The Exodus 90 program is something that I have participated in since my freshman year. It is a rare opportunity that allows me to be in community with a group of guys who want to give everything they have to the Lord. Since this program became, and continues to be, such a big part of my faith journey, I decided to get more involved and to help others experience the gift of Exodus. As an Exodus 90 intern, I mentor students and leaders through the program in hopes that it changes their lives, just like it did mine.

Cameron Maloney is a senior from Lansing, Michigan. He is studying mathematics and religion. Cam works as an Exodus 90 intern for the Saint Benedict Institute. At Hope College, he is involved with residential life, campus ministries, intramural sports, admissions, and Dance Marathon.

The Hong Konger Documentary

Monday, October 24, 7 p.m.
Knickerbocker Theater at Hope College

The Saint Benedict Institute is co-sponsoring an event hosted by the Markets & Morality student organization at Hope College and Western Theological Seminary: a screening of the documentary “The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai’s Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom,” followed by audience discussion with one of the film’s producers, Dr. Stephen Barrows.

The public is invited.  Admission is free.  The event will also include free concessions.

Jimmy Lai was arrested in 2020 for his role in pro-democracy protests opposing China’s policies in Hong Kong and is currently in prison. As described in the film’s promotional materials, “When Hong Kong’s basic freedoms come under attack, media tycoon Jimmy Lai finds himself in the crosshairs of the state and must choose between defending Hong Kong’s long-standing liberties, or his own freedom.”

Lai had fled Maoist revolutionaries in China as a twelve-year-old in 1959 and began a new life in Hong Kong as a textile worker. In 1981, he founded Giordano, an international clothing retailer. He founded Next Media in 1990 in response to China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, and in 1995 founded the Apple Daily newspaper. Sovereignty over Hong Kong was transferred from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. The film’s materials continue, “As China retreated from its ‘one nation, two systems’ policy and began installing pro-Beijing leaders in Hong Kong, Jimmy became a leading voice against repressive policies.  Jimmy could have fled but he chose to stay, marching alongside millions of his fellow Hong Kongers in defense of freedom and democracy. He was soon arrested and jailed. International banks froze his assets. Apple Daily was raided and key executives arrested. In June 2021, Apple Daily printed its final edition and shut its doors.”

“The Hong Konger: Jimmy Lai’s Extraordinary Struggle for Freedom” was developed by the Grand Rapids-based Acton Institute in association with Crossfire Productions and Iron Light Labs. Barrows is the institute’s chief operating officer. Prior to his work at Acton, he served as the executive vice president, provost, and dean of faculty at Aquinas College, where he was also a tenured associate professor of economics.

The Markets & Morality student organization aims to support and celebrate freedom of expression in the context of the liberal arts by hosting speakers and films on topics spanning the economic, political, and cultural aspects of human civilization, with a special concern for human flourishing as understood in Christian perspective.

Western Theological Seminary prepares women and men for Christian ministry around the world as pastors, chaplains, non-profit leaders, and church planters. Students and community members are encouraged to take a keen interest in the social, political, and economic events that affect the world, especially those that impact religious freedom or threaten to diminish the value of the individual created in the image of God.

Audience members who need assistance to fully enjoy any event at Hope are encouraged to contact the college’s Events and Conferences Office by emailing events@hope.edu or calling 616-395-7222 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Student Stories: William Hurley

The Saint Benedict Institute was one of the main factors of growth in my Catholic faith while I have been at Hope College. In my process of reversion to the Catholic Church, the members of the Saint Benedict Institute were an example of orthodoxy and holiness that was lacking in my life up until then. Meeting Fr. Nick and other students who were involved in the Catholic community on campus allowed me to immerse myself in my faith. Having a spiritual advisor (Fr. Nick) was very important to my development as a creature of God. Perhaps one of the most important services the Saint Benedict Institute has provided is the ease of access to the sacraments on campus. Daily Mass became a refuge for me, and being able to go to confession frequently was wonderful. The Saint Benedict Institute always strives to sanctify everything, from the beauty of St. Anne’s Oratory to Sunday Mass upstairs.

Access to Christian thought through the speakers whom SBI has invited to campus has been very helpful and important to me. I seldom see groups on campus bring speakers to talk about controversial aspects of the faith, and I am grateful to the Saint Benedict Institute for braving the storm and speaking the truth in love.

I got involved as an SBI intern at the beginning of this year. Previously, I started altar serving and Fr. Nick asked me to become the head server. Over the summer, Carly emailed me about an opportunity to serve as a liturgy intern for the Saint Benedict Institute. I thought this was a great opportunity, considering my love for the liturgy and the involvement I already had in serving. I was nervous about the responsibility of being this intimately involved with the Church of God, but ultimately, I felt I was called to this position and I have enjoyed every minute of it!

William Hurley is a sophomore from Glenview, Illinois. He is majoring in political science. In addition to being a liturgy intern for the Saint Benedict Institute, he works as a tutor for the Academic Success Center and worked as a camp counselor last summer. He enjoys dodgeball, skiing, and playing Minecraft (and his job).

The Economics of the Parables

Monday, October 17, 7 p.m.
Winants Auditorium of Graves Hall at Hope College

Father Robert Sirico, who is president emeritus and co-founder of the Acton Institute, will relate timeless biblical wisdom to contemporary issues through the address “The Economics of the Parables.”

The event is co-sponsored by the Markets & Morality student organization at Hope, the Saint Benedict Institute, and the Corpus Christi Foundation. The public is invited, and admission is free.

The lecture will be based on Sirico’s book of the same title, published this past May.  As described in the overview of the book, “In The Economics of the Parables, Rev. Robert Sirico pulls back the veil of modernity to reveal the timeless economic wisdom of the parables. Thirteen central stories — including ‘The Laborers in the Vineyard,’ ‘The Rich Fool,’ ‘The Five Talents,’ and ‘The Faithful Steward’ — serve as his guide, revealing practical lessons in caring for the poor, stewarding wealth, distributing inheritances, navigating income disparities, and resolving family tensions.”

In his capacity with the Acton Institute, Sirico lectures at colleges, universities, and business organizations throughout the U.S. and abroad. His writings on religious, political, economic, and social matters have been in publications including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the London Financial Times, the Washington Times, the Detroit News, and National Review. He is often called upon by members of the broadcast media for statements regarding economics, civil rights, and issues of religious concern, and has provided commentary for CNN, ABC, the BBC, NPR, and CBS' 60 Minutes, among others.

Sirico received his Master of Divinity degree from the Catholic University of America following undergraduate study at the University of Southern California and the University of London. During his studies and early ministry, he experienced a growing concern over the lack of training religious studies students receive in fundamental economic principles, leaving them poorly equipped to understand and address today's social problems. As a result of these concerns, he co-founded the Grand Rapids-based Acton Institute with Kris Alan Mauren in 1990.

In April 1999, Sirico was awarded an honorary doctorate in Christian ethics from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, and in May 2001, Universidad Francisco Marroquin awarded him an honorary doctorate in social sciences. Sirico, who holds dual Italian and American citizenship, is a member of the prestigious Mont Pèlerin Society, the American Academy of Religion, and the Philadelphia Society, and is on the Board of Advisors of the Civic Institute in Prague. He also served on the Michigan Civil Rights Commission from 1994 to 1998.

His pastoral ministry has included a chaplaincy to AIDS patients at the National Institutes of Health. He is currently the Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Grand Rapids.

Video, Recap, and Photos: Louis Brown on Religious Freedom and Human Dignity

Event Recap by Sarah Stevenson

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“Every patient is a human being whose health and life are invaluable.” This was one of the many memorable quotes from Louis Brown Jr., J.D., during his lecture titled “Religious Freedom and Human Dignity: The Contemporary Crisis in Healthcare.” The lecture, which occurred on September 20, 2022, was hosted by the Saint Benedict Institute and cosponsored by the Hope College Departments of Nursing, Political Science, Religion, and Philosophy. Additional cosponsors included Markets & Morality, the Pre-Law Society, and Constitution Day.

Brown received a Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law. He previously worked as an attorney for a private practice, a state Catholic conference, and on Capitol Hill. Furthermore, he worked at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Christ Medicus Foundation and as the Associate Director of the Center for Law and the Human Person at the Catholic University Columbus School of Law. Brown co-founded the Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance (CURO) and he remains as a member on the board of directors for two Catholic healthcare entities.

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According to Brown, there are three ways in which the Christ Medicus Foundation shares Christ’s love for healing: promoting the rights of medical conscience and religious freedom in healthcare, implementing strategic advisers to pro-life medical clinics, and offering a Catholic pro-life healthcare option for individuals and families. These mechanisms of action allow the foundation to promote the idea that every individual is created in the image and likeness of God.

Brown began the lecture with two anecdotes. First, he related the story of a pregnant African American woman who experienced improper care following the birth of her baby. This was due to the color of both her and her child’s skin and their health challenges. He also discussed the story of a patient who became incapable of making her own decisions, which left the patient’s sister as the guardian. Yet, the medical facility obtained legal guardianship over the patient, which ultimately left the patient’s sister without authority. The patient’s life was devastatingly ended by the medical facility. These accounts established Brown’s belief about the main issue in healthcare: the collapse of the dignity and sanctity of life.

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The culprits of this collapse are secular medical ethics and public policy, according to Brown. These aspects of society seek to remove what becomes “inconvenient.” They seek to remove love. This can be termed “throw-away culture,” which is a culture that instills the belief that the unproductive are disposable. These features of society are the major sources of the erosion of civil rights in healthcare. This throw-away culture deems those that are not productive, or actively contributing to society, to be unneeded. The unborn, elderly, individuals with disabilities, those with chronic conditions, and other human beings are all lumped together into an “unproductive” category by this detrimental culture. All of these individuals are, in many instances, denied proper care due to their developmental state.

Yet, this throw-away culture is not necessarily a new idea. Brown provided numerous quotes from Dr. Leo Alexander, a key medical advisor during the Nuremberg Trials. One of the quotes read by Brown was written in 1949. Dr. Alexander noted, “Physicians have become dangerously close to being mere technicians of rehabilitation.” Brown identified the significance and disheartening nature of the quote: Dr. Alexander was explaining that the medical culture will become a throw-away culture. Both Dr. Alexander and Brown emphasized that it is dangerous to believe that rehabilitation and productivity determine dignity.

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Brown then shifted to a recent issue: Michigan’s Proposal 3, the Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative (2022). Brown highlighted the detrimental effects to the sanctity of life in healthcare as a result of such laws. There is no way that Catholic hospitals and medical entities could practice in an environment where such laws are instituted. Put simply, if religious freedom is removed from healthcare, then civil rights and human dignity in medicine will be degraded. The primary goal of healthcare will be profit rather than care.

How are Christians called to work towards reversing this urgent issue in medicine? Well, the Father is all-loving. Thus, as Brown explained, “God, who is Love, is empowering and moving the country towards pursing love and justice.” We are not called to be attached to a political party, which is a divisive facet in today’s society; we are called to just be Christians.

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Brown concluded his lecture by highlighting organizations that strive to dissolve the throw-away culture and instead promote Christ’s love. Such organizations included the National Catholics Bioethics Center (NCBC), CURO, Christ Medicus, and Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance (CHCLA).

With the current state of healthcare, Christians must work to establish greater protection over conscience rights for both patients and physicians. They must continue to take responsibility for rescuing their brothers and sisters in Christ. Finally, Christians must fight to re-focus medicine on the love that God gives to creation.

Sarah Stevenson is a senior and pre-medical student at Hope College.

Tearing Us Apart: How Abortion Harms Our Culture and Disadvantages Women

The Saint Benedict Institute is excited about this upcoming event presented by Students Cherishing Life, a pro-life student group on the campus of Hope College. Students Cherishing Life is teaming up with Focus on the Family and the Colson Center to host Alexandra DeSanctis of the National Review at Dimnent Memorial Chapel on October 4. Ms. DeSanctis will address the topic of abortion with a talk titled “Tearing Us Apart: How Abortion Harms Our Culture and Disadvantages Women.” Registration or a Hope ID is required to attend. Find additional details in the graphic below.

Religious Freedom and Human Dignity: The Crisis in Contemporary Healthcare

Tuesday, September 20, 7 p.m. in Winants Auditorium

In recent decades, the civil rights of religious freedom and medical conscience have been increasingly challenged, especially in the area of healthcare. These challenges have undermined the protection of human dignity. In this talk, Louis Brown, Executive Director of the Christ Medicus Foundation, will explore the current landscape of religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and civil rights in a range of healthcare concerns and issues. He will discuss current threats to religious freedom, the foundational importance of human dignity, and how Christians can respond to our contemporary situation.

Cosponsored by the Departments of Nursing, Political Science, Religion, and Philosophy; also cosponsored by Markets & Morality, the Pre-Law Society, and Constitution Day.

Louis Brown Jr., J.D. serves as the Executive Director of the Christ Medicus Foundation, a Catholic health ministry whose mission is to share the healing love of Christ in health care by (1) defending medical conscience rights and religious freedom, (2) advising and working with Catholic healthcare entities to expand access to Christ-centered pro-life medical care, and (3) providing the CURO Catholic healthcare community that serves the medical needs and whole person health of individuals and families. Louis received a Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. He has worked as an attorney in private practice, for a state Catholic conference, and on Capitol Hill as a Congressman’s legislative counsel and liaison to the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary. He has also served at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) where he oversaw the civil rights division of the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) under the supervision of the OCR Director and worked on medical conscience and religious freedom issues.  Brown sits on the board of directors of two Catholic healthcare entities. He also recently co-founded the Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance to provide a new voice for Christ-centered Catholic healthcare in the United States. He currently also serves as Associate Director of the Center for Law and the Human Person at the Catholic University Columbus School of Law. In Spring 2021, Louis was a law lecturer at the law school where he taught a course on human dignity and religious freedom in healthcare. Louis has published articles on religious freedom, pro-life healthcare or civil rights in The Hill newspaper, Public Discourse, and First Things. He has been quoted in news articles in the Angelus, National Review, The Pillar, National Catholic Register, and Catholic News Agency. Louis has testified on public policy matters in the state legislatures of Maryland, Florida, South Dakota, and Arkansas. Louis also serves on the board of advisors of the Religious Liberty Initiative at Notre Dame Law School.  Louis is passionate about his work for the Christ Medicus Foundation where its Catholic healthcare ministry, CURO, is an instrument of health and healing for its members. By God’s grace, CURO is helping its members pay for medical costs and helping its members to heal through Catholic health coaching, spiritual direction, Catholic wellness courses, and a spiritual health program centered in the Divine Physician, Jesus Christ.

A Sacred Space: News from Hope College

The most recent edition of News from Hope College contains an excellent article on the Saint Anne Oratory, our new sacred space of worship and prayer on Hope’s campus. You can read the article here. Many thanks to Josh Bishop and the team at News from Hope College for featuring the oratory!

Ave Maria Law School Information Dinner

We Are All Children of God: Living Alongside Ukrainian Refugees

One of our students, Grace Brown, had an article published in the June 2022 issue of FAITH Grand Rapids, the magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids. In the article, Grace talks about her experience living alongside Ukrainian refugees while studying abroad in Poland.

Click here to see Grace’s article in the full issue of FAITH Grand Rapids.

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Year-in-Review: 2021-2022

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Left to right: 2022 Hope graduates Alex Bauer, Kam Wilcox, Becca Messiter, Caryn Dannah, and Nick Fornarotto. Also pictured: Fr. Nick Monco and Carly McShane.

The 2021-2022 academic year officially ended on Sunday, May 8, when Hope College seniors received their hard-earned degrees. We had a great year at the Saint Benedict Institute! Here are the highlights:

1. Race, Racism, and Antiracism

What is race? What is racism? How can Christians with different perspectives work together to oppose racism? At the beginning of the academic year, SBI co-sponsored a civil dialogue between Dr. Kevin Kambo and Dr. Matt Jantzen to explore the answers to these questions. The conversation was moderated by Hope College President Matthew Scogin.

2. The Genesis of Gender

SBI did not shy away from controversial issues this year! Shortly after the dialogue on race, we hosted Dr. Abigail Favale for a lecture that compared the Christian and feminist perspectives on sex and gender. There was a lively question and answer session following the talk.

3. Werewolves and Fainting Damsels

Later on in the fall semester, SBI hosted two Catholic authors of fiction to discuss what makes for a satisfying story. Eleanor Bourg Nicholson and Rhonda Ortiz defined the terms “genre” and “trope” and examined the conventions of the mystery, Gothic, and romance genres using examples from classic literature and their own novels.

4. Encounter Conference

In December 2021, several SBI students attended the Encounter Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This three-day event was organized by Encounter Ministries, a charismatic Catholic ministry. It featured praise and worship, Mass, speakers, breakout sessions, Eucharistic Adoration, a healing service, fellowship, and more.

5. Ordination of Deacon Brian Piecuch

On Saturday, January 8, 2022, seven men were ordained to the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Among them was our very own Development Director and Program Coordinator, Brian Piecuch! We interviewed Deacon Brian about his ordination and his ministry.

6. Extraterrestrial Life and catholic theology

What do aliens have to do with Catholic theology? Much more than you might think! In February, Prof. Chris Baglow, the Director of the Science and Religion Initiative at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, joined us for a fun and though-provoking talk on extraterrestrials, human nature, and the Incarnation.

7. Immersion Trip to Saint Meinrad Archabbey

Over spring break, Fr. Nick and Carly took a group of students to Saint Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana for a week of immersion in monastic religious life. Students joined the monks five times per day for prayer, worked on an outdoor project on the monastery grounds, and spent time with the monks.

8. Courtship, Marriage, and Sex

Society is giving our students very little good advice about how to navigate the world of love and romance. SBI stepped into that gap with a two-part seminar led by our co-founders and their wives. Jared Ortiz (Religion) and his wife Rhonda Ortiz (author) led the first seminar on courtship. Jack Mulder (Philosophy) and his wife Melissa Mulder (Spanish) led the second seminar on marriage and sex.

9. Blessing of the New Saint Anne Oratory

On March 11, the Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids, joined the Hope College Catholic community for a Mass of Blessing of the Saint Anne Oratory at the Carol C. Schaap Chapel in Graves Hall. This new sacred space is now the heart of our Catholic community on campus.

10. Mass and Adoration

Throughout the year, students, staff, and members of our community attended Sunday and weekday Masses on Hope’s campus. Eucharistic adoration also brought students, both Catholic and non-Catholic, closer to Christ. In addition to regular periods of Adoration offered each week, students were able to participate in 24-hour adoration several times this year.

Senior Witness: Caryn Dannah

Hope College students are in the midst of exam week and graduation is this Sunday. Please pray for all of our students, but especially our graduating seniors. One of those seniors, Caryn Dannah, shared her testimony at a Hope chapel service a few months ago as part of their “Senior Witness” series. Watch the video beginning at 15:30 to hear Caryn’s story about her relationship with Christ and how he called her to live out the message of Romans 12:2: “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”