Graduate Students, Faculty, & Professional Groups
This launch page is intended for graduate students, professional school students, and UVA faculty to plug into Catholic groups and events on or near UVA grounds. There are a number of different Catholic clubs or institutes affiliated with UVA and with St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish that are run by faculty and graduate students. These are:
- The St. Anselm Institute (Catholic faculty of UVA)
- Catholic Healthcare Professionals
- GradCats (any graduate or professional school student)
- Darden Catholic Student Association (business students)
- Luke Society (medical students)
- Thomas More Society (law students)
To learn more, see full descriptions & contact information below.
In addition to these groups, any graduate student or faculty wishing to contact Fr. Nicholas, the vicar for UVA faculty and graduate students, can reach him at [email protected].
Fr. Nicholas Hartman, OP
Descriptions & Contact Information
The St. Anselm Institute
The St. Anselm Institute offers programs promoting the Catholic intellectual tradition for UVA students—both undergraduate and graduate—faculty, and the broader community. From the St. Anselm website:
The St. Anselm Institute for Catholic Thought is a Catholic faculty-run group in its third decade of providing free educational programs to UVA students, faculty, alumni, and the local community. We offer an annual public lecture series, non-credit minicourses and reading groups, lunch and dinner discussions, and occasional Catholic arts programs and local field trips. Sign up for our monthly event email by visiting us at www.stanselminstitute.org. Registration is sometimes requested because seats fill up, but it’s NEVER too late to begin to appreciate the great riches and holy men and women who have aided the Church in her thinking across the ages!
“The St. Anselm Institute offers inspiring and tuition-free educational programs that challenge and guide university-educated students, faculty and others to think more freely and deeply with the resources of the Catholic intellectual tradition. Their university-level programs of intellectual formation extend and complement the traditional pastoral, liturgical, sacramental and social elements of Catholic Campus Ministry. As the Institute’s patron St. Anselm famously noted long ago, “faith seeking understanding” is the time-tested Catholic journey that awaits every thinking Catholic adult, whatever their age, professional career or status in life” (Most Reverend C. Barry Knestout, Bishop of Richmond).
Catholic Healthcare Professionals
Catholic Healthcare Professionals. This past Fall 2023, a few physicians at St. Thomas formed a group of Catholic physicians for the purposes of promoting fellowship with each other, the spiritual and ethical good of Catholic physicians in the Charlottesville area, and developing fellowship with and mentorship for with UVA medical students. This group is in its initial stages, but former and upcoming activities include a “White Mass” and dinner on the Feast of St. Luke, patron of physicians (Oct 18), a Lenten retreat, and a fellowship dinner with medical students.
If you are Catholic physician interested in joining or wish for more information, please contact Fr. Nicholas at [email protected], or attend an Information Session held at the parish in the lower-level conference room on Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 10:15am.
GradCats
GradCats. GradCats—“Graduate Catholics”—offers spiritual events, service opportunities, and fellowship for any graduate or professional school student and for spouses or fiancé(e)s of UVA grad students. In addition to these efforts, and as a ministry of St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish, GradCats works to connect the parish with the Catholic, graduate school community, in addition to promoting the activities of the St. Anselm Institute, the Catholic professional school student groups at UVA, and Bible studies run by graduate students and other young adults connected with the parish.
The following are the links and contact information for anyone wishing to get involved with GradCats:
Mary Clare Young, President: [email protected]
GroupMe Link: https://groupme.com/join_group/96240605/W3GH0qmI
St. Luke Society
The St. Luke Society is a Catholic club at the UVA School of Medicine that promotes fellowship, prayer, and discussion among Catholic medical students at UVA. Activities include the “White Mass” and dinner on the Feast of St. Luke, patron of physicians, weekly rosary, and lunches once a month.
Sam Dauby: [email protected]
St. Thomas More Society
The St. Thomas More Society is a Catholic club at the UVA School of Law. From the UVA Law Website: “The St. Thomas More Society is UVA [Law]’s Catholic outreach organization. The society provides spiritual and social support to the Catholic population of the Law School and those interested in the Catholic faith; promotes the spiritual growth of members through catechesis, prayer and community service programs; and ensures that Catholic graduates of UVA are imbued with a knowledge of the law that is shaped and strengthened by the Catholic faith. Room SL158A.” Here are the primary contacts to be put on the contact list and a link for the society’s GroupMe:
Rafael Skokanic (President): [email protected]
Website: https://sapphire-clover-r5m4.squarespace.com/
GroupMe (current students): https://groupme.com/join_group/95675818/I1V8Q7MH
GroupMe (alumni and current students):https://groupme.com/join_group/20735453/p4O17u
Darden Catholic Student Association
Darden Catholic Student Association is a Catholic club at the UVA Darden School of Business that promotes fellowship, prayer, and spiritual formation among Catholic business students. Activities include a weekly rosary, brunches, and 2–3 talks a year.
Betsy Brandon: [email protected]
