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Lean In to Our Catholic Mission

We will bring the visions of our founder and namesake, our unique charism, and Catholic social teaching fully to life as we encounter the grand challenges of the day, develop principled leaders and contribute to a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable world.

Catholic social teaching and Catholic intellectual tradition are alive and vibrant at St. Thomas. The history of St. Thomas, the vision of our founder, Archbishop John Ireland, and our patron, St. Thomas Aquinas, contribute to our unique charism. This tapestry gives our students a lifelong gift unique to St. Thomas. Our charism reflects Archbishop Ireland’s style of boldly addressing the challenges of our world while contributing deeply to the community.

We will be wholly committed agents for social justice and defend the dignity of all people, whether they are our students, staff or faculty, or members of the broader community. We believe in the compatibility of faith and reason, the need for open dialogue between the disciplines, and the centrality of the development of the student as a whole person. We promote a culture of service where students can actively engage in creating change in service to the common good. While we foster an active Catholic faith and culture, people of all faiths are not only welcome at St. Thomas but invited to fully practice and deepen their faiths. We will seek opportunities for common prayer and social engagement among believers. This interfaith understanding is a priority because we are Catholic. St. Thomas will be known for accompanying students on their faith journeys and helping them meet the challenges they will face in life.