Saint Mary’s women are faithful and responsive and know that social justice, equality, and the human dignity of all are not things to be found or discovered, but to be achieved and upheld. Our close connection to the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the sponsors of the College provides a rich example of women of faith.
In 1943, Saint Mary’s College established the first program in the United States to confer graduate degrees for women in theology. Under the leadership of Sister Madeleva, Saint Mary’s was the only institution — for more than a decade — to offer this opportunity to women. Some of the first female theologians were educated at Saint Mary’s and the College honors that tradition by bringing world-renowned women to campus through the annual Madeleva Lecture Series.
The Madeleva Lecture Series and other seasonal lectures bring theologians to campus, hosted by the College’s Center for Spirituality. For 35 years, the Center has engaged issues at the interface of faith and reason, hosting scholars to lead the community in the exploration of critical issues related to spirituality. Projects such as the Voices of Young Catholic Women and Real Life have invited young Catholic women from across the country and in the Saint Mary’s community to raise issues of concern and to discern their vocation.
Campus Ministry has long provided students with the opportunity for prayer, reflection, and meditation. And our core values help guide and inspire the way we respond through faith/spirituality, justice, community, and learning. At a time when our Church is facing a crisis with allegations of clergy sexual abuse, natural disasters that ruin our communities, and faith is seemingly waning in our world, Saint Mary’s women are needed to lead and respond.
From celebrating liturgy on campus together to journeying abroad, at Saint Mary’s, we know that God calls us into community to find strength and to accomplish our mission of preparing women to make a difference in the world. It was an act of faith that Saint Mary’s was founded 175 years ago, and today that faith continues to thrive in our community. Like our campus labyrinth, the path ahead of each Saint Mary’s woman has twists and turns, but approaching it with a deep faith in God’s plan allows for a successful journey.