Heart speaks to heart. This saying, which was Cardinal Newman’s motto, is the title for one of this semester’s LCI “classes.” Instead of a traditional classroom setting, it takes place over a meal and includes discussion. The reasoning behind this setup is the idea that teaching Church doctrine is more than just an explanation of the rules.
Each week, Fr. Joseph Veresh prepares a short talk on one of the Ten Commandments, and the LCI students and staff prepare questions or reflections based on their own experience. For example, in this week’s teaching on the Fifth Commandment, Thou shalt not kill, students asked questions about suicide, the cult of the body, and how Christian teaching compares to the Muslim understanding of killing. Through both references to Church Fathers and everyday examples, Fr. Joseph was able to speak to the hearts of the students from the sincerity of his own heart. Shared experience of God’s love and truth is beautiful indeed!