We are pleased to announce the sixth annual seminar on "Business and Catholic Social Thought: A Primer." During the seminar, graduate students and faculty members in business schools will cover foundational principles in Catholic social thought and apply them to their own field of research and teaching. This seminar aims at widening epistemological preconceptions and showing practical implications of Catholic social thought for business in a way that affirms the goodness of business directed toward the common good. Participants will delve into social encyclicals, secondary sources, and relevant business texts that show the path for principled entrepreneurship in order to gain knowledge, exchange experiences, receive help with their syllabi and consider how best to integrate Catholic social thought into business education.
The seminar is co-sponsored by the Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Business, the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame; the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America; the Lumen Christi Institute; and the Markets, Culture and Ethics Research Centre at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome.
Location:
The seminar will take place at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. between Tuesday, June 16 and Friday, June 19.
A limited number of travel grants are available. To apply for financial assistance, please complete and submit the attached request for funds to murphyinstit@stthomas.edu by April 27, 2026.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V4MJBpo0q1-wlKPpTj2bHTomJ4We-qti/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101169961720087663247&rtpof=true&sd=true
All participants will be provided with accommodations and meals.
Application Information:
This seminar will be open to graduate students and faculty of any specialization in business schools. Applicants will be required to submit a completed online application, including:
- An updated CV/resume.
- A brief statement of research interest related to Catholic social thought no longer than 750 words.
- One academic writing sample.
- All application materials can be submitted via the online application.Fifteen students will be admitted to this seminar.
- Application materials are due February 2, 2026.
David Cloutier, University of Notre Dame
Msgr. Martin Schlag, University of St. Thomas
Nicholas Schmitz, The Catholic University of America
Andreas Widmer, The Catholic University of America
Anselm House & Lumen Christi Institute present
"From Ancient Wisdom to Person-Centered Care: Historical, Philosophical, and Theological Foundations of Healthcare"
August 4-August 8, 2026
At a time when many learners in the health sciences feel stretched thin, morally conflicted, or uncertain about who they are becoming, we have created a space for the hungry and the weary to slow down, ask deeper questions about the professions they are entering, and deepen their moral and spiritual perspectives as they seek purpose in the healing arts.
From Ancient Wisdom to Person-Centered Care is a 4.5-day immersive experience for graduate-level health sciences learners—especially medical and nursing students—who want time and space to reflect on the deeper meaning of medicine, faith, and vocation amid the realities of modern healthcare.
During the first 2.5 days, participants will gather around shared meals, interactive lectures, seminar-style discussions, and unhurried conversations with faculty to explore foundational texts from the Judeo-Christian tradition and its philosophical partners. Readings range from ancient Greek and Hebrew sources through figures such as Galen, Hildegard of Bingen, and Maimonides. Together, we will wrestle with enduring questions that continue to shape clinical practice today: What does it mean to care for the whole person? What is the clinician–patient relationship really for? How do calling, character, and conscience matter in healthcare? These questions will be explored in conversation with ancient wisdom and carried forward into contemporary contexts.
As the seminar unfolds, learners will also be introduced to modern philosophical and theological accounts of personhood, attending carefully to how the promise and pressure of contemporary medicine—especially where efficiency, technology, and institutional demands collide with deeply held values—can be navigated with integrity and hope.
The experience culminates in a day-and-a-half symposium with the noted physician and philosopher Daniel P. Sulmasy. His work on spirituality in healthcare will enliven participants’ imaginations as they engage him in an intimate setting with one of the leading voices at the intersection of medicine, ethics, and faith.
Hosted at the University of Minnesota, the program also includes time to explore local art and culture, participate in worship at congregations or parishes of one’s choosing, and build community with peers who seek to become clinicians formed not only by competence, but by wisdom.
If you are a graduate-level health sciences student who has ever wondered:
- What is medicine and healthcare ultimately for?
- How can I live my faith and values with integrity in healthcare?
- How do I navigate moral conflict, burnout, or disillusionment as a clinician in training?
- Who am I becoming through this work—and who do I hope to be?
—this experience may be for you.
The seminar will be led by Professors Jon C. Tilburt, M.D. (Mayo Clinic), Evan Beacom (University of Minnesota Twin Cities) & Daniel Sulmasey (Georgetown University)
LOCATION AND FORMAT
- This is a fully in-person experience; no virtual option is available. Attendance for the full program is required. Learners interested in attending only the final 1.5-day symposium may find more information at www.Anselmhouse.org.
- The seminar will be held at Anselm House at the University of Minnesota between Tuesday August 4th and Saturday August 8th.
QUALIFICATIONS AND APPLICATION
The seminar is an opportunity to meet 15 promising scholars training in the medical fields at the graduate or resident level. There are no seminar fees and reading materials are provided.
Accommodations and most meals will be provided.
Additionally, participants will be reimbursed travel expenses up to $350.
Application Information:
Applicants will be required to submit a completed online application, including:
- An updated CV/resume.
- A brief statement of research interest related to seminar theme no longer than 750 words.
- An academic letter of recommendation that speaks to the applicants academic qualifications and ability to participate in a collaborative learning seminar format.
- All application materials can be submitted via the online application. Fifteen participants will be admitted to this seminar.
- Application materials are due March 2nd 2026.
This seminar is made possible by Anselm House and the support of the Lumen Christi Institutes grant, In Lumine Tuo: Expanding and Sustaining the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Nationwide (grant #63614) from the John Templeton Foundation, and the generous support of donors.
Learners interested in attending only the final 1.5-day symposium may find more information at www.Anselmhouse.org.
Contact us with any questions at seminars@lumenchristi.org.