Christendom College welcomed benefactors and distinguished guests for its annual Summer Consortium event, focused the theme “The Kingship of Christ and Defending Religious Liberty.” Featuring talks from Dr. Ryan Anderson, Fr. Francis “Rocky” Hoffman, and others, the event provided a rich intellectual and spiritual journey for participants as they discussed the deep questions that challenge the Catholic Faith in our present age.

Fr. Rocky illuminated the importance of St. Joseph, particularly during this special “Year of St. Joseph” being celebrated in the Catholic Church in 2021. His example as a husband, father, and as protector of the Catholic Church is one to emulate during these confusing times, said Fr. Rocky, pointing to St. Joseph as a guide in the days ahead.

Following Mass in Christ the King Chapel, celebrated by former college chaplain Fr. John Riley, participants heard from Christendom’s Theology Department Chairman Dr. Owen Vyner. During his talk, titled “Sacramental Penance and the Triumph Over Sin: Participation in Christ’s Kingship,” Vyner provided a powerful look into the theology behind the nature of sin and how each person can more fully follow Christ through the Sacrament of Confession.

“Contrition, confession, and satisfaction undoes sin at its root, but more deeply, aided by grace, we are sharing in God’s own freedom,” said Vyner. “To do battle and to seek to overcome sin is to have the freedom of a king. More specifically, it is to share in Christ’s Kingship and his victory over sin on the cross. Thus to engage in this battle, through the sacrament and the virtue of penance, is to have royal freedom — the freedom of the sons and daughters of God.”

Renowned author and speaker Joseph Pearce discusses the relevance of great literature in our lives today. Humanity is revealed through great literature, and is a vein to explore the ever-present problem of suffering. 

Dr. Timothy O’Donnell, the author of Heart of the Redeemer and Swords Around the Cross: The Nine Years War, presented a talk on the essential role of the family as a Domestic Church. He explained how the fight for our culture is rooted in our understanding of the family.

“The key to the Church’s teaching on marriage and family and its role in society lies in the family’s identity as a Church in miniature: a place of prayer, a place of communion, a place where virtue is taught. If we as a Church–as laity, as married couples, as grandparents–don’t emphasize the centrality of the sacrament of marriage, who is going to do it?”

Dr. Scott Hahn, the bestselling author of numerous books, presented a talk on the uniquely-Christian understanding of God as Father, “from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named” (Eph. 3:15). He explained the connection between Divine and human fatherhood, emphasizing that true fatherhood is “more theological than biological.”

“Why are we here? To raise Godly families. But we can’t do it apart from the Trinity. Our fatherhood is a participation in God’s, but His Fatherhood alone is perfect and eternal. And this is God’s truest identity.”

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, the Archbishop of San Francisco, gave a homily on the modern attack on marriage and the steps we can take to combat it, reflecting on readings from the Mass of the Holy Family.

“We profess to be Christians; our family life must look different from those who do not have faith.  And we do so precisely because we live according to this high call of virtue and mutual respect, of which Saint Paul speaks.”

Mary Stanford, a theology professor at Christendom College, reflects on four points which Adam, the first man, discovered in the Garden of Eden about the nature of the human person and God’s plan for marriage.

“Without a generous giver and trusting receiver, there can be no gift. Without gift, there can be no love. And without an environment of love, human persons start to lose their humanity. Our capacity to experience intimacy in our marriages involves restoring a gift-giving dynamic, which yields a peace and a happiness utterly beyond the devil’s imagination.”

Senator Rick Santorum gave the touching account of his daughter Bella, showing the impact that one child can have on a community and the blessings that come with being a parent.

“I hope, in communicating to you the story of my life, the journey of my marriage, and what I’ve done in raising these two children in particular, to show how they had profound effect on me and my family, and subsequently on many more as a result of that.”

Mary Beth Bonacci, an internationally recognized speaker, gave a talk on the importance of true love and the differences between how men and women express love.

“The abuse of the word ‘love’ has grown so much worse. We conflate attraction and desire with love, and now, we conflate agreement with love, and conversely, disagreement with hate. We urgently need to figure out what real love it, what it means, how we live it in our lives.”