Charles Zola, CDI director, assistant to the President for Mission Integration, and associate professor of Philosophy at Mount Saint Mary College, celebrates Founders Week with members of the Dominican Scholars of Hope and the college’s mascot, Mack the Knight.
In early October, the Mount’s Founders Week celebrated the legacy of St. Dominic de Guzman and the Dominican Sisters, whose vision guided the creation of the college.
The Catholic and Dominican Institute (CDI) has sponsored the Founders Week celebration at the college every year for more than a decade.
A highlight of the celebration was a talk by Shannen Williams, University of Dayton professor and African American historian, revealing how generations of Black nuns fought against racism and sexism.
“When you ask Black Catholics why they stay, despite the fact that so much of what they have faced in the church was discriminatory, they say ‘We’re not leaving this church.’ What it means to be Catholic is to be universal, and we made the church Catholic,” she explained.
Later in the week, Jon Damrau, access and outreach services librarian, presented “The Saint John’s Bible: Word of God and Work of Art.” The Saint John’s Bible is the first hand-written Bible in centuries. The Mount owns a copy of the Heritage Edition of this masterwork, one of only 299 full-size fine art reproduction copies in the world. Attendees enjoyed access to the seven-volume set during the event.