Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
May 22, 2002
Three priests receive Dominican's highest honor
Dominican priests Benedict Viviano, Richard Woods and Donald Goergen received the honorary degree of master of sacred theology on April 28 at the Dominican Conference Center in River Forest, Ill. The Friars of the Province of St. Albert the Great conferred the degree, which has its origins in the medieval university system, and is the highest honor the Dominican Order can confer on brothers outstanding in teaching, research and writing.
Father Viviano has been a professor of New Testament at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis and at the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem. He is presently a professor of New Testament at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland.
Father Woods has taught at Loyola University of Chicago and is currently a professor at Dominican University in River Forest. He is the author of many books, including "Christian Spirituality," "Mysticism and Prophecy: The Dominican Tradition" and "The Spirituality of the Celtic Saints."
Former Dominican provincial of St. Albert the Great Province, Father Goergen has taught systematic theology at Aquinas Institute and has served as Dominican regent of studies for the province. Among his extensive writings he published a four-set series on the theology of Jesus and co-authored a book on priestly formation. Father Goergen is presently living at the Dominican Ashram in Kenosha, Wis.
Dominican friars continue the tradition of conferring the title "master" upon those brothers who have demonstrated leadership in doctrinal reflection and research, have published widely, and are recognized for their work, both within and outside the Order of Preachers. For a Dominican friar this degree signifies not only that a brother has shown himself to be an adept teacher, but that his life exemplifies that devotion to study and the pursuit of truth to which each Dominican is committed by reason of his profession.
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