Bishop Kennedy honored at St. Thomas University

• For Bishop Kennedy, one of the most important scholarly pursuits is theological anthropology.
• The Priest Scholar Award was presented to Bishop Kennedy at the 30th Anniversary Celebration at St. Thomas University.

It’s usually not too difficult to get Bishop Arthur Kennedy to chat, speak, or address a topic. There are a few of them that he clearly relishes. Those you can tell by a wry smile or a slight twinkle in his eye.

The press release from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota, announced his being named the “Priest Scholar” awardee on the occasion of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Catholic Studies Program at the midwestern university.

He was instrumental in the foundation of the Catholic Studies Program at St. Thomas

Before returning to Boston as rector of St. John Seminary, then-Father Kennedy had been a long-time faculty member at St. Thomas.

He was instrumental in the foundation of the Catholic Studies Program. A genuine scholar with varied interests, he’s a fan of Flannery O’Connor and Joseph Ratzinger. He is fascinated by the interplay of faith and science, and between theology and life.

Theological Anthropology

For Bishop Kennedy, one of the most important scholarly pursuits is theological anthropology. Sounds daunting, right? But it’s simply about how Catholics have understood human beings beginning from God’s love, sustained by God’s presence in life, and the human person’s ultimate goal — God.

The Priest Scholar Award was presented to Bishop Kennedy at the 30th Anniversary Celebration at St. Thomas University on Sept. 23, 2023.