Nesti Center for Faith & Culture - University of St. Thomas

09/09/2026

A beautiful Gospel reflection this Sunday from our alumnus Deacon Rey Croson, MAFC '26! Numerous deacons in active ministry are enrolled in our Master's in Faith & Culture program, seeking to supplement their theological studies with additional spiritual formation and fresh insights about the relationship between faith and culture from social science research, Church history and Magisterial teaching.

09/08/2026

Scholars connected to the Nesti Center's Catholic Women's and Gender Studies program are headlining this month's historical conference in Rochester, with a healthcare panel moderated by our CWGS program manager, Leah A. Jacobson,

As one of our program's founding professors, Erika Bachiochi, notes in the Register article below, “It has become abundantly clear that neither the pro-abortion left, nor the increasingly misogynistic online right, speaks to the needs, desires, capacities and obligations of modern women," and the resulting "political and cultural deadlocks" have left women with a dearth of authentic advocates.

This conference, and our CWGS program, is working for "a better way forward"!

The centerpiece of the event led by Catholic scholar Erika Bachiochi will be the public signing of a ‘Declaration of Interdependence,’ which directly addresses modern ethical challenges surrounding childbearing, bodily integrity and family life.

09/01/2026

Applications for Spring 2027 are open! Is this the sign you've been waiting for?

08/24/2026

Welcome back to class, Nesti Center students!

We opened the academic year with our annual MAFC retreat and record attendance (40+ students and alum)--a wonderful day of community, prayer and inspiration!

08/20/2026

08/17/2026

Nesti Center students in our Catholic Women's and Gender Studies program attended their first remote annual formation gathering last week to kick off the new school year!

As they enjoyed personalized care packages, students introduced themselves, connected with their WGS faculty members and reflected on a reading from French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil, who reminds us that the sustained attention we develop in study sharpens our capacity for contemplation of God and love of neighbor.

We wish them a marvelous 2026-27 school year!

08/12/2026

❓What does one "do" with a Master's in Faith & Culture? It's a question we often hear.

One answer: Many MAFC students are already in parish ministry, looking to supplement their catechetical training with more in-depth spiritual and theological formation, social-science insights, and real-world pastoral application that takes account of ideological trends in the dominant American culture.

MAFC student Kelsey Pena, for example, is the new Associate Director of Adult Formation at St Laurence Catholic Church in Sugarland; check out the podcast she was featured on this week with Fr. Reginald Samuels (link in comments!)

08/11/2026

Our courses are fantastic. Apply to a Nesti Center program today!

, Leah A. Jacobson, MA, IBCLC - Wholistic Feminism

08/06/2026

It's a wrap: Fall admissions for our M.A. in Faith & Culture have closed, and we're thrilled (as usual) with our incoming cohort of MAFC students!

Next deadline: December 1, '26. Inquire today at [email protected]!


of St. Thomas

07/11/2026

Ciao, Roma! ✈️

Today we’re headed home by various routes from our study abroad and already missing the camaraderie and history, the cobblestones and impromptu pizza parties (less so a dearth of AC!) 🍹

Thanks for following our journey here over the last three weeks (or scroll back through our feed to see it)!

If this has whetted your appetite for Faith & Culture, reach out to [email protected] to learn more about our programming. 🎓

We’d love to meet you!