Campus Announcements

For a great many of you, today is your first day at UST. I am pleased to say that we are welcoming the largest class in the history of this great university.

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for attending yesterday’s event, it was a beautiful day! Faculty and staff packed the gym for UST’s first annual “Opening Day.”

Please join me in congratulating Fr. Chris Valka, CSB, who has been named the new local Basilian Superior of Keon House and will assume a key leadership role in guiding the Basilian Fathers in Houston.

I wanted to share some exciting news with the UST community. For those of you who haven’t already heard, Father Kevin Storey, CSB has been elected to serve as Superior General for the Congregation of St. Basil.

Since UST’s earliest days, the crest on the university seal has been a powerful symbol of our community. The imagery emblazoned on the shield tells the story of not only where we came from, but also the future toward which we are headed.

Today, classes break for the remainder of Holy Week. Tonight, we begin a very special and meaningful time of year, Easter Triduum. For those not familiar with the term, Triduum marks the passion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. One remarkable thing about Triduum is that it is in essence one liturgy that continues over three days.

We are the Celts, and tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day! As the day approaches, I am reminded of the difficult road St. Patrick travelled in life, but also how impactful and worthwhile that journey was.

The University of St. Thomas is a Catholic university, and we are also Houston’s only Catholic university. That designation is an honor, and often a responsibility as well. I am always grateful when an opportunity comes along to act in a visible way to proclaim our authentic Catholicity. We have just such an opportunity this weekend.

It was a privilege and a pleasure for Melynda and me to welcome more than 500 guests on Saturday, Feb. 10, to the Hilton Americas-Houston for the 68th annual University of St. Thomas Light the Way Mardi Gras Scholarship Gala.