Garaventa Center: Objectives

The Garaventa Center recognizes that the point of intersection between the Catholic tradition and American culture is reached from a variety of starting points including art, music, theater, science, political theory, economics, medicine, and business, as well as theology and philosophy.  The Center will support endeavors from these various starting points by:

• Sponsoring conferences centered on the topic of the intersection of Catholic Intellectual Life and the American Culture;
• Fostering regular dialogue within the University on those topics which occur at the intersection of the Catholic Intellectual Life and American Culture;
• Arranging lectures, roundtable discussions, presentations, and seminars on appropriate topics;
• Assisting in the development of courses for students;
• Assisting in providing resources for faculty, students, and visiting scholars to develop programs and pursue activities to enhance and invigorate the identity of the University as Catholic, Holy Cross and American;
• Serving the Church in the Archdiocese of Portland by providing the service of its scholars to advance the work of the Church;
• Reaching out to the community to initiate and then to sustain an ongoing dialogue on those complex issues that occur in the life of our Nation and that would benefit from the wisdom of the tradition that marks the University of Portland;
• Hosting film series, plays, concerts, performances, and exhibits that contribute to the enhancement and development of culture and
• Collaborating with other offices on campus, such as the Office of Campus Ministry, to enlarge the dialogue and to amplify understanding.