Catholic Studies Center
Saint Louis University wants students to be completely at home in the Church. The Catholic Studies Center, with its integrated program of academic, spiritual, and cultural formation, is an expression of that desire. So is its location in a historic house originally built as a family home.
A home is a place that refreshes, nurtures and sustains us. It is also something for which we feel personal responsibility and a means by which we welcome others. By introducing students to the riches of Catholic thought and culture in such a setting, SLU forms students to love the Church as their own and to invite others into this joy.
Our Mission
The Catholic Studies Center at Saint Louis University offers an integrated program
of academic, spiritual, social and cultural formation within a large and vibrant community
of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the university.
The academic offerings at the heart of the program are open to all students in the
university, regardless of major. Links between the academic program and the extensive
co-curricular program help students to understand how what they do in the classroom
is intimately connected with what they do at home, in the chapel, and in their community.
The central point of integration that the Catholic Studies Center proposes is the
vibrant life of the Catholic faith. At SLU, this rich tradition, characterized by
deep and ongoing reflection on what it means to live a good life, is further enriched
by the distinctive contributions of St. Ignatius and the Jesuit charism. In the formative
program of the Catholic Studies Center, students learn how to pray, engage in spiritual
conversation, serve the poor, build deep friendships, and view the work they do in
the world in terms of the mission that God gives them.
Our Home on Campus
The historic Cartier House and its modern extension, Boileau Hall, together make up the Catholic Studies Center. Here under one roof, students can move seamlessly between classroom, chapel, and communal spaces, giving them a palpable sense of a well-integrated life.
Chapel of St. Edmund Campion, S.J.
Named for the 16th-century English Jesuit martyr Edmund Campion, S.J., the chapel features custom-stained-glass windows designed by Emil Frei & Associates. In addition to four Masses and 36 hours of Eucharistic Adoration each week, the chapel provides a quiet refuge for personal prayer.
Balthasar Room
The largest of our classrooms, the Balthasar Room can accommodate up to 30 students.
Lined with bookshelves on three sides, the room houses a large part of the Catholic
Studies library, featuring volumes from the personal collection of several noted theologians,
including Bernard McGinn of the University of Chicago. Outside of class time, the
room is a popular study spot. A small kitchenette provides a place for students to
make a cup of tea or coffee.
The room is named in honor of the great twentieth-century Swiss theologian Fr. Hans
Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988), who was made a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II shortly
before his death. As the future Pope Benedict XVI explained, "what the Pope intended
to express by this mark of distinction, and of honor, remains valid: no longer only
private individuals but the Church itself, in its official responsibility, tells us
that he is right in what he teaches of the faith, that he points the way to the sources
of living water—a witness to the Word which teaches us Christ and which teaches us
how to live." While Balthasar is perhaps best known for his trilogy on Beauty, Goodness,
and Truth, he also penned smaller works on the Sacred Heart (Heart of the World),
the Rosary (The Threefold Garland), spiritual childlikeness (Unless You Become Like
This Child), and the Church's liturgical year (You Crown the Year with Your Goodness),
among other topics.
Ricci Room
The larger of our two seminar rooms is named for the great 16th-century Jesuit missionary to China, Fr. Matteo Ricci SJ, who was known by the Chinese name Li Madou (利瑪竇). Prints of paintings by another important missionary to China, the Jesuit brother Giuseppe Castiglione (郞世寧 Lang Shining), adorn the walls. There are also images depicting the early Jesuit mission to Japan. This room bears witness to a vital aspect of Jesuit education and one of its earliest hallmarks, namely its global horizon and the value it places on fostering Christian engagement at the deepest levels with all cultures.
De Labac Room
Featuring beautiful woodwork and stained glass windows, the Cardinal de Lubac Seminar Room is named in honor of the great French Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac, SJ, whose cause for canonization was opened by the French Conference of Bishops on March 31, 2023. A founder of the international Catholic review Communio, Cardinal de Lubac was one of the most significant theologians of the 20th century, whose thought played a key role in the Second Vatican Council. Regularly invoked by Pope Francis as a key influence on his own thought, De Lubac's works include Catholicism: Christ and the Common Destiny of Man, The Splendor of the Church, Brief Catechesis on Nature and Grace, and The Drama of Atheist Humanism.
Guardini Room
The Guardini Room, on the second floor of Cartier House, serves as both a conference room and the smallest of our classrooms. It is named for the noted philosopher Msgr. Romano Guardini (1885-1968) who held the Chair in Catholic Worldview at the University of Berlin and who is widely viewed as the father of Catholic Studies. A towering figure of Catholic culture in the 20th century, Guardini was a friend and colleague of Pope John Paul II, a mentor to Pope Benedict XVI, and a favorite thinker of Pope Francis. His works include The Death of Socrates, The End of the Modern World, Learning the Virtues, The Spirit of the Liturgy, The Lord, Rilke's Duino Elegies: An Interpretation, and The Meaning of the Church. Shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize in recognition of his diverse contributions to European culture. In 2017, the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising opened his cause for canonization, designating him a Servant of God.
Support Our Mission
Program Fund
Chapel Expansion
An architectural firm in Saint Louis has designed a creative and beautiful plan to expand our chapel to accommodate the growing number of students and to add a newly commissioned pipe organ.
To help us realize this dream, please contact Barb Valentine, John Stiles, or Emily Hermes in the Development Office.