THOMAS MERTON INSTITUTE FOR CATHOLIC LIFE
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : mk@t*******************e.o*g
Mission Statement
The Thomas Merton Institute aims to provide a well-resourced and sustainable home for Catholic life at Columbia in order to raise the level of formation of students and faculty and to advance the evangelizing mission of the Church at the University. Named in honor of the most famous Catholic alumnus of Columbia, the Thomas Merton Institute provides the spiritual, liturgical, intellectual and human formation that will enable Columbia students to flourish as Catholic Christians.
About This Cause
Founded in 2021 by three Catholic laymen, the Thomas Merton Institute for Catholic Life addresses long-unmet needs for Catholic students, faculty, and alumni of Columbia University by providing them a place to call their own and a foundation on which to build a sustainable, expanding, and vital Catholic presence on campus. The founders share a vision of bringing Catholic formation at Columbia to a level on par with the standards of the university, shaping the future leaders of the Church and society and enhancing the intellectual and common life of the university community. The Merton Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in the State of New York. Its Board of Trustees is currently composed of the three founders, two of whom have deep roots at Columbia, and two additional Columbia alumni. The Institute expects its primary support over time to come from Columbia alumni and other people sympathetic to the needs and opportunities presented by Merton’s mission. The Merton Institute, while remaining legally and financially independent, maintains a close and unique partnership with the Archdiocese of New York. The Institute’s chaplain is appointed by the Archbishop of New York. His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan has been an inspiration for the Merton initiative for many years and has offered constant encouragement to the founders and board during its period of incubation. The staff of the Merton Institute reports to its Board of Trustees. The board is responsible for the strategic direction, fidelity to mission, financial support, facilities and legal matters of the Institute. The Institute is currently leasing the former rectory of the Church of Notre Dame (114th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Morningside Drive), which is once again the sanctuary for Columbia Catholic Campus Ministry’s liturgical celebrations. After a $1 million renovation of the main floor of the rectory, the Merton Institute opened for students on February 11, 2023. The complete renovation and adaptation of the four-story space lie ahead. In time, the Institute will be a magnificent long-term center for Catholic life at Columbia.