91�����

Just before leaving for Christmas Vacation, 91����� Aquinas College junior Jonathan Culbreath received some happy news: His essay, The Marian Vocation of the Philosopher, was the sole runner-up in up in the 2015 , sponsored by the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at The Catholic University of America.

The annual essay contest asked students to reflect upon a quotation from the 1998 encyclical Fides et Ratio, in which Pope St. John Paul II described a �deep harmony� between �the vocation of the Blessed Virgin and the vocation of true philosophy.� Contestants were to submit an essay �commenting on the significance of Mary for philosophy,� including a discussion of �how Mary sheds light on the relationship between philosophy and theology.�

�Through her most intimate participation in the life of the God-man [the Blessed Mother] was given the power to communicate the graces of God to all the faithful; thus she is the bearer of Wisdom Itself even now,� wrote Mr. Culbreath in his 1,500-word essay. �In these ways, Mary was and continues to be the instrument of God�s work: God and His graces are made known through the motherhood of Mary. Likewise, philosophy has the role of contributing to theology itself, which is the making-known of God.�

Mr. Culbreath first learned about the Fr. McGivney Contest, named for the founder of the Knights of Columbus, from a poster on the campus bulletin board early this fall. He wrote his prize-winning submission � the second of two attempts � over the course of the following month. Writing the essay while keeping up with his regular studies �wasn�t too difficult,� he admits, �because I enjoy writing, and I spend a lot of my free time writing my notes and thoughts about philosophy and theology.� Mr. Culbreath hopes to pursue advanced studies in theology after he graduates in 2017, and then teach the subject at the college level.