MADRID COMES TO BELMONT

Patrick Madrid is the author of twelve books on Catholic themes, and is the publisher of Envoy Magazine, a leading journal of Catholic apologetics and evangelization. Since its inception in 1996, Envoy has garnered many journalism honors, including several first-place awards in the magazine “General Excellence” category from the Catholic Press Association. He served as vice president of Catholic Answers from 1988 through 1995 and has hosted several EWTN television series. He currently hosts the Thursday edition of EWTN Radio's “Open Line” broadcast, aired on approximately 150 AM and FM stations across the U.S., as well as on Sirius Satellite Radio.
Crossroads recently caught up with him via telephone at his home near Columbus, Ohio and talked with him about his exciting new association with the College, as well as his own ongoing education.

Crossroads:

We hear you’ve been studying for a master’s degree. Where, and in what discipline?

Madrid:

Yes, I’m completing an M.A. in theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum, an excellent major seminary right here in Columbus. I plan to commence doctoral studies in theology when I finish the M.A. program. Previously, I had also done graduate studies in theology at the University of Dallas.

Crossroads:

So how many degrees will you end up with?

Madrid:

Well, I have two courses left to complete the bachelor’s degree in philosophy, which I’m finishing simultaneously with the master’s in theology. I already have a bachelor’s degree in business, so they should all make for an interesting mix.

Crossroads:

Excellent. Now on to a different subject. How did you first hear about Belmont Abbey College?

Madrid:

I’d heard about it here and there over the years, but I never really knew what kind of college it was, or where it was located. Then, in the fall of 2006, I was invited to address the Room at the Inn fundraising dinner in Charlotte. It so happens that Bill Thierfelder was the emcee who introduced me that evening, and after my talk we chatted briefly. And then Bill’s wife and Ken Davison’s wife and several students came up and introduced themselves to me and we chatted for awhile, and it was at that point that I began to understand what a truly special place Belmont Abbey College is. I was very impressed by the students whom I spoke to that evening.

Crossroads:

What have you heard about the College from other people since?

Madrid:

To be honest, most people I’ve mentioned it to have never heard of it — which, of course, we’re going to change, and fast.

So I tell them that Belmont Abbey College is, above all else, a Christ-centered Catholic college established by Benedictine fathers shortly after the Civil War. I speak about the venerable Benedictine tradition that is at the core of the college and how that has contributed to its long-term stability. Most of the other small, liberal arts Catholic colleges in America that I am familiar with have been in existence less than forty years. By contrast, Belmont Abbey College was established in 1876.

Then when I show them the College’s website, or show them brochures that feature images of the campus, they’re really impressed by the beauty of the elegant old buildings. The term I’ve heard more than once is that it has an Ivy League look to it, so obviously they like that. 

Crossroads:

You could have joined forces with any number of colleges. Why did you feel that Belmont Abbey was the right fit?

Madrid:

I really believe that much of this is God’s Providence at work. Dr. Thierfelder had given me his card back in October. I keep a stack of business cards on my desk from people I meet in my travels and, periodically, I’ll call them up or send them an e-mail just to say hello and follow up on whatever we were talking about in person. And one day, I was sitting at my desk thinking about Catholic colleges and where I might want to send my kids, so, just on a lark, I called Bill’s office to say hello and see if he might remember meeting me back in October. I was very pleasantly surprised to find, when I called and asked to speak to him, that the receptionist put me right through. I doubt that many college presidents have that level of accessibility, and that kind of openness impressed me. Bill and I had a good long talk — perhaps an hour or so. We discussed many things, including his vision for the future of Belmont Abbey College. I told him about my various projects, such as publishing Envoy magazine and the work I do in speaking at parishes and universities around the United States. Out of that conversation grew an idea that perhaps there was a way for us to integrate what I was doing with Envoy with Bill’s vision and goals for the College.

Crossroads:

Let’s talk specifically about that inspired idea, the Envoy Institute of Belmont Abbey College. What excites you the most about it, and what are its key goals?

Madrid:

What excites me most is that the Envoy Institute is being designed to provide something new and different in the spiritual care and feeding of young adults, as well as adults.

The Institute will aim to help guide young people through the two times in their lives when they’re most in danger of losing their faith: a) when they leave home to go to college; and b) when they leave college to enter the workforce. In addition to the good assistance young adults already receive from parents, family, and their parishes, the Envoy Institute can help them in a completely unique way: by surrounding each young adult with an ongoing community of support and love which he or she can continue to be nurtured by day after day, week after week, year after year.

The Envoy Institute community is both “real,” thanks to periodic conferences, training sessions, and other gatherings which we’ll be hosting for adults and young adults on the Belmont Abbey Campus; and it’s also “virtual” in the way we’ll use technology for online classes, discussion groups, interactive chats, conference calls and more.

The principal goal of our community, which dovetails nicely with Belmont Abbey’s mission, is to form Catholic leaders — especially young men and women who can go forth and help form other leaders; not simply leading by example, but helping mentor and disciple other people, and then helping them do the same thing.

We’ll begin this process by holding leadership-forming training camps during the summertime. These will be primarily directed toward high school juniors and seniors – seniors in particular – and also college freshmen, and will also feature fun stuff: whitewater rafting, seeing good movies together, and so on. The focus of these training sessions will be to teach the attendees important skills and give them new tools in the areas of critical thinking, personal evangelism, apologetics  - i.e., the art of answering objections to the Catholic Faith - Scripture Study, Catholic leadership, and more.

I’ll be joined by many of today’s top Catholic thinkers, academics, authors, and apologists, all of whom bring a wealth of experience. And all of this will be presented in the context of one of America’s most inspiring settings: the campus of Belmont Abbey College.

I’m also very happy to announce that we’re re-launching Envoy Magazine, an award-winning journal of Catholic apologetics, evangelization, and leadership that I have published since 1996. Envoy Magazine’s purpose is to equip and encourage our readers, and now it will also serve as a delivery system to bring the message of Belmont Abbey College to a very wide new circle of readers, folks around the country - indeed, around the world - who might never otherwise hear about Belmont Abbey.

Crossroads:

And the Envoy Institute will have programs for adults, too?

Madrid:

Definitely. Outreach to adults is a significant dimension of the Envoy Institute’s work. We’re planning quarterly events on campus for adults who will come in over a long weekend — arriving Thursday night and going home on Sunday. We’ll provide a high-powered course of instruction in apologetics, evangelization, critical thinking skills, Scripture and more as a means of helping them better engage the modern world on its own terms and work to bring the light of Christ to their own particular corner of the vineyard.

Over the last 20 years that I have traveled the country, speaking to Catholic audiences, I’ve learned that there’s a deep, almost anxious need on the part of many Catholics for some type of systematic training in apologetics and evangelization. I often am asked, “Where can I go to study apologetics, without going back to college or changing my lifestyle?” There has never been a good answer to that question —until now.

And so, among the many things I’m excited about with regard to the Institute is that it will be the very first Catholic organization of its kind to deliver the kind of systematic training that so many people over the years have told me they’re hungry for.

Crossroads:

What kind of speakers or fellow instructors do you hope to bring to the Envoy Institute?

Madrid:

Well, in addition to the many fine and very talented professors on the faculty at Belmont Abbey College, we will also involve some outstanding people from other fields: Catholic authors, academics from other schools (Dr. Peter Kreeft of Boston College, Dr. Douglas Fortner of the Pontifical College Josephinum, Dr. Janet Smith of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Dr. Mark Lowery of the University of Dallas and Monsignor Stuart Swetland, formerly of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, come to mind as just a few possibilities), leading Catholic apologists, thinkers, and others will be tapped for their expertise in those areas we’ll focus on during the Envoy Institute training sessions.

The idea is to pull together many strands of expertise, experience, and wisdom so that those attending the quarterly events, as well as the young people attending the summer training sessions, will benefit from a wonderful cross-section of talented people and approaches.

Crossroads:

Will non-Catholics be welcome at the Institute as well?

Madrid:

Most certainly. I see the Institute as serving a much wider audience than just Catholics, because our mission includes serving those who sincerely desire to know more about the Catholic Church and what it teaches — and why it teaches what it teaches. This can only help to build bridges and tear down walls of ignorance and prejudice.

Part of the Envoy Institute’s mission is to help Catholics nurture deep sentiments of charity and patience when they deal with others. St. Peter says it so well in 1 Peter 3:15-16, a verse I wish every Catholic knew from memory: “Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. But do it with gentleness and respect.”

Crossroads:

 

Sounds like the perfect note to end on. Thank you, Patrick. See you on campus sometime soon.

Madrid:

I truly can’t wait for my next visit and to start meeting all of you. Thank you for this interview, and may God bless everyone at Belmont Abbey College.