Volume 19, Issue 1 (2026)

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

We, the board of editors, extend a sincere and warm welcome to this nineteenth volume of OBSCVLTA: A Student Journal of Theology. We pray that you find the works herein invigorating, thought provoking, and enriching. By God’s grace, may this text serve as an introduction to the voices in our community and the work to which we commit ourselves daily. While it cannot fully encompass our diverse community, nevertheless, it aims to lift up, in charity and fruitful dialogue, the voices of students, faculty, and alumni.

This year’s contributions demonstrate the wide breadth of our studies, including liturgy, immigration, social justice, culture, the deaconate, practical theology, grace, scriptural exegesis, grief, and more!

This year, Shawn Colberg, Dean of the School of Theology and Seminary, offers remarks about our beloved faculty and monastic member, the late Father Michael Patella, OSB. Father Michael Patella made a large impact on our school and church community. Therefore, we dedicate this volume of our journal to him and his life.

We begin our journal with an Alumni Spotlight, featuring the Ministry For Today Summit’s keynote address from Bishop Mark Seitz, School of Theology and Seminary Alum and recipient of the Ezekiel: Prophet of Hope Award. Bishop Seitz’s statement, we felt, encapsulates the spirit of our journal this year, and therefore introduces our work. We pray this spirit of listening and hope extends through our work and through your reading.

Sincerely,

The Obsculta editorial team