Semester End at PTHV with Honors
Holidays Begin with Traditional Summer Festival
After a jazz piece by the blues trio “John Dreyer,” Prof. Dr. Margareta Gruber OSF, Dean of the Theological Faculty of the Philosophical-Theological University Vallendar (PTHV), welcomed the graduates and all guests to the semester-end celebration. “Lightness, joy, and buoyancy — that is what our traditional summer festival is all about before you head into the summer holidays. This year, we have a rich harvest.” In her speech, she referred to the recently published book “Unavailability” by Hartmut Rosa, in which the sociologist highlights that today’s society increasingly struggles with unavailability, as our world makes everything reachable, available, and predictable. “This available world has become increasingly silent,” explains Prof. Gruber OSF.
The World is Accelerating
What is missing is the fulfilling, desired experience of resonance, the wish: I want to arrive at the beginning again and never want to finish. According to Rosa, the “unavailable” is essential to a successful experience of resonance, which may not occur even when all conditions for its emergence are obviously met. Resonance cannot be planned or accumulated. “Therefore, competencies are never the end goal of education; rather, in the conversations in between, something flashes that is education,” says Prof. Gruber. “The consequence, however, is that the world speaks to us again; God speaks to us.” She compared Hartmut Rosa’s work with Bonaventure’s “The Pilgrim’s Way to God.” “Both books are about being guided on the path of God: entering our soul and walking in the soul of God, rejoicing in the knowledge of God.” As a final example, Prof. Gruber referenced the 1986 French film by Éric Rohmer, “The Green Ray,” which can be interpreted here as resonance. She wished the graduates the mystical green ray: “You cannot make it or hold onto it — but you can give heartfelt thanks for it.”
Following this, JProf. Dr. Franziskus Knoll OP, Study Dean of the Theological Faculty, presented four Master’s certificates. Then, Master’s graduate Tobias Wolff explained his thesis, “The Church as a Missionary Community in a Plural Society: An Investigation of the Ecclesial Basic Attitudes of Fresh Expressions of Church.” Subsequently, the Student Council (AStA) of the Theological Faculty presented gifts to their fellow students. Prof. Gruber then awarded six doctoral certificates and one licentiate certificate. The first PhD graduate (Doctor of Philosophy) to complete their doctorate under PTHV Rector Prof. Dr. Dr. Holger Zaborowski, Anthony Adani, briefly presented his thesis on “Adapting Heidegger’s Notion of Authentic Existence to Analyze and Inspire Everyday Experiences of Individuals for Societal Transformation in Nigeria.” Jomon Mularikkal then spoke about his doctoral thesis “Perspectives of the Eucharistic Change: A Systematic Study Based on the Wandlung Theology of Cardinal Kurt Koch with Special Reference to Jean-Luc Marion.”
After the ceremony, an Eucharistic celebration took place with main celebrant Christoph Hammer SAC in the university church, followed by the traditional summer festival of the faculty with many guests and friends of the university.
Text and Image: Verena Breitbach PTHV
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