The vision is supported by our established core themes—faith, reason, service and community. From our last Strategic Plan, the Saint Martin’s community developed these core themes, which, individually and in tandem, support and manifest essential elements of our mission and collectively encompass our mission and vision.
In lead up to our 125th anniversary in 2020, Saint Martin's is reviewing and updating the definitions for each of the four core themes.
Faith
New definition adopted 2016:
In the Catholic and Benedictine tradition, faith in God, whether explicit or implicit, seeks understanding, guides the human person’s pursuit of truth, and grounds a person’s deepest and lifelong commitments. Other traditions, communities, and individuals use different languages to articulate their ultimate concerns or their conceptions of the holy. We acknowledge the importance, even the necessity, of engagement in respectful dialogue on the place of faith and reason in the education of the whole person. We do this at Saint Martin’s University through the academic curriculum, co-curricular experiences, the services and programs of campus ministry and the liturgical celebrations with the Benedictine community.
Old definition from 2010:
Faith is the commitment we have to the exploration of our beliefs. We acknowledge the fundamental necessity of the human confrontation with faith in all its aspects—religious, interpersonal, political, social, in all the commitments required in a life—as a critical element in the pursuit of truth.
Reason
New definition adopted 2017:
In the Catholic and Benedictine tradition, reason is understood to be a capacity with which God has uniquely gifted human beings to seek truth. Through exercising reason, we come to know our selves, the world, and God; our pursuits grow more searching and assured when animated by faith and embodied in community. The primary purpose of education is the cultivation of reason to inspire self-growth and lead students to recognize their responsibility to care for all of creation. We do this at Saint Martin’s University through the undergraduate core; majors, minors, and graduate and professional programs; and co-curricular experiences.
Old definition from 2010:
Reason means going beyond the mere production of useful-skilled and employable graduates. It aims at producing thoughtful, educated, independent thinkers capable of, and interested in, making a positive difference in the world they inhabit.
Community
New definition adopted 2018:
In the Catholic and Benedictine tradition, community is the context within which everything takes place: prayer, work, and relationships. In community we recognize our interconnectedness and explore a deeper understanding of ourselves and humanity. Through an inclusive, equitable community, where all individuals are distinctive and all faiths, backgrounds, and talents are respected, we cultivate empathy and promote the exchange of ideas. This provides a valuable foundation for life, preparing students to serve the larger world community. We do this at Saint Martin’s by developing academic curriculum and co-curricular programming; actively recruiting and supporting a diverse body of students, faculty, and staff; and maintaining spaces to encourage dialog and self-reflection.
Old definition from 2010:
Community, a distinctive hallmark of the Benedictine philosophy, is the self-conscious regard for people's mutual inter-dependence and the way we demonstrate respect for all the roles in the human community.
Service
New definition adopted 2019:
In the Catholic and Benedictine tradition, service is the response to the moral obligation to build a more humane and just society. When we engage in service, we acknowledge the dignity of the human person in others; commit to listening deeply and learning in solidarity; and choose consciously to exist for something beyond ourselves. Informed by reason and driven by faith, we undertake service with hearts open to transformation as we encounter others and work together for peace, justice and the common good. We do this at Saint Martin’s by creating a culture of service and intentional reflection; incorporating service learning and leadership courses in academic curriculum and co-curricular programming; and providing opportunities for all to exercise social responsibility and civic engagement.
Old definition from 2010:
Service expresses essential elements of the Benedictine philosophy of hospitality. Saint Martin's nurtures the impulse to serve and aims to graduate men and women distinguished by their thoughtful commitment to help meet the needs of others.