A week ago Monday (July 21), I sat for my written exams. It went fairly well! The 5 topics I have been studying are Scriptural Catechesis, Christology, Patristic Exegesis: Augustine and Origen, History of Theology and Spirituality, and Prayer. I wrote about the first three.
Following the written portion, I had about two days to prepare for the oral exam. That went pretty well, too. At 3:10 on Wednesday afternoon, they informed me that I passed my comps! I was also informed that this makes me a "Mistress" of Theology. :) What a relief! And for the first time in well over 2 years, I don't have any immediate studying to do! What will I do with myself now?! Start a new job, I suppose, and get married. :)
Jordan drove all the way to South Bend on Wednesday, so he arrived that evening to help celebrate. We had dinner at my favorite spot: Fiddler's Hearth. Also, it was an acoustic open mic night, and Ricky Watter's son (13 years old) was one of the performers! Ricky Watters was in the audience, too, by the way. I sat about 5 feet away from him.
On Thursday, the rest of the girls in the group completed their exams, as did others in the MA program. Jordan and I spent the day touring campus one last time and boosted our wardrobes with ND garb from the ND Outlet Store.
Thursday evening, the Department of Theology held a celebration Mass and dinner for all August MA grads. Pictured below is Catholic Extension Cohort #1: Mary Rebecca Anderson, Jessy Bennett, me, and Julie Labelle.
It's hard to believe that this adventure has come to a close. I have been SO blessed to have this opportunity, and I can't even begin to express my gratitude to everyone who has had a hand in it. Studying at Notre Dame was truly a girlhood-dream-come-true. Classes in the Theology Department were more formative and incredible than I could have imagined. The people I met - CE girls, CE staff and donors, fellow students, and professors - have been such a blessing. It's been a long journey, and often a challenging one, but it has been very rewarding as well. I still can't believe that I can now call Notre Dame my alma mater. The slogan definitely rings true...
Love Thee, Notre Dame.
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