Commencement Addresses: Recent Episodes
Christendom College
Each year Christendom College hosts a special guest speaker at Commencement to address the graduating class.
Internationally renowned author and theologian Robert Cardinal Sarah was honored during Christendom College's 2022 Commencement Ceremonies, with the college awarding him an honorary doctorate of humane letters before he delivered this year’s commencement address.
Christendom College celebrated its forty-second commencement on May 15, awarding 121 undergraduate degrees to the Class of 2021. Legendary college football coach Lou Holtz was also honored during the ceremony, with the college awarding him the Pro Deo et Patria Award for Distinguished Service to God and Country before he delivered this year’s commencement address.
Christendom College celebrated its forty-first commencement on August 9, awarding 89 undergraduate degrees to the Class of 2020. Author and radio personality Patrick Madrid was also honored during the ceremony, with the college awarding him the Pro Deo et Patria Award for Distinguished Service to God and Country before he delivered this year’s commencement address.
Christendom College honored its 40th graduating class during Commencement Weekend, May 10-12. Author Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., delivered the commencement address and was awarded the college’s St. Peter Canisius Award.
Associate Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the commencement address at the 2018 Commencement Ceremonies at Christendom College
Garhard Cardinal Muller is Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and President of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei.” He received an honorary doctorate from the college and gave the 2017 commencement address.
James Hitchcock, professor emeritus of history at St. Louis University and author of over half a dozen books delivered the Commencement Address at the 2016 Commencement.
Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, Catholic philosopher and theologian delivered the commencement address at the 2015 Commencement Ceremonies on May 16, where she was awarded the St. Catherine of Siena for Distinguished Service to Christ and His Church.
Dr. Peter John Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College and author of over a hundred books, delivered the Commencement Address at the 2014 Commencement.
Archbishop Charles Brown joined the 96 members of the Class of 2013 for commencement exercises over the weekend of May 10-12, 2013. Archbishop Brown offered the Baccalaureate Mass on Friday, May 10, and delivered the commencement address and was awarded an honorary doctorate from college President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell at the commencement exercises on Saturday, May 11.
Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, S.V., Founder of the Sisters of Life gave the Commencement Address at the 2012 Commencement Ceremonies where she was awarded the college’s Pro Deo et Patria Medal for Distinguished Service to God and Country.
Dr. Robert P. George, author and professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University was awarded the college’s Pro Deo et Patria Medal for Distinguished Service to God and Country and delivered the commencement address at the 2011 Commencement.
Dr. Charles E. Rice gave this address to 94 graduates at Christendom College’s commencement exercises on Saturday, May 15. Rice, a former law professor, Catholic apologist, and author of several books, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters during the ceremony.
After being presented with the college’s Medal for Distinguished Service, Senator Santorum delivered the commencement address to the 2003 graduates of Christendom College.
In 1998, Senator Denton, a former US Navy Rear Admiral delivered Christendom’s Commencement Address and received the College’s Pro Deo et Patria Medal for Distinguished Service to God and Country. He spoke about his experiences as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam to illustrate the need to restore morality and religion to their proper place in our nation.