Seminary rector wins grant

The Very Rev. John Kartje, rector/president of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, is the recipient of a $10,000 award from the John Templeton Foundation, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced in a news release Wednesday. Kartje won for his proposal to develop a course titled "Fundamentals of Science at the Foundations of Faith." He is one of 15 recipients of the Templeton grant, a major national competition to encourage scientific literacy in the formation of Catholic seminarians. "Father Kartje's ability to integrate theology and science is a great asset to our program. Whether teaching philosophy of nature in our philosophy program or in his biblical teaching, his ability to engage the foundational issues posed by science prepares our future priests to be more effective preachers and teachers," said the Rev. Thomas A. Baima, vice rector for academic affairs. The Templeton Grant was awarded through the Science in Seminaries Initiative at John Carroll University. Information about the project can be found at http://cscnewparameters.org/.