Treasures New and Old

Encounter the Catholic Intellectual Tradition

Thinking with the whole Church

The St. Irenaeus Institute offers opportunities for all who are interested—from seasoned scholars to those exploring the faith for the first time—to discover, ponder, and engage deeply with the Catholic intellectual tradition.

The people we serve

Man stands and speaks before a group of people

Scholars and students

Cultivating a robust conversation between the university and the Catholic intellectual tradition.

Men standing and smiling as they listen to a lecture

Lay men and women

Providing forums for Catholics and other Christians to study the great texts and ideas of the Church’s tradition and to explore the fundamental questions of our day.

Priests and deacons

Fostering intellectual life and friendship among the clergy.

Programs and events

Our upcoming events and ongoing programs

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A Practical Symposium

The Catholic Garden and Homestead

October 5, 2024

There is, in the Catholic tradition, a deep connection between the worship of God and the work of the land. Join us at the Catholic Ecology Center for an afternoon and evening devoted to exploring these two intertwined aspects of the human vocation. The event will feature practical workshops, liturgical prayer, festive gathering, and a keynote lecture by Shawn and Beth Dougherty. For more information and to register, click the link below.

Recurring Seminar

Fides Patrum

November 16, 2024

Fides Patrum (“The Faith of the Fathers”) is a seminar dedicated to exploring the theology of the Church Fathers through study and discussion of their key writings. The topic for Fall 2024 is the theology of St. Augustine, and the dates are: August 31, September 21, October 19, November 16, and December 7.

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Annual Lecture

The St. Irenaeus Lecture in Patristics

January 18, 2025

The St. Irenaeus Lecture in Patristics is delivered each January by an esteemed patristics scholar. Past lectures have featured the person and thought of Athanasius, Origen, and Gregory the Theologian.

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Academic Conference

The Legacies of Nicaea I and Vatican II: An Inheritance Unfolding

September 4, 2025

The Legacies Conference, happening in September 2025, will commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325) together with the 60th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council (1962-5).

Collaborative Study

The Doctors of the Church

The Doctors of the Church is a multi-year project involving an extensive study of the 37 saints who have been named "doctors" (teachers) of the Catholic Church. The project aims to identify and synthesize their most important contributions to the Church's understanding of her faith.

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Our mission

The St. Irenaeus Institute exists to make the Catholic intellectual tradition a vital part of the Church and the academy in the greater Milwaukee area. Under the patronage of St. Irenaeus, the early patristic expression of that tradition animates our work even as we reflect upon the entire intellectual patrimony of the Church, from theology and philosophy, to the arts and sciences. We serve students, scholars, priests, and lay Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

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Catholic

Believing in order to understand.

Intellectual

Reasoning in the light of faith.

Tradition

Treasuring the wisdom handed down.

Milwaukee

Handing on the deposit here and now.

Learn more about the Institute

Two female students stand in a group and smile

Joshua Miller, founder of the St. Irenaeus Institue, lectures in front of a group of students.

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