The Charles De Koninck Project

Marcus R. Berquist (1934–2010) was one of the founders of Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA. An in memoriam of Mr. Berquist as a teacher, colleague, and friend can be found here at Thomas Aquinas College’s website. It portrays Mr. Berquist’s meeting De Koninck as follows: “Mr. Berquist’s interest in philosophy was kindled during his fifth year at Nazareth Hall, a minor seminary of the Archdiocese of St. Paul, when he heard a lecture on the doctrine of Mary’s bodily assumption into Heaven by renowned Thomist Dr. Charles De Koninck, who was visiting from Université Laval in Quebec. ‘It was the first time I had ever heard someone explain a doctrine of faith that was derived from evidence and principles, rather than simply state something which was an article of faith or a teaching of the Church.’”

Many of Mr. Berquist’s essays on liberal education can be found here at the same website. Alumni memorials of Mr. Berquist were published by the college here, and alumnus Fr. Edmund Waldstein, O.Cist., wrote a beautiful tribute to Mr. Berquist as philosopher and teacher.