With great joy we wish to announce that this afternoon today, in Italy, Sr. Maria Aracoeli Beroch, SSVM, received her Doctorate in Philosophy from the Pontifical University, “St. Thomas of Aquinas in Urbe” (Angelicum).

At the examination table were present Fr. Elvio Fontana, IVE, Moderator; Fr. Joseph D’Amécourt, OP, Censor and Dean of Faculty for Philosophy; and P. Serge-Thomas Bonino, OP.

The discussion of the thesis, with the title: “The “I” as Absolute Principle of the Existential Configuration of the Person in the Thomism of Cornelio Fabro” (original: ”Io” come principio assoluto della configurazione esistenziale della persona nel tomismo di Cornelio Fabro), took place before the presence of numerous Servidoras from the Province of Italy, the Mothers and sisters from the General House, various Priests of the IVE, and various professors and students of the Angelicum and other Pontifical Universities. Also present was the mother of Sr. Aracoeli, who especially traveled from Argentina to accompany her in this moment.  

The doctoral thesis was highly appreciated by the participants, both for its content and the exposition of the argument, as well as its contributions to contemporary philosophical reflection.

Upon finishing the defense of the thesis, all were invited to participate in the festivities held in one of the salons of the University (the salón de las columnas).  Later there was a dinner at the General House in Rome, the community to which Sr. Aracoeli belongs.

We congratulate Sr. Aracoeli, the First Servidora to obtain a Doctorate and we entrust her to the prayers of everyone.