Benedictine’s Officially Registered Plaid Tells a Story

Benedictine College has created and registered an official plaid designed for the school.

The tartan, which was designed internally by Sue Durkin, Special Assistant to President for Events, and Amy Nell, creative director, has been approved by the Scottish Register of Tartans.

“Benedictine College has an officially approved tartan — or plaid — that is ours alone and cannot be replicated,” said Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis. “But this isn’t just any tartan. The tartan registered for Benedictine College is uniquely us.”

The design incorporates much of the history, mission and background of the college.

The four black boxes represent the four pillars of Benedictine College (Catholic, Benedictine, Liberal Arts, Residential).

These four pillars are the firm foundation on which Benedictine College’s mission rests.

• The “Catholic” pillar means that the college teaches in conformity with Ex Corde Ecclesiae and embraces the Church’s magisterium.

• The “Benedictine” pillar means the college takes its values from the 1,500-year old Rule of St. Benedict.

• The “Liberal Arts” pillar means that the humanities are central to our curriculum, teaching students to be able to analyze and apply data, not just use it.

• The “Residential” pillar means that 80% of our students live on campus, creating a dynamic community.

The three red lines reflect the college’s mission statement and stand for community, faith and scholarship.

Benedictine College’s mission is to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship. That’s one mission, to educate, with three dimensions: dynamic community, thriving faith and inspiring scholarship.

• Benedictine’s community is “dynamic” because our student life program of residential living creates a change in our students that transforms their educational experience.

• Benedictine’s faith is “thriving” because it is both fed from deep roots in the Catholic intellectual tradition and is expressed on campus with reverence and enthusiasm.

• Benedictine’s scholarship is “inspiring” because our community and faith dimensions serve our academic mission to create passionate seekers of truth.

The two white lines represent the college’s two founding institutions, St. Benedict’s College and Mount St. Scholastica College.

St. Benedict’s Abbey on campus and Mount St. Scholastica are home to the college’s two sponsoring institutions, the Benedictine monks and sisters. The Benedictine religious order is one of the oldest religious orders in the world and lives by the motto “That in all things God may be glorified.”

The gold line is a symbol of Our Lady and represents the Consecration of the college to Jesus through her.

In 1856, lost in a storm and fearing for his life, Benedictine’s founder Father Henry Lemke cried out to Mary and “the Mother of God worked a miracle” to guide him to shelter, he said in his diary. “For this reason, I promised to love and honor her until I draw my very last breath.”

Seven years later, in 1863, Mount St. Scholastica’s first Mass was celebrated on the feast of the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The college has honored their commitments and was consecrated to Jesus through Mary on Sept. 8, 2013. “We have set your image in the center of our campus as a reminder of this consecration, which places your maternal care at the center of our lives,” said the words of the consecration. “Accompany us with your prayers and shower us with God’s graces so that our students will transform the world.”

Official Benedictine College Tartan items are available in The Raven Store inside the Haverty Center on campus or online.