We are honored to welcome Professor Paul Kennedy, the esteemed 2024 recipient of the Saint Thomas More Medal, as our guest on this special bonus episode before the premiere of Season 3 of Finding God on Park Street. Sharing stories from his four decades at STM, Paul reflects on the role of this faith community in his life as a father, professor, and believer.
Journey with us as we explore a central theme of Paul’s life of faith--service. As the STM Soup Kitchen begins its 41st year, Paul talks about the origin of the Soup Kitchen and what he remembers from its very first day. Still volunteering on Wednesdays at the Soup Kitchen, Paul believes he’ll be asked by God at the end of his life how he served the poor. So, he will never stop serving. And, he hopes that our students make that same commitment when they leave Yale.
Finally, we tackle the ways in which Saint Thomas More has changed, and remained the same, since the 1980s. Prayer and peace continue to be foundational, especially as Yale students, faculty, and staff rush from one commitment to another. Paul reminds us all to “take a breather” and spend a few moments in conversation with God. For Paul’s wisdom and witness, we are grateful and, for his service, we are honored to recognize him. Tune in to learn more about the legendary man receiving the Saint Thomas More Medal this year.
Mentioned in this episode: Guido Calabresi, Sam and Miriam MacDowell, The Rev. Richard Russell Years, Tom Golden & The Expansion of Catholic Ministry at Yale, Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK), Columbus House
