HOUSTON,TX 

At the University of St. Thomas’ 66th Annual Mardi Gras Gala on Tuesday February 9th 2016, Dr. Robert Ivany, the university’s president, announced that the school’s Center for Faith & Culture will be renamed the Rev. Donald Nesti, CSSp. Center for Faith & Culture. Fr. Nesti founded the center in 1994 in response to Pope John Paul II’s 1982 creation of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

In his remarks Dr. Ivany spoke of Fr. Nesti as one of the most beloved and distinguished faculty and one of our community’s most esteemed leaders of faith.

“Fr. Nesti’s leadership enables the center to instill in those it touches- through both degree programs and ecumenical outreach- a desire to understand and respect people of all faiths and cultures. Because of Fr. Nesti, the Center for Faith and Culture has become one of UST’s most visible symbols of the relationship between the love embodied in the gospel and those uniquely American values set forth by our Founding Fathers.”

The presented biography of Fr. Donald S. Nesti, CSSp., included the following details: “Fr. Donald S. Nesti, CSSp, a native of Pennsylvania, was ordained to the priesthood in 1963. He earned a licentiate and a doctorate in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He also served the Congregation of the Holy Ghost in many capacities. Fr. Nesti has taught at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA; the Pontifical College Josephinum, Columbus, OH; and currently, the University of St. Thomas School of Theology.

In the administrative field, he served as Director of the immaculate heart seminary, Bethel Park, PA; Director of Planning, research and renewal, Congregation of the Holy Ghost USA-Eastern province; president, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA; and Provincial Superior, Congregation of the Holy Ghost USA-Western Province. In addition, Fr. Nesti has lectured extensively, authored books, published articles, conducted workshops, and served as retreat master for clergy, laity, and religious groups.

Currently, Fr. Nesti teaches at the University of St. Thomas Graduate School of Theology and is the Director of the Center for Faith and Culture. The Center for faith and culture seeks to understand and affect the relationship between the worldview of Catholic faith and culture.