(2/11/10) On January 31, Benedictine College in Atchinson, Kansas, presented Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, Austria, with its Cross of the Order of St. Benedict award while he was making a visit to the College. The Cross of the Order of St. Benedict was established by Benedictine College in 1969 as “a way to recognize alumni and friends who have supported charitable institutions, provided civic or religious leadership, and demonstrated professional excellence.” College president Stephen D. Minnis said that Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City made the recommendation to Cardinal Schönborn that he visit Benedictine. Minnis said, “We are proud of our Catholic heritage and have eagerly anticipated this visit from such a notable and influential leader within the Catholic Church.” During his visit, the Cardinal celebrated Mass for the College community and also delivered a lecture titled “Pope Benedict, Regensburg, and the Controversy of Creation and Evolution.” A video of the Cardinal’s visit is available here. On February 3, Cardinal Schönborn also visited The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C., where he delivered a speech expressing optimism for the future of Christianity in Europe. Both Benedictine College and CUA are included in The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College, now a free online resource, for their strong Catholic identity. Source: Benedictine College