Southern Nebraska Register
The Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies will hold its second annual Bellarmine Banquet Nov. 14 in celebration and support of its mission in the Diocese of Lincoln.
St. Robert Bellarmine, the namesake of the event and patron of the Institute, was a cardinal, saint, and doctor of the Church in the 16th century. During the wave of the Protestant Reformation, St. Bellarmine taught tirelessly from the Scriptures as an exposition and defense of the Catholic faith, preserving countless souls from abandoning the Church in such a tumultuous time.
Similarly, the Emmaus Institute exists as a resource for wandering souls in the 21st century, in which there are as many people leaving the faith as in the Reformation era. Following in Bellarmine’s footsteps, the Emmaus Institute is passionate about cultivating encounters with Jesus in the Scriptures as a necessary means of rekindling an authentic revival of faith. The annual Bellarmine Banquet is a celebration of this imperative as well as a key opportunity to support its mission.
The theme of this year’s banquet is “Rejoicing in Hope,” drawing both on the Jubilee Year of Hope and on St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:2).
“We firmly believe,” said Joshua Burks, executive director, “that Emmaus is a beacon of hope in an increasingly secular world.”
Modeled on the account of Jesus on the Road to Emmaus, found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24, the Emmaus Institute seeks to set hearts on fire, especially when those hearts are otherwise burdened or without the hope of the gospel.
“Did not our hearts burn within us,” asked the disciples later in the account, “while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32).
“This,” Burks said, “is the kind of encounter Jesus wants for all of us.
“The best part of this mission is getting to see those moments,” he continued, “when the light bulb turns on; when through the text in their hands they begin to hear the divine voice speaking to them, drawing them closer to himself.”
In order to fulfill that mission, the Emmaus Institute relies on support from private donors rather than on diocesan funding.
“We believe that this mission is accomplished best in community, comprising students, friends, and donors together, each sharing with the others the common purpose of enkindling an encounter with Christ in the Scriptures,” Burks explained.
All are invited to join the mission-community by attending the 2025 Bellarmine Banquet. This year’s banquet will take place Friday, Nov. 14, at Wilderness Ridge Country Club in Lincoln. It will begin with a cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., with a program and reception to follow. The night will include a keynote presentation from Dr. Vern Steiner, the founder and president emeritus of Emmaus, titled, “When Hope Confronts the Impossible.”
The evening will also showcase a silent auction with a variety of local and mission-minded gifts and opportunities, all of which will directly support the work of Emmaus.
“It’s humbling to see a community come together to support our mission, especially in the dedication of their time, talents, and gifts,” said Burks.
The Emmaus Institute is seeking to raise $65,000 at its second annual banquet.
“Through the generosity of our community,” Burks said, “several donors have graciously pooled their resources to present a matching gift of $30,000. So, every dollar given up to that amount will be doubled.”
Through each gift given, as well as the other fundraising opportunities such as the silent auction and Bible trivia, the Institute has the potential to garner the $65,000 it needs in order to continue its work in the Lincoln area and beyond.
Tickets to the banquet are available at www.emmausinstitute.net/banquet; follow the links on that page. There is also the opportunity to make a gift and participate virtually in the silent auction, even for those who cannot attend the event in person. Bidding for the silent auction begins Nov. 7. Tickets must be purchased in advance, no later than Monday, Nov. 10.
