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Appearances by former President of Ireland Mary McAleese and journalist John L. Allen Jr., who has closely chronicled the early papacy of Pope Francis, are among the highlights of the Church in the 21st Century Center events for the fall semester.
Allen, a senior correspondent for National Catholic Reporter and Vatican analyst for CNN, will speak on “The Francis Papacy: Reform, Renewal and Resistance” on Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. in Robsham Theater. Allen was part of the media contingent who traveled with Pope Francis on his first overseas visit to Brazil for World Youth Day. He will share his insider’s perspective during the address, which is co-sponsored by the School of Theology and Ministry.
McAleese, who is serving as the Burns Library Visiting Scholar in Irish Studies, will be interviewed by Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology Richard Gaillardetz on “Collegiality in Church Leadership.” The event, co-sponsored by the Theology Department, will be held in the Cadigan Alumni Center on Nov. 7 at 6 p.m.
These two events are among a series that will highlight the C21 Center’s theme “Living Catholicism: Roles and Relationships for a Contemporary World,” which is also the title of its fall edition of C21 Resources and opening lecture by Theology Professor Rev. Michael Himes.
Fr. Himes, who served as guest editor of C21 Resources, will deliver his address on Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m. in Gasson 100. The lecture is co-sponsored by the Theology Department.
“The C21 fall magazine and event series explore many of the roles and relationships that are essential to the life of the Church,” said C21 Center Director Erik Goldschmidt. “To ensure that Catholicism is relevant for a contemporary world, we have to examine how well the Church addresses the diverse pastoral needs of the Catholic community. Fr. Michael Himes reminds us that this process is not only external but also internal. Each of us must examine how we are living our faith to assure that there is and will be a Catholicism that is alive.”
In addition to Fr. Himes and Gaillardetz, members of the BC community who contributed to the fall 2013 C21 Resources are: School of Theology and Ministry faculty members Barbara Quinn, RSCJ, Hosffman Ospino and Colleen Griffith, Center for Catholic Education Fellow Michael James, doctoral student Jaisy Joseph and alumnus Kevin Ahern PhD ’13.
Other events this fall:
Oct. 1: Agape Latte, C21 and Campus Ministry’s joint speaker series for students, will kick off with Assistant Professor of History Jeremy Clarke, SJ.
Oct. 23: Hofstra University Senior Research Associate-in-Residence and Adjunct Professor of Religion Phyllis Zagano presents “Women Deacons: Past, Present, Future” at 6 p.m. at the Cadigan Alumni Center. Zagano, author of the bestseller On Prayer: A Letter for My Godchild, is an internationally renowned Catholic scholar who specializes in contemporary spirituality and women’s issues in the Church.
Nov. 12: Vice Provost for Faculties Patricia DeLeeuw will moderate a panel discussion on “Women for a Contemporary Church,” with STM Associate Professor Francine Cardman, Theology Professor M. Shawn Copeland, and Theology doctoral student Megan McCabe, at 5:30 p.m. in Gasson 100. Co-sponsors are STM, the Theology Dept. and the Women’s Resource Center.
Dec. 5: Noted Biblical scholar Gary Anderson will deliver an Advent lecture, “I Give, Therefore I am: The Primacy of Charity in Christian Life,” at 5:30 in the Cadigan Alumni Center. Anderson, the Hesburgh Professor in Catholic Theology at the University of Notre Dame, is the author of the new book, Charity: The Place of the Poor in the Biblical Tradition.
In addition, C21 will hold a book launch on Nov. 14 in conjunction with Paulist Press and STM for Hope: Promise, Possibility, and Fulfillment, edited by STM Professor Rev. Richard Lennan and Associate Professor Nancy Pineda-Madrid. All of the contributors to Hope are members of the STM faculty. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons and feature Rev. Lennan, Pineda-Madrid, STM Research Professor Christopher R. Matthews and STM Associate Professor John Sachs, SJ.
Information on these and other events and programs are available at www.bc.edu/church21.