St. Anselm Institute - Upcoming Public Lectures

140th Anniversary of Arcanum Divinae (1880)
Monday, December 21, 2020 (7:00-8:15pm) via Zoom

October 23, 2017 (Monday, 6:30pm): The Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory, Archbishop of Atlanta, "We are ALL the Lord's"

In light of what happened at UVA and in Charlottesville on Aug. 11-12, it is important to know not only that the Church condemns racism, but also why it does so without equivocation. In the 1937 Papal encyclical Mit Brenneder Sorge, Pope Pius XI condemned the newly emergent Nazi ideology of race and warned the Church "to watch carefully ... that religious fundamental concepts be not emptied of their content and distorted to profane use." The Pope cautioned that "whoever exalts race, or the people, or the State,...divinizes them to an idolatrous level, distort[ing] and pervert[ing] an order of the world planned and created by God." Despite these prophetic words 80 years ago, it remains necessary not only to be reminded again why and how "we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:8) but "We all must raise our voices in condemning the vile acts that have taken place, and also stand in solidarity and union with those who are speaking out in their communities."

Kate Hennessy will visit the University of Virginia September 14-15 to share her memories and new family biography, Dorothy Day: The World will be Saved by Beauty (2017). Kate is the granddaughter of Dorothy Day (1897-1980), a famous Catholic convert, cofounder of the Catholic Worker Movement and Houses of Hospitality, and a heroic American social activist who tirelessly advocated for peace and the poor among us. All are invited to attend this free public lecture, so bring a friend or attend and introduce yourself to someone new. 

UVA Bookstore will offer Kate's family biography of Dorothy Day for purchase in the Lobby of Minor Hall before the lecture, starting at 4:45pm. Kate looks forward to meeting you and will happily sign these or any copies of her book upon request.

March 27, 2017 (Monday, 7:30-8:30pm): On Happiness and Marriage: 5 Lessons from the Social Sciences

Although the Church consistently has taught that strong families are first foundations for stable societies and happy and healthy lives, sex ed proponents often focus single mindedly on short-term behaviors like contraception without realistically considering the longer-term effects on young adults' emotional lives, relationships, and their odds of forging stable and happy marriages. In this talk, Professor Brad Wilcox will discuss a robust body of social science research for students who wish to be happy and, eventually, successfully married. Sociology professor Brad Wilcox teaches sociology of family and also directs the National Marriage Project at UVA. 

November 4, 2016 (Friday, 4:00-5:15pm): "On Laudato Si: Creation, Consumerism and Catholicism”

This faculty panel discussion series will address contemporary issues in light of the principles of the Catholic Social Teaching tradition. This tradition is informed and given coherence by the resources of papal encyclicals and other official pronouncements of the Church, but its content and concerns includes the first and most recent members of the Church. Catholic social teaching challenges thinking Catholics--and others--to become better informed about the world as it is, the deep causes of our social problems today, and our capacities and responsibilities to advocate for the common good, for justice, and especially and always for those most in need.

 

UVA Students & Friends of the Institute: Join us for a special Indian Dinner/Film Night as we open our 16th year with a celebration of the canonization of St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata. Our favorite local Indian restaurant (Milan!!) will provide this free(!) dinner, and our 2016-17 Postdoctoral Fellow Beth Sutherland and Niru De Silva, FOCUS Director of Collegiate Outreach and UVA alum, will lead a post-film discussion on the award-winning film Mother Teresa, directed by the sister team of Ann and Jean Petrie, who send their best wishes to the Institute and to UVA students. Bring a friend and come to meet someone new. No reservation required.