FAIRFIELD, CONN. - Sacred Heart University welcomes the noted Jesuit scholar and author Father Mark Massa to speak on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the University Commons. Fr. Massa, Professor of Theology and Co-Director of the Curran Center for American Catholic Studies at Fordham University, is the author of a controversial new book entitled Anti-Catholicism in America: The Last Acceptable Prejudice.
As the second lecturer in a series sponsored by the Center for Catholic Thought, Ethics and Culture (CCTEC) named “Catholics in America,” Fr. Massa raises questions about the perceptions of Catholicism in the nation's culture and discusses the validity or unwarranted bias present in such opinions.
“Fr. Massa offers us, the SHU community, but especially American Catholics, a great deal to consider, and also suggests some necessary reflection on the part of non-Catholics,” says Assistant Prof. June-Ann Greeley. “I know that when some people have heard the title of his most recent book, Anti-Catholicism..., they have been both shocked and angered, since, they claim, there is no real anti-Catholicism in the US, certainly not to the same degree as some other biases, and I would agree. Yet, as Fr. Massa points out, anti-Catholicism is more subtle and therefore more easily accepted into mainstream culture (beginning historically with the U.S. as primarily a Protestant country in which Catholicism has always been shrouded with a veil of 'otherness').”
“And yet, Fr. Massa argues, is such 'otherness' a bad thing, especially now?” asks Greeley. “His book and his talk will ask the SHU community to address issues of the historical, intellectual, and sociological traditions of American Catholicism. And such reflections are incumbent upon us, as our mission statement admonishes.”
As the first lay-led Catholic institution of higher education and a leader in bringing social and theological discussion to the forefront of public dialogue, SHU invites the community to join in the discussion. CCTEC has made available free copies of the book, Anti-Catholicism in America: The Last Acceptable Prejudice, in preparation for an upcoming “faculty book talk” leading up to Massa's visit. The talk will be on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 4 p.m. For more information please contact Dr. Greeley at greeleyj@sacredheart.edu.
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