Lecture Series
Lecture Series and Seminars
The Department of Catholic Studies promotes the beauty and veracity of Catholic thought and culture through numerous presentations, seminars, workshops and lecture series that cover an extensive array of topics such as theology, history, literature, the natural and social sciences, art, law, public policy and much more.
Join us for one or all of our many upcoming events listed below and learn something interesting and inspiring about Catholic intellectual, moral and/or social traditions.
On Demand Videos
To view the video recordings of previous presentations, please click here.
Past Events
- "Celebrating St. Joseph"
Archbishop Meyers Panel
- Ecumenism Today – "How Far We’ve Travelled and the Road Ahead"
Dr. Susan K. Wood, SCL (Regis College)
- "Learn and Become Who You Are: Virtue and Friendship in a Virtual World"
Faculty-Student Panel
- "Mending America’s Original Sin"
Rev. Edwin D. Leahy, O.S.B.
- "Freedom & Dialogue: The Trajectory of the Ukrainian Church"
Rev. Dr. Ivan Kaszczak and Anatolii Babynskyi
- A Pope and a President: John Paul II and the Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe
Seton Hall University's Catholic Studies Program and Campus Ministry proudly present "A Pope and a President: John Paul II and the Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe" by Paul Kengor on October 10th at 1 p.m. in Chancellor Suite (University Center).
- Two-day Symposium in Memory of John Wu
The Department of Catholic Studies, along with the Asian Studies Program, at Seton Hall University are proud to present a two-day symposium to commemorate the life and work of scholar Dr. John Ching Hsiung Wu.
- The Case of Ukraine
In his lecture, Professor Marko will consider how the rich tradition of Catholic Social Teaching can contribute to the development of vibrant civil society in post Maidan Ukraine.
- Monsignor James Cafone Memorial Lecture
Monsignor James Cafone Memorial Lecture, featuring Father Leo Patalinghug.
- Catholic Social Teaching and The Maidan Revolution of Dignity: The Case of Ukraine
In his lecture, Professor Marko will consider how the rich tradition of Catholic Social Teaching.
- Collegium Honors SHU Professor
Dr. Marianne Lloyd is being recognized by Collegium as the 2015 Visionary Award Winner for her dedication to Seton Hall. SHU News
- Catholicism in China Presentation
The Department of Catholic Studies, with Asian Studies, is hosting a lecture on the history of Catholicism in China. SHU News
- Fr. Antonio Spadaro, SJ Returns to Seton Hall
The Department of Catholic Studies is hosting the return of Fr. Antonio Spadaro, SJ. His lecture is on Cybertheology.
Archbishop John J. Myers Lecture Series on Law, Society & Faith
This annual lecture series is a tribute to His Grace, The Most Reverend John J. Myers, fifth Archbishop of Newark, for his faithful and steadfast promotion of our Catholic mission and the continued leadership and guidance he has given to Seton Hall University. This series was inaugurated on the occasions of the Apostolic Blessing of the Holy Father Pope Francis and the first anniversary of the Department of Catholic Studies.
Mike Aquilina
Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.
This year's series "The Year of St. Joseph" by Mike Aquilina highlighted the ways
in which this Patron of the Universal Church, though silent in Scripture, can enrich
our faith, understanding, and commitment to living Christian values in our world.
Monday, October 16, 2017 at 3 p.m.
Catholic Studies is proud to present the fourth Annual Archbishop John J. Myers Lecture
Series on Law, Society and Faith entitled "Rising from The Underground, The Ukrainian
Catholic Church Reborn" by Rev. Dr. Mark M. Morozowich.
Dr. Robert Royal
Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 5 p.m.
Dr. Robert Royal is the founding president of the Faith & Reason Institute in Washington
D.C. and the editor-in-chief of the online magazine The Catholic Thing. Video »
Still Point: Loss, Longing, and our Search for God
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Dr. Regis Martin, Professor of Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville,
Ohio, discussed the light and hope on the nature of a fallen world. Video »Transcript
»
We're All Franciscans Now
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
John L. Allen, Jr. delivered, "We're All Franciscans Now: Pope Francis and the Social
Agenda of Catholicism in the 21st Century," the first lecture to inaugurate the Archbishop
John J. Myers Annual Lecture Series on Law, Society and Faith. Video » Photos »
Catholic Life in Literature Series
Catholic Life in Literature Series with Dr. McGlone: Mariette in Ecstasy
This series examines the work of Catholic writers across multiple genres of literary
arts by way of theatrical readings by Dr. James McGlone, Professor of Catholic Studies
at Seton Hall University, and actors from various theatres.
Catholic Life in Literature Series with Dr. McGlone: Mariette In Ecstasy
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Dr. James McGlone, Professor of Catholic Studies and Professor Emeritus of Communications,
will present a reading of Mariette in Ecstasy.
Vipers' Tangle
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Vipers' Tangle, by Francois Mauriac, was presented by Dr. McGlone and the Celtic Theater Company,
featuring the Yates family. Video »
The Edge of Sadness
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
The Celtic Theater Company and Dr. James McGlone performed a dramatic reading of Edwin
O'Connor's Pulitzer prize winning novel, The Edge of Sadness. Audio Podcast »
The Parting of Friends
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
James McGlone, Ph.D. and the Celtic Theater Company delivered a theatrical performance
of The Parting of Friends, Blessed John Henry Newman's final Anglican Sermon.
The Chesterton Lecture Series
Father Ian Boyd, C.S.B., Founding President of the G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith & Culture, promotes the thought of G.K. Chesterton and explores the application of Chestertonian
ideas in this series. Father Boyd is also Distinguished Professor of Catholic Studies
and editor of The Chesterton Review at Seton Hall University.
The Relevance of G.K. Chesterton: His Thought and Work
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
80 Years After His Death; The Relevance of G. K. Chesterton: His Thought and Work
Chesterton's Economic Theory of Distributism
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Father Ian Boyd discussed Chesterton's social philosophy and compared and contrasted
it to the theories and practice of State Socialism and Monopoly Capitalism. Audio Podcast »
Holiness of G.K. Chesterton
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Highlighting the 1908 novel, The Man Who Was Thursday, Father Boyd discussed Chesterton's sacramental writings and the way in which he promoted
them.
Distinguished Scholars Lecture Series
Renowned scholars across a wide-range of specialties from around the world address various Catholic intellectual, moral and social traditions.
My Door Is Always Open
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Father Anthony Spadaro's lecture, "My Door Is Always Open - Pope Francis' Vision of
the Church," was derived from his most recent interview with Pope Francis.
Francis of Assisi in the Sources: Weighing the Evidence
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Using modern historical methods, Father Augustine Thompson, Professor of History at
the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, presented a complex yet sympathetic
portrait of Francis of Assisi, the man and the saint.
Ecumenical and Inter-religious Dialogue Lecture Series
This series brings together specialists and members from various faith traditions
and provides a forum to discuss diverse topics and aspects related to ecumenical studies,
dialogue and relations.
Working Toward Reconciliation: The Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
This program illustrated the achievements of the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue featuring
presentations by Msgr. Dr. Paul McPartlan and Professor Paul Meyendorff. Audio Podcast »
The Global Christian Forum
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Reverend Wesley Granberg-Michaelson discussed recent developments taking place in
the Global Christian Forum. Audio Podcast »
The Word of God in the Life of the Church
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Msgr. Arthur Serratelli, Bishop of Paterson, and Dr. Timothy George, Dean of Beeson
Divinity School at Samford University, discussed recent achievements in Baptist-Catholic
Dialogue. Audio Podcast »
Half a Century after Vatican II - Celebrating Ecumenism
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Vatican II, this conference explored the impact
of the Second Vatican Council's, decree on ecumenism. Video » Photos » Decree on Ecumenism »
Medieval Catholicism Lecture Series
Bringing together the foremost experts in various interdisciplinary studies, this
series examines all things "medieval."
History of Catholicism in China
Thursday, April 20, 2015
Dr. Anthony Clark, Assoc. Professor of Chinese History, Whitworth University, discussed
the turbulent Catholic history in Beijing and Shanghai. Video »
Chalcedon and Its Geo-Ecclesiological Consequences (451-553)
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Dr. Phillippe Blaudeau, French historian of Christianity in Late Antiquity, made a
presentation about the various changes that occurred in doctrine and the power structure
of the Church from 451-536 CE. Audio Podcast »
St. Jerome, Apostle of the Slavs?
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Dr. Julia Verkholantsev, Associate Professor of Slavic Language & Literatures at the
Univ. of Pennsylvania, traced the history of the belief that St. Jerome invented the
Glagolitic letters of the Slavs and translated the Bible and the Roman liturgy into
Slavonic. Audio Podcast »
The Bond between Christian East and West
Monday, November 11, 2013
This panel presented papers concerning Christ-centered ecclesiology, Hesychius of
Jerusalem and the Council of Chalcedon and the Acacian schism.
Where are the Missing Middle Eastern Archives?
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Dr. Marina Rustow, the Charlotte Bloomberg Associate Professor in the Humanities at
Johns Hopkins University, discussed archives dating to the formative time period of
the Islamicate Middle East.
And Just Who is this Francis of Assisi?
Thursday, April 25, 2013
In this presentation, Father Gabriel B. Costa, Ph.D. examined the impact of St. Francis
on our present age and his specific contributions to Christian belief and practice.
Christian-Jewish Relations in the Middle Ages
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Piero Capelli, Ph.D. analyzed the relationship between Christians and Jews during
the 13th century as seen through the prism of Nicolas Donin.
Modern Catholicism Lecture Series
The Modern Catholicism Lecture series offers in-depth discussions on current issues, concerns and topics.
The Synod on the Family - The Two shall become One Flesh
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Professor Echeverria explained the importance of the truth that the human person is
bodily for the Catholic understanding of the sacrament of marriage as a one-flesh
unity. Video »
Cybertheology
Tuesday. March 24, 2015
Father Antonio Spadaro discussed how to deal with the question of spirituality when
the Web has become a part of the fabric of everyday life. Audio Podcast »
Solidarity in Health Care
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Riccardo Colasanti, M.D. discussed the medical center he founded to help illegal immigrants
and others who are afraid to seek medical treatment. Audio Podcast »
Anxious Hearts and Wounded Lives
Monday, September 8, 2014
Fr. Paul Murray, O.P. explored the new relationship established by Christ between
the sacred and the profane in the light of the Gospel and the Catholic spiritual tradition.
Audio Podcast »
Digital Organizational Communication
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Dr. Renee Robinson, Associate Professor of Communication at Saint Xavier University,
gave a lecture about the implications of social media for the Church. Audio Podcast »
Other Presentations, Workshops and Seminars
Fr. Stanley Jaki International Congress
Wednesday, April 14-15, 2015
The Department of Catholic Studies and the Department of Physics co-sponsored this
international congress, which was chaired by the Reverend Dr. Paul M. Haffner, President,
The Stanley Jaki Foundation.
Prosperity, Poverty and the Purpose of Business Conference
Thursday-Saturday, February 26-28, 2015
Dr. Anderson presented the paper, "Clarifying Business through the Lens of the Family:
the Hermeneutical Function of the Family in Imparting the Catholic Social Tradition
to Business Professionals."
New Jersey-State of Civil Church Liberty
Friday-Saturday, November 21-22, 2014
Organized by the New Jersey Historical Commission and sponsored by the department,
this panel focused on the NJ State of Civil Church Liberty.
The Global Vatican
Thursday, October 2, 2014
The department co-sponsored this lecture and book signing by L. Francis Rooney, former
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Video»
A Portrait of Saint John Paul II
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Archbishop James Patrick Green, Apostolic Nuncio to Peru, explored Pope John Paul
II's powerful impact on world events and his pursuit of human rights.
"I Will Be Called John" - The Election of the Good Pope
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Greg Tobin, author of The Good Pope, discussed a turning point in the history of the Catholic Church - the surprise election
of Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli to the throne of St. Peter.
The Soul of Sports
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
In his lecture, Father Patrick Kelly provided an overview of the way Catholics have
engaged in sport from the medieval period to the present. Audio Podcast »