'Father Malachy's Miracle' by Bruce Marshall

The Department of Catholic Studies and the G. K. Chesterton Institute for Faith & Culture at Seton Hall University proudly announce an event in the Life in Literature Series an adaptation by James McGlone, Ph.D.

The event will be held on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 7 p.m. in the University Center – Theatre.

About the Event:

This event’s dramatic reading cast is made up of veteran members of the old Celtic Theatre Company. In a way, this reading is their expression of affection to the thirty years of active association we had with Irish actors and playwrights. Happy Days!

The dramatic reading will be followed by a commentary by Dermot Quinn, D.Phil.

About "Father Malachy’s Miracle":

Do you believe in Miracles? Are wonder and awe part of your vocabulary?

Father Malachy, a shy cloistered priest chanting the psalms daily, lived in a visionary world of surprises, until one day his faith was not only challenged but rejected as out of date. A thoroughly modern Christian clergyman pooh poohed the mere mention of the word Miracle, declaring that believing in such events was superstition. That got the little priest's dander up, and he decided, you might say precipitously, to take the matter into his own humble hands. And all heaven broke loose!

Anyone who has experienced the horrors of dress rehearsal, followed by the magic time called opening night, believes in miracles. Our actors will attempt tonight to pull the theatrical rabbit out of our collective hats, if you will only suspend disbelieve for the next hour. Watch and pray with us that the theatrical gods are also with us. If you do that, we promise you some laughter and, perhaps, a little delight. Actors often ward off the bad demons always lurking in the wings by telling each other to "break a leg". Not to worry, you are seated in a safe house.

About the Speakers:

James P. McGlone, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus

Professor James McGlone has a Ph.D. in theatre from New York University, an M.A. in speech and communication from Catholic University of America, and B.A. in communication arts from Seton Hall. In 2013, McGlone joined the Department of Catholic Studies after teaching for almost five decades at Seton Hall. Education, in Prof. McGlone's opinion, is a conversation that involves talking about things that matter; it implies a love of people, generally referred to as friendship, and a love of words, the only, if imperfect, symbols we have with which to enter each other’s mind and spirit. He adheres to W. B. Yeats’ suggestion that "I must be talking to my friends," and in that category he includes students and colleagues. That is Professor McGlone’s goal when engaging students in his classes.

Dermot Quinn, D.Phil., Professor

Professor of History at Seton Hall University and Editor of The Chesterton Review, Quinn was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and New College, Oxford, where he was awarded a doctorate in 1986. He has written extensively on Chestertonian themes, has authored three books: The Irish in New Jersey: Four Centuries of American Life (Rutgers University Press, 2004; winner, New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance, Non-fiction Book of the Year, 2005), Patronage and Piety: The Politics of English Roman Catholicism, 1850-1900 (Stanford University Press/Macmillan, 1993), and Understanding Northern Ireland (Baseline Books, Manchester, UK, 1993), as well as many articles and reviews in the field of British and Irish history.

About the Sponsors:

Department of Catholic Studies

Catholic Studies at Seton Hall University offers an innovative, interdisciplinary curriculum for students of any creed who are interested in deepening their knowledge of Catholicism’s rich intellectual tradition and living heritage. Combining the study of history, philosophy, theology, literature, art, sociology, and other disciplines, Catholic Studies focuses on the Church's dialogue with culture and encounter with the world. Students interested in Catholic Studies have the option to pursue a major, minor, or certificate that complements and enhances the university's other degree programs and fields of study. Over 20 years the academic program and its variegated activities have stayed true to and fulfilled the Catholic mission and vision of the University. For more information, please contact Ines Murzaku or Gloria Aroneo.

The G. K. Chesterton Institute for Faith & Culture

The G. K. Chesterton Institute for Faith & Culture is located at Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J. Founded in 1974 by Father Ian Boyd, C. S. B., its purpose is to promote the thought of G. K. Chesterton and his circle and more broadly, to explore the application of Chestertonian ideas in the contemporary world. The Institute’s work consists of conferences, lecture series, research, and writing. The Chesterton Review, founded in 1974, has been widely praised both for its scholarship and for the quality of its writing. The journal was founded by Father Ian Boyd, C. S. B., and is edited by Professor Dermot Quinn. It includes a wide range of articles not only on Chesterton himself, but on the issues close to his heart in the work of other writers and in the modern world. It has devoted special issues to C. S. Lewis, George Bernanos, Hilaire Belloc, Maurice Baring, Christopher Dawson, Cardinal Manning, the Modernist Crisis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Fantasy Literature, and a Special Polish Issue. The Chesterton Review also publishes one annual issue in Spanish and an annual supplement in Portuguese and French. For information about the Institute or The Chesterton Review please contact [email protected] or visit the Institute's website.

Categories: Arts and Culture