Life in Literature Series Presents The Devil’s Advocate—A Dramatic Reading - Seton Hall University
Monday, February 21, 2022
The dramatic reading will be followed by a commentary by Dr. Dermot Quinn.
About The Devil's Advocate:
In a novel set in an ancient hill town in southern Italy after World War II, "The
Devil's Advocate," Monsignor Blaise Meredith, descends upon an impoverished Calabrian
village to investigate the life and death of Giacomo Nerone. Surrounded by rumors
of Nerone's heroic virtue, in a wartime atmosphere of corruption and violence, Meredith,
faced with physical demons of his own, struggles to separate the political from the
religious battles that complicate his search for signs of Sainthood. The cause for
Beatification of Giacomo Nerone is complicated by the fact that Nerone was murdered
by Communist partisans in the last year of the war. Once the fog of war lifted, miracles
were claimed and an apparently spontaneous cult sprang up among the people. Published
in 1959, The Devil's Advocate sold three million copies in two years and was awarded
the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.
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, Dr. McGlone joined the Department of Catholic Studies
after teaching for almost five decades at Seton Hall University. 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 Dr. 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,
Dr. Quinn was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and New College, Oxford, where
he was awarded a doctorate. He has written extensively on Chestertonian themes and
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
fields of British and Irish history.
About Catholic Studies:
The Department of 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, PhD,
Director of the Department of Catholic Studies, at [email protected], or Gloria Aroneo at [email protected].
Categories: Arts and Culture, Faith and Service
