Lecture Series 2009-2010

The Athenaeum will offer three public lectures during the 2009-10 academic year - the biennial Marzheuser lecture and the annual LeBlond and George C. Findley Memorial lectures.

On Wednesday, October 21, 2009, Rev. Pablo T. Gadenz STD will give the Marzheuser Lecture on Jewish-Catholic Relations “The Scriptures, St. Paul and Jewish Methods of Exegesis.”  Fr. Gadenz is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Seton Hall University, Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology.  Born near Santiago, Chile in 1967, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey in 1996.  He earned his doctorate in scripture from the Gregorian University in 2008. 

The New Testament frequently refers to the Jewish Scriptures, using both citations and allusions.  In particular, St. Paul in his letters not only refers to the Jewish Scriptures in such ways, but also employs Jewish methods of exegesis, such as the rule of gezerah shawah, to interpret the Scriptures.  In light of the recent celebration in the Catholic Church of a special Pauline Year, Fr. Gadenz’ lecture will focus on examples from Paul’s Letter to the Romans which highlight the decisive authority that the Scriptures have in Paul’s arguments and which illustrate his use of Jewish methods of exegesis. 

On Wednesday, January 13, 2010, Rev. Guy Mansini OSB STD will give the LeBlond Lecture “In persona Christi and the legacy of the Second Vatican Council.”  Fr. Mansini is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Saint Meinrad School of Theology and full-time pastor of St. Isidore Church in Bristow, IN and Holy Cross Church in St. Croix, IN.  He is a monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey and received his doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University in 1984.  His books include Promising and the Good (2005) and The Word Has Dwelt Among Us:  Explorations in Theology (2008); the latter is a collection of his essays.

Fr. Mansini’s lecture will recount some of the quite extraordinary and mostly unknown history of the composition of Lumen gentium 21 and Presbyterorum ordinis 2 and the quite unexpected consequence of these texts for priestly identity.

 On Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Helen M. Alvaré JD will give the George C. Findley Memorial lecture “Marriage in Minority Communities:  The Contribution of the Catholic Church.”  Dr. Alvaré is Associate Professor of Law at George Mason University School of Law, where she teaches family and property law.  She received her doctorate in law from Cornell University in 1984; she subsequently earned a master’s degree in theology from Catholic University of America.  From 1990 to 2000 she was Director of Planning and Information for the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.  She is the author of numerous articles.

Within minority communities in the United States, the very core of the community is at risk – the relationship between a man and a woman in marriage. Dr. Alvaré’s lecture will explore what Catholics must do to take seriously our teachings about the analogy between marriage and the love relationship between God and the People of God.  Is there a place for our contribution in the public square?  Or are we confined to action within our own believing community?

All lectures will be held in the Bartlett Pastoral Center at 7:30 p.m.  They are free and open to the public.

LPMP Certificate Opportunity Returns to Sidney

Beginning in September, 2009, the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program (LPMP) will open a Certificate in Lay Ministry option site at Lehman Catholic High School in Sidney.  As in past years, Master of Arts in pastoral ministry classes and first year Certificate in Lay Ministry classes will be offered at the main campus in Mount Washington.   Second year certificate classes will meet this year at St. Dominic parish in Delhi.

The new Sidney site will offer ten courses in pastoral ministry, theology and doctrine over a two-year period. 

From the program’s inception in 1975, one of the goals has been to make the benefits of an Athenaeum education accessible throughout the diocese.  “Having the LPMP program come to the northern part of the Archdiocese is a great opportunity for our people to learn more about their faith,’ said the Rev. Dan Schmitmeyer, pastor at Holy Angels Parish, Sidney. “As Christians, we all have the mission to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God and we can more effectively do this by learning more about our faith.”

Dr. Susan McGurgan, LPMP director, said: “This will be our second time in Sidney, and we are looking forward to being in Shelby County once again. Our thanks to the pastors, diocesan officials, principals and staff members who welcome our students and faculty so enthusiastically. Their hospitality has enabled us to reach far beyond the main campus in Cincinnati. Today, over 700 LPMP graduates bring an informed Catholic witness to their neighborhoods and workplaces and serve their parishes faithfully.”

In 1981, the first of many satellite locations for the certificate option opened in Dayton. Since then, satellite locations have included: St. Ann, Groesbeck, St. Joseph, West End, Our Mother of Sorrows, Roselawn, St. Richard Center and St. Therese, the Little Flower, North College Hill, St. Vivian, Finneytown, Mount Notre Dame High School, Reading, Our Lady of Sorrows, Monroe, the Maria Stein Shrine Center, St. Charles Seminary in Carthagena, St. Joseph, Springfield, the Archdiocesan offices in Sidney, St. Peter and Our Lady of Mercy in Dayton, and St. Christopher in Vandalia. 

This will be the second time the program has been located in Sidney, but the first time to use the Lehman facilities. “The Sidney location was very popular the last time the certificate was offered there. I feel it is important that the Athenaeum provide opportunities for interested Catholics in the northern portions of the archdiocese and this helps fulfill that goal,” said Sister Nancy McMullen, LPMP program coordinator.“The staff at Lehman has been wonderful to work with, and we are looking forward to an exciting two years in their beautiful facility,” Dr. McGurgan said “We hope this will be a convenient location for people in the Sidney Deanery and surrounding area.”

People interested in finding out more about the program are encouraged to call 513-231-1200 for information about Cincinnati classes and 937-277-0116 for information about the Sidney program. Information nights are planned at the Athenaeum, 6616 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati, at 7 p.m. on March, 4, 14 and 28. Information meetings for the northern areas of the archdiocese will be held at 7 p.m., March 10 at Holy Trinity Parish, Coldwater; at  7 p.m., March 19, at St. Christopher Parish, Vandalia and at 7 p.m. March 26 at the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, 119 Water St., Sidney (opposite Holy Angels Church).