Noted Theologian to Speak on Vatican II at April 11 Lecture Sponsored by UC's Catholic Studies

A lecture on "Vatican II as an ‘Unfinished Building Site’" by Richard Gaillardetz of Boston College, president-elect of the Catholic Theological Society of America, will be sponsored by the University of Cincinnati's Catholic Studies, located within the Department of History in the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences. The event is set for

7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 11

,  at the church of St. Monica-St. George Parish, which is located southwest of the Uptown Campus: 328 McMillan St., Cincinnati. The event is free and open to the public.

Jeff Zalar

, the inaugural holder of UC’s Ruth J. and Robert A. Conway Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies, explained that he is working closely with an advisory board of leading faculty and administrators to establish and grow UC’s new effort in Catholic Studies, which will include courses, a lecture series and community events.

He said that, in time, the goal is to have ongoing dialogue: "Catholic believers, on the one hand," he observed, "and university scholars and academicians, on the other, can benefit from greater mutual understanding. One aspect of our program is to promote such understanding." 

With these objectives in view, the program is offering a lecture at the church of St. Monica-St. George Parish. This parish shelters the UC Catholic Newman Center, a recognized campus organization where UC Catholic students meet. Parishioners’ donations helped to endow the Conway Chair and contributed to the lecture series fund. The annual spring lecture at St. Monica-St. George attempts to honor this generosity while fortifying community relations. Other lectures in the Catholic Studies Lecture Series will take place on campus.

Gaillardetz is an international expert in the significance and historical impact of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), which addressed the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. He is also the author of numerous books and scholarly articles on issues in the contemporary Church and a leading authority on the Church’s role in society and culture.  

“We are fortunate that a scholar of professor Gaillardetz’s caliber has agreed to launch our lecture series,” Zalar said. “We expect that his presentation will satisfy many of the goals we’ve set for our program in Catholic Studies: rigorous scholarship, engaging discussion of resonant topics, and fraternal interaction between enthusiastic Catholics and dedicated academic professionals."

For more information, contact Jeff Zalar at zalarjy@ucmail.uc.edu or 513-556-2220.