Catholic Identity in Higher Education to be Examined in Newman Lecture at Duquesne

The National Institute for Newman Studies in affiliation with Duquesne University will host the first Newman Legacy Lecture, Newman and the Restoration of the Interpersonal in Higher Education, on Monday, March 19, at 7 p.m. in the Power Center Ballroom.

The Rev. Michael Buckley, S.J., author of At the Origins of Modern Atheism, will present the lecture, which focuses on Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman's The Idea of the University as a source of inspiration and challenge to contemporary higher education. While many universities today singularly focus on research and the production of knowledge for commercial use, Buckley will argue that, for Newman, the primary purpose of universities is to cultivate intellectual excellence in students to aid their maturation into whole persons.

Dr. Kevin Mongrain, the inaugural Ryan Endowed Chair in Newman Studies at Duquesne and director of the National Institute for Newman Studies, said his goal in developing the lecture series was to bring top-quality scholars to Pittsburgh to share ideas about Newman's teachings.

"This lecture series focuses on scholarship that is deeply rooted in Newman thought, the tradition of Newman," Mongrain said. "It's a focus on Newman's ongoing relevance. We're also developing another series for the fall, the Newman Memorial Lecture, which will be focused on Newman's life and philosophy itself."

For more information, contact Jude Rutkowski at newmanstudies@ninsdu.org or 412.681.4375.