Professor Robert George a Late Addition to 2013 Portsmouth Institute Line Up
Portsmouth RI, April 23, 2013
The Portsmouth Institute today announced that Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, will give a talk to open the 2013 Portsmouth Institute on CATHOLICISM AND THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE on June 7, 2013 at 11:00 AM. The title of Professor George’s talk will be “Religious Liberty and the Human Good.”
Professor George joins other world class speakers such as Peter Steinfels, George Weigel, Roger Kimball and Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence at this year’s Institute. “We are humbled and gratified to have attracted such an outstanding collection of Catholic intellectuals to speak on this important subject at the beginning of Pope Francis’ pontificate, and we look forward to welcoming all who are interested in Catholic life to the beautiful shores of Narragansett Bay in early June,” said Portsmouth Institute director, James MacGuire ’70.
PORTSMOUTH INSTITUTE KEYNOTE SPEAKER GEORGE WEIGEL
COMMENTS ON “THE FIRST AMERICAN POPE”
March 18, 2013
Portsmouth RI—George Weigel, a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington and the keynote speaker at the Portsmouth Institute’s upcoming June 7-9 conference on Catholicism and the American Experience, has called newly elected Pope Francis I “the first American Pope.”
Weigel, whose new book is entitled Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21st Century Church, praises Pope Francis as “A true man of God,” “A pope for the New Evangelization,” a “reformer” and a pope who will act “in defense of human rights and democracy.”
For the full text of George Weigel’s most recent commentary on the papal conclave and election of Pope Francis, go to http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/342964/first-american-pope-george-weigel.
Portsmouth Institute director James MacGuire ’70 said, “George’s penetrating and insightful coverage of Pope Francis’s election confirms our conviction that he would be the best possible keynote speaker to elaborate on the importance of ‘the first American Pope’ as we look forward to the future of the American Church in the New Evangelization.”
Weigel is one of several outstanding speakers scheduled to speak at this June’s Institute. The others include former Commonweal editor, Peter Steinfels, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, and publisher and editor of The New Criterion, Roger Kimball. For complete conference details and to register please go to https://secure.headwaytechnology.com/www.portsmouthabbey.org/page/events/PIShakespeare2013/?secure=true&PSIDTRANSPORT=DkyofzuxxCyGpAhccrpFevzv120906. or email or call Cindy Waterman (cwaterman@portsmouthabbey.org or 401-643-1244).
The Portsmouth Institute is a conference, study, recreation and retreat center for all those interested in Catholic life, leadership and service in the 21st century at Portsmouth Abbey School in Portsmouth, RI.
PORTSMOUTH ABBEY SCHOOL ANNOUNCES THE PORTSMOUTH INSTITUTE
JUNE 7-9, 2013, ON CATHOLICISM AND THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
PORTSMOUTH, R.I., January 24, 2013 -- The Portsmouth Institute (www.portsmouthinstitute.org) has announced that its fifth anniversary conference will be held June 7-9, 2013, on Catholicism and the American Experience.
Speakers will include: George Weigel, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, papal biographer and author of many books on Catholicism, on "Catholics in an Unfamiliar America;" His Excellency, The Most Reverend Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of Providence, on "Evangelization in a Secular Age;” former New York Times and Commonweal editor Peter Steinfels on "Catholic Identity Versus Catholic Leadership in a Secular America;" New Criterion editor Roger Kimball on, "Is There Such a Thing as Catholic Art?"; Casey Carter ‘84, on "The Faith in the Future Foundation: A New Paradigm in American Catholic Education;" Alex Mikulich ‘79, of Loyola University in New Orleans, on "Witnessing to Charity in Truth: Pope Benedict's Call to Practice Integral Human Development;" and Jim Forest of The Catholic Worker, on “Servant of God Dorothy Day.”
“Last year’s elections underscored the critical juncture at which we have arrived in discussing the role of religion and religious liberty in our country’s public square,” commented Portsmouth Institute Director James MacGuire. “We think the time has come to explore the implications of this changed landscape for Catholics and Catholicism in America going forward.”
In addition to scholarly presentations, the Institute will feature a dramatic production based on the life and work of 19th-Century philosopher and theologian Orestes Brownson by Kevin O’Brien, founder of Theater of the Word and a frequent EWTN contributor. There will also be musical presentations by Troy Quinn http://www.troyquinn.com/# and the Portsmouth Institute orchestra, including works by Leonard Bernstein, Dave Brubeck, and Randall Thompson.
Past conferences have included The Catholic William F. Buckley (2009), Newman and the Intellectual Tradition (2010), The Catholic William Shakespeare? (2011), and Modern Science/Ancient Faith (2012).
Dormitory space is limited.
Click here to register today!
Stay tuned! There is more to come. For further details on speakers and events of next June’s Institute please call or write Cindy Waterman at cwaterman@portsmouthabbey.org or 401.643.1244 with any questions. We are confident that the fifth Portsmouth Institute will be the best one yet!
