The first celebration of the feast of Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, will be observed at the University of Notre Dame with a special conference titled “A Great Cloud of Witnesses: Saints in the Catholic Tradition” on Jan. 18 and 19 (Friday and Saturday).
Blessed Father Moreau was beatified in September at ceremonies in Le Mans, France. Notre Dame, which was born as a project of his congregation in 1842, continues to rely on Moreau’s followers for its administration, inspiration and communion in the Catholic Church.
The conference, which will be held in the auditorium of McKenna Hall on campus, will explore the development of the canonization process and the significance of the saints in Catholic life and devotion.
Conference speakers include Lawrence Cunningham, Rev. John A. O’Brien Professor of Theology at Notre Dame, who will speak on “Thinking Seriously about the Saints” at 4p.m. Jan. 18; Kenneth Woodward, former religion editor of Newsweek and author of the book “Making Saints,” who will speak on his work at 7:30p.m. Jan. 18; Ann Astell, professor of theology at Notre Dame, who will speak on “All Saints: The Universal Call to Holiness” at 9 a.m. Jan. 19; Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik, rector of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, who will speak on “A Great Cloud of Witnesses” at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 19; Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C., who will speak on Blessed Father Moreau at 2p.m. Jan. 19; and Robert Ellsberg, editor of Orbis Books, who will speak on “Saints in Everyday Life” at 3:30p.m. Jan 19.
Following the conference, Cardinal McCarrick will preside at Mass at 10 a.m. Jan. 20 (Sunday) in Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
All events are free and open to the public.
Contact: Timothy Matovina, professor of theology and director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at 574-631-5441 or tmatovin@nd.edu
Originally published by at newsinfo.nd.edu on January 07, 2008.