STEUBENVILLE, OH—Father Terence Henry, TOR, president of Franciscan University of Steubenville, will join a select group of Catholic university presidents at the Catholic University of America to discuss how intellect and virtue inspire the life of Catholic institutions of higher learning.
Father Henry is one of 10 Catholic college presidents who helped plan the April 11-12 symposium. These presidents, along with scholars from the U.S. and abroad, will examine topics such as Virtue and Intellect at Catholic Universities Today, Virtue and Faith Life, and Virtue and Campus Life.
The event will conclude with a roundtable symposium at which Father Henry will reflect on the nature and purpose of Catholic higher education. His remarks will be framed around Pope Benedict XVI's address to U.S. Catholic college presidents at the Catholic University of America during his papal visit there in April 2008.
"Franciscan University welcomes the opportunity to shape this important discussion on the nature of a Catholic university," said Father Henry. "During my interactions with other Catholic university presidents and in my presentation, I will be emphasizing how Catholic education springs from the heart of the Church."
Also participating in the symposium is Dr. John Crosby, professor of philosophy at Franciscan University. He will respond to presentations from Helen M Alvaré, George Mason University law professor, and Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, on the intersection of human life issues and campus life practices at Catholic colleges.
Other speakers include the Most Reverend Thomas J. Curry, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles and chairman of the United States Catholic Bishops' Committee on Catholic Education, as well as scholars from Duke, the University of Notre Dame, St. Andrew's in Scotland, and others.
U.S. Catholic college presidents in addition to Father Henry from Franciscan University of Steubenville include John J. DeGioia, Georgetown University; Reverend Peter Donohue, OSA, Villanova University; Reverend John Jenkins, CSC, University of Notre Dame; and Reverend William Leahy SJ, Boston College.
The symposium is the last of 20 events on the theme "Intellect and Virtue: The Idea of a Catholic University" designed to introduce John Garvey as the new president of the Catholic University of America.