Bellarmine Lecture series presents Rev. John Randall Sachs, S.J. | Press Releases

Rev. John Randall Sachs, S.J., the academic dean of the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, will present Fairfield University's 2007 Bellarmine Lecture, entitled "Catholic Identity Today: Jesuit Style." The talk, free and open to the public, will take place Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. in the dining room of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business.

Fr. Sachs said that a Jesuit university such as Fairfield offers a particularly rich context for reflecting on Catholic identity today, while also exploring what it really means to be a Catholic in a post-modern world. "A thoughtful person might wonder, 'What does Catholic Christianity have to offer the world?' Catholics might well ask themselves, 'What does it really mean to be a Catholic today?' and 'What kind of a Catholic do I hope to be?' The Jesuit tradition combines two fundamental convictions that offer a perspective for considering these questions: a conviction that we may seek and find God at work in all things and a commitment to the biblical vision of God's love and the justice God desires for all."

His lecture is part of the Bellarmine Lecture Series, which was established in 1988 to bring distinguished Jesuit scholars to lecture and interact with the community. The series is part of the programming sponsored by the Center for Catholic Studies at Fairfield University.

Fr. Sachs joined the Weston Jesuit School of Theology faculty in 1986, and became the academic dean in 1999. He is also the director of the school's M.A. Program in Spiritual Direction. Before moving to Weston he was a member of the Religious Studies department here at Fairfield.

The Weston Jesuit School of Theology, located in Cambridge, Mass., trains both men and women at the graduate level for service in universities, parishes, social outreach programs, and much more. The school helps sustain the tradition of Jesuit education while placing an emphasis on spirituality and service.

Fr. Sachs' book, "The Christian Vision of Humanity: Basic Christian Anthropology," (Liturgical Press, 1991) is a concise introduction to Christian theological anthropology. He began writing the book one summer at Fairfield University while he was on a sabbatical from Weston Jesuit School. He credits Fairfield Jesuits for their encouragement and support in helping him write the book.

Media contact: Sarah Masterson, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2616