Blogs

By Michael Duricy

The Marian Library is the designated repository for the records of the Mariological Society of America (MSA). The two entities have a longstanding connection since many Marian Library employees have been members and officers of the MSA over the years. The University Libraries hosts Marian Studies, the peer-reviewed publication of the MSA, on eCommons.

The Mariological Society of America's call for papers closes October 31, 2019, for its 2020 annual meeting on the theme "The Person of Mary: Her Cultural and Anthropological Dimensions." The meeting will take place May 13–16, 2020 at the Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center in Federal Way, Washington. One does not need to be an MSA member to present at or to attend the meeting. Several faculty, staff and students of the International Marian Research Institute attend this annual meeting each year. 

Among the topics that might be treated are the following: The person of Mary as the model for human existence and meaning; Mary as the model of authentic womanhood; Evaluating Marian devotions in light of sound Christian anthropology; Mary's person understood within her own Jewish religious and cultural setting; The person of Mary in light of contemporary anthropological theories; The person of Mary in light of human suffering and redemption; True and false understandings of the person of Mary in light of Scripture and tradition; The person of Mary as understood in mystical literature; The person of Mary as experienced in private vs. public revelation; Mary and the mystery of divine grace and human freedom; The person of Mary in light of divine providence and predestination; The anthropological significance of Mary's Immaculate Conception; The anthropological significance of Mary's divine and spiritual motherhood; Mary's perpetual virginity in our age of the cult of the flesh; Mary's perpetual virginity and the theology of the body; The Assumption of Mary in relation to Catholic eschatology; The person of Mary and divinization; The person of Mary as the exemplar of the divine image and likeness; Mary and the theological virtues; Mary and the gifts of the Holy Spirit; and Mary and the charismatic gifts.

If interested, please send abstracts by October 31, 2019 to Father Frederick Miller (frederick.miller@shu.edu) and and Dr. Robert Fastiggi at (fastiggi.robert@shms.edu).  The abstract should be about 350-500 words.  It should include sources and an explanation of how the proposal relates to the theme of the conference.