The National Institute for Newman Studies is pleased to welcome all university students, faculty and staff to its first annual lecture on the spirituality of Blessed John Henry Newman. Dr. Kevin Mongrain, PhD, its Executive Director, and the first holder of the Ryan Chair of Newman Studies at Duquesne University, will offer an advent reflection on some of Newman’s key spiritual insights on, “Preparing for Christ’s Coming.”

In our day few are mindful of the religious meaning of Advent, and fewer still are mindful of the beautiful spirituality underlying the religious meaning. Advent is a preparation for the season of Christmas, which is a celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth. But in what sense is Advent a preparation for a celebration? John Henry Newman deeply engaged this question in several profoundly mystical sermons on the meaning of Advent. Please join us for a lecture on these sermons and a discussion of their meaning for us today.

Discussion and light – but festive – refreshments will follow. Please RSVP to newmanstudies@ninsdu.org, or 412-681-4375 by December 5.

The Newman Center is pleased to welcome Dr. Robert Gagnon, Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary to address the question of what – if anything – the Bible has to say about homosexuality. Have Christians and Jews through the centuries been “reading into” the Bible meanings that are not in fact there, or no longer obtain in modern culture? Does the Bible specifically expose anyone with same-sex or inclinations to automatic and ruthless condemnation? Dr. Gagnon intends to answer with Biblical and historical evidence these and other challenging questions in his can’t-miss presentation. As always, all students are welcome for pizza and fellowship, beginning after the 6:00pm Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

All students are welcome to stop in for a thoughtful and tasty evening as we welcome Mr. Mark Shea to CMU. As a writer on Catholicism and culture, and an occasional freelance actor, he has more than a few interesting observations on the interplay between classical drama – or even theatre in general – and the Gospel. Theatre, broadly considered, has a sacred character, in virtue both of its origins as well as its purpose. Religion – Catholicism especially – likewise of its nature tends to the dramatic. They are related as well as distinct, from the perspective of their subject – the human “person” – which is to say, the human “mask”. Come for a fascinating and enlightening evening, and bring a friend! A light dinner will be served in conjunction with the event.

Mark Shea is an accomplished Catholic writer and sometime actor with a flair for witty turns; he blogs at “Catholic and Enjoying It!”  Contact frjoshua@pittsburghoratory.org for more details.

We’re pleased to welcome Br. Timothy Lancton, of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, to speak with students about the “Basics of Divine Mercy”. You may have seen the image, or heard about the visions or the chaplet or the feast day, but wondered what this devotion was all about. Br. Timothy comes personally recommended by students to explain these basics in depth, so that the significance of this teaching for our time is brought clearly into relief. Please email frjoshua@pittsburghoratory.org for information.

If you’d like, you can follow any discussions before or after at the Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=167933683260248

You’ve heard there’s power in prayer. Fr. Chris Saliga, OP, RN, wants to tell you why.  He’s a Dominican chaplain at Walsh University in North Canton, OH, where he also lectures on health care ethics. Additionally, he serves as a columnist for the Catholic Exchange bioethics web page, an ethics consultant to The Dominican Friars Health Care Ministry of New York, and a community representative on the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at the University of Akron. Prior to becoming a Dominican and priest, he served in the Army as a Combat Medic and Paratrooper, having trained with the Rangers, 9th Division. He’s worked as an Army and Marine nurse, besides also some time in private practice. He’s published on ethics questions such as patient autonomy and contraceptive freedom in healthcare.  But he wants to tell you about the rosary, and its value – bodily and spiritually – for the sick person.

Fr. Saliga will speak Thursday, October 7, at 8:00pm, in Posvar Room 1501, and all are welcome. Doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals: don’t miss out! Please contact frjoshua@pittsburghoratory.org for more information.

Have you ever dated a real jerk, but never noticed it till a week after the heartbreak? Were you ever in a relationship that seemed so right… until it just suddenly fell apart? Are you in a relationship now, and not exactly sure what direction to take it, or how to get there safely? Despite the default cultural presumption that relationships are for young people what flying is for young birds – you either just get it or you don’t – the studies are showing that youth are actually very good learners when it comes to the art of dating: it’s just that the teachers have not been so great.

That’s where Dr. John Van Epp, Ph.D., founder of LoveThinks, LLC, has something to offer.  He’s the author of, “How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk,” published by McGraw-Hill, which blends in-depth research with humorous stories to provide a map for making healthy relationship choices. His twenty-five years of clinical experience and extensive research in premarital, marital and family relations have paved the way for his teach-out-of-the-box courses, PICK (How to Avoid Falling for a Jerk) and Marriage LINKS to be taught in thousands of churches, singles organizations, educational settings and social agencies in all fifty states, ten countries and by more than 2,500 military personnel. Van Epp and his innovative Relationship Attachment Model, book and relationship courses were awarded the Smart Marriage Impact Award (2008) and have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Psychology Today, O Magazine, and Cosmopolitan; and he has appeared on the CBS Early Show, the O’Reilly Factor, Fox News, and Focus on the Family. He has been happily married for over thirty years and is the proud father of two daughters.

He will deliver his popular and effective presentation this coming Thursday, September 16, at 8:00pm, in the Cathedral of Learning, Room G-24 (**please note updated location**), University of Pittsburgh.  All students from any of the local universities are welcome; bring a friend, of any kind!

This semester’s series of Bible studies for local grad students will begin Monday at 6:00pm, when we’ll depart from the Newman Center for Holy Trinity parish in McKees Rocks to hear Dr. Stephen Miletic present on, “The Bible and Culture: Biblical Spirituality.”  Dr. Miletic is presently a professor of Sacred Scripture and Catechetics at Franciscan University of Steubenville, and has instructed both students and teachers in this field for over 25 years. According to the précis: “Spirituality is a personal encounter with God. How can you have a subjective experience of an objective reality? What is Biblical Spirituality? This lecture examines the Interior, Religious, and Spiritual Life and how this life interacts with the culture.” Ordinarily, the weekly grad Bible study begins at 7:45pm, on Monday nights. Please email Fr. Joshua, or Courtney Long for more information, or to be added to the email list for updates.

Every Thursday night at 7:30pm, beginning June 17th, we will be considering the fundamental elements of this beautiful spiritual tradition by reading A Beginner’s Introduction to the Philokalia by Anthony Coniaris. This book focuses on twenty basic themes from the Philokalia, explaining them as simply as possible – such as watchfulness, thoughts, spiritual discipline, the heart, the intellect, inner stillness, the passions, deification, discernment, and of course, the Jesus Prayer.

For more information, contact Fr. David at frdavid@pittsburghoratory.org

Notice will be given when the books are available.

This group will run from mid June through mid August.