Madeleva Lecture Series

The 27th Madeleva Lecture

Kathleen Hughes, RSCJ
Liturgical Theologian and Former President of the North American Academy of Liturgy

Becoming the Sign: Sacramental Life in a Post-Conciliar Church

April 19, 2012
7:30 p.m.  Carroll Auditorium, Madeleva Hall

Admission is free.

Kathleen Hughes, RSCJ, is a sacramental theologian, teacher, speaker and writer.  For nineteen years, Hughes was Professor of Word and Worship at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.  She also served a term as Academic Dean.  Hughes left CTU to become Provincial of her religious order, the Society of the Sacred Heart, in the United States, and led her order for six years.  She is now occupied with issues of spirituality and prayer and the retrieval and reinterpretation of traditional wisdom and practice for contemporary life.

She has written or edited eight books, served on nine editorial boards and published several hundred articles and reviews demonstrating a broad range of interest in worship, sacraments, preaching, language, feminism, and spirituality.  Hughes was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies from the University of Notre Dame.

About the Madeleva Lecture Series

Named after the legendary Sister Madeleva Wolff, CSC, president of Saint Mary's College from 1934 to 1961, the series is well known both nationally and internationally. Some of the most influential women scholars of the past twenty-five years are past-Madeleva Lecturers. In 2000 the lecturers collaborated as a group to write the now famous “Madeleva Manifesto: A Message of Hope and Courage.” In part, it says

To young women looking for models of prophetic leadership, we say: walk with us as we seek to follow the way of Jesus Christ, who inspires our hope and guides our concerns. The Spirit calls us to a gospel feminism that respects the human dignity of all, and who inspires us to be faithful disciples, to stay in the struggle to overcome oppression of all kinds whether based on gender, sexual orientation, race or class.

To the young women of the church we say: carry forward the cause of gospel feminism. We will be with you along the way, sharing what we have learned about the freedom, joy and power of contemplative intimacy with God. We ask you to join us in a commitment to far-reaching transformation of church and society in non-violent ways.

To view the full manifesto, click here.

For a list of past Madeleva lecturers (1985-present), click here.

Click here for a Saint Mary's campus map and parking directions.