WORCESTER, MA (March 6, 2017)—Fr. Allan D. Fitzgerald, O.S.A, S.T.D., Ph.D., director of The Augustinian Institute and theology professor at Villanova University, will deliver the College’s Annual Augustine Lecture on the towering figure of St. Augustine of Hippo, the great early Christian theologian who profoundly influenced the development of Western Christianity. Fr. Fitzgerald’s lecture will be held on Monday, March 20 at 7 p.m. in the Salon of Assumption’s La Maison building, located at 500 Salisbury Street.

Fr. Fitzgerald’s lecture, entitled “Augustine: Reaching for Peace in This World,” will address Augustine’s attitude toward peace-in-action. It is often said that, for Augustine, perfect peace in this life is unattainable. Perfection, of course, must await the fullness of time in just about everything. But, Augustine also accepted the benefit of human efforts for peace in this time, engaging the imperfect world and culture in which he lived in human ways. It is, in fact, more interesting and more accurate to talk about his thought and dedication to peace than to pretend that he had theory about just war. Fr. Fitzgerald’s lecture will address that contrast and begin to frame Augustine's attitude toward peace-in-action.

Fr. Fitzgerald is a member of the Comite de recherché of the Revue des Etudes Augustiniennes et Patristiques and of Recherches Augustiniennes. He has also served as professor of the Augustinian Patristic Institute and editor of the Villanova journal, Augustinian Studies. A specialist in Systematic Theology and Augustine Studies, Fr. Fitzgerald is a tenured faculty member of Istituto Patristico Agostinianum in Rome, Italy. He has edited, or published, a number of works on Augustine including Augustine Through the Ages: an Encyclopedia and Augustine’s Homilies on the Gospel of John.

Assumption College is sponsored, and was founded, by the Augustinians of the Assumption. According to the Assumptionists, they live in community according to the spirit of Saint Augustine: Live in a household of perfect harmony, having but one heart and one mind intent on God. (Rule of Saint Augustine, 1, 2)  They we strive to lead a fraternal life which is characterized by frankness, cordiality and simplicity.

This event is part of the College’s 2016-17 Presidential Lecture Series at Assumption College, a public forum in which important ethical, spiritual and human issues are illuminated and examined within the Catholic intellectual tradition. All events in the President’s Lecture Series at Assumption College are free and open to the public. RSVPs are encouraged due to limited space. To RSVP, please call Sharon Mahoney at 508.767.7322 or e-mail shmahone@assumption.edu.