Provost John T. McGreevy's Rome visit
In March 2023, University of Notre Dame Provost John T McGreevy visited Europe to present his latest book “Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis.” His first stop was in London, where McGreevy visited Notre Dame’s London Global Gateway before traveling to St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge for his book launch.
McGreevy’s lecture, chaired by the director of the Von Hügel Institute for Critical Catholic Inquiry, Vittorio Montemaggi, included responses by renowned historian Eamon Duffy FBA and the Master of St Edmund's College, Catherine Arnold OBE. Jointly organized by St Edmund's, the Von Hügel Institute, and the London Global Gateway, the evening convened a mix of Cambridge and Notre Dame academics, staff and affiliates.
McGreevy then traveled to Rome, where he gave a lecture on the book followed by comments from Elisabetta Corsi from la Sapienza Università di Roma and James E. Grummer, SJ from the Pontificia Università Gregoriana. The lecture was co-sponsored by the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism and the Pontificia Università Gregoriana, and saw the copious participation of scholars, faculty members, Vatican journalists and students from the local community in Rome. According to Kathleen Sprows Cummings, director of the Cushwa Center and the moderator of the event, “McGreevy provided a compelling overview of the book and a thoughtful analysis of themes and topics shaping the history of Global Catholicism. Professor Corsi and Rev. Grummer offered eloquent and insightful reflections that raised new questions for audience members already familiar with the book–and inspired those who have not yet read it to do so.”
During his Roman visit, Provost McGreevy had the chance to meet with faculty and staff as well as with several partners of the Gateway in Rome. Accompanied by the director of the Rome Gateway, Silvia Dall’Olio, McGreevy went to Sapienza Università di Roma, the oldest university in Rome and the largest in Europe. They met with Giuseppe Ciccarone, professor of economic policy and current Prorettore Vicario (vice rector) and Maria Sabrina Sarto, professor of electrical engineering and prorettrice alla ricerca (deputy rector for research). The Notre Dame Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering has a current collaboration on undergraduate programs through the Rome Global Gateway. Significant interest in expanded forms of collaboration with the Gateway has been expressed by Sapienza AME Department and there is great potential for inclusion of other departments as well.
Provost McGreevy and Director Dall’Olio also met with Andrea Benzo, Italy’s Special Envoy for Religious Freedom and Interreligious Dialogue, and Giuliana del Papa, head of the policy planning unit for public and cultural diplomacy at at la Farnesina - Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC). Benzo and the MFAIC have been a key partner for the Rome Summer Seminars on Religion and Global Politics that the Rome Global Gateway will be launching in the summer of 2023. They also co-host the annual Religion and International Relations policy dialogues along with ISPI, Italy’s preeminent think tank dedicated to political affairs.
McGreevy and Dall’Olio met with François-Xavier Adam, Director of the Institut français Centre Saint-Louis, as well as Augustin Laffay, OP, General Archivist of the Order of Preachers, and Renaud Escande, OP Administrator of the Pieux Établissements de la France à Rome et à la Lorette.
The Rome Global Gateway has several active collaboration projects with the Institut français Centre Saint-Louis among which the co-sponsorship of a three-year cycle of conferences on Jacques and Raïssa Maritain, starting in 2023 with a symposium on “Les Maritain et Rome.”
“We are very grateful for the opportunity to host Provost McGreevy’s visit to Rome”, comments Dall’Olio. “His presence and engagement with our community and our partners is a testament to the University’s commitment to the city and its intellectual and spiritual riches.”