Please join us on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m., in person or via livestream, for a lecture titled “Where is God in the Liturgy? The Way Forward for Liturgical Reform,” featuring Rev. John Baldovin, S.J., of Boston College.
In his lecture, presented by the College of Arts and Sciences in partnership with America Media, Fr. Baldovin will explore the impact of the post-Vatican II reform of the liturgy and address key questions about the future of Catholic liturgical practice.
Since Vatican II, the reform of the liturgy — particularly the Mass celebrated daily and weekly at parishes around the globe — has been a lively topic of conversation. That reform, Fr. Baldovin argues, is now at “a critical juncture,” one challenged and enlivened by Pope Francis’ retrieval of the spirit of Vatican II at the recently concluded Synod on Synodality.
Using his deep knowledge of scripture, Fr. Baldovin will propose that an understanding of “how God brings us together in worship,” can help us to think about our practice of the liturgy in a way that is informed by Pope Francis’ synodal and liturgical vision.
A former Trustee of Fairfield University from 2004 to 2023, Fr. Baldovin is a recognized authority in the field of liturgical theology, with extensive experience both as a scholar and a pastor. Currently a professor of historical and liturgical theology at Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry, he has also taught at Weston Jesuit School of Theology since 1999. He previously taught at Fordham University and the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and has served as a visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame and St. John Vianney National Seminary in Pretoria, South Africa.
Fr. Baldovin is the author of several books, including Living Bread, Saving Cup: Understanding the Mass and Reforming the Liturgy: A Response to the Critics, and his scholarship has been widely published in journals such as Worship, Theological Studies, America, and Commonweal. Fr. Baldovin received his BA from the College of the Holy Cross, an MDiv from Weston School of Theology, and MA, MPhil, and PhD degrees from Yale University.
This lecture is part of an ongoing collaboration between America Media and Fairfield University’s College of Arts and Sciences, a partnership rooted in the Ignatian charism shared by both institutions. Together, they seek to explore common goals and interests, particularly in light of the Catholic Church’s global influence and societal role. Through several joint ventures — including this annual public lecture and the availability of America Media’s resources to all Fairfield University students, faculty, and staff — this initiative fosters dialogue at the intersection of faith, scholarship, and media, engaging both institutions’ reach and visibility while advancing Catholic discussion, analysis, and insight.
Fr. Baldovin’s Feb. 27 lecture is free and open to the public. It will take place at 7 p.m. in the Dolan School of Business Event Hall at Fairfield University. Those unable to attend in person can register to join virtually via livestream.
