Let's not forget the work of Charles De Koninck as we continue the march forward in the history of Thomism, or Thomisms. Thankfully, a site on the Internet will make forgetting him hard to do.
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St. Augustine’s Press has published a volume that gathers memorial notices and reflections on the life of Ralph McInerny. Edited by Christopher Kaczor, O Rare Ralph McInerny contains 33 contributions by friends, students, and colleagues. Contributors include Jude Dougherty, John Haldane, Lawrence Dewan OP, John Hittinger, Tony Lisska, Janet Smith, Alasdair MacIntyre, among others. (I did notice that over a third of the essays in this collection were previously published and are freely available on various online outlets: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and one behind a paywall here). The volume also includes some short pieces by McInerny, including his 2009 ACPQ article “Why I am a Thomist.” The publisher’s blurb notes that proceeds from the volume go to the Women’s Care Center of St. Joseph County, Indiana. A wonderful tribute!
The good people at Ave Maria University will be sponsoring a conference in February of 2011 (Feb. 10-12, 2011) honoring the late Ralph M. McInerny. The conference’s rationale and line-up is as follows:
A cornerstone of Catholic intellectual life is the teaching that the light of Catholic truth does not dim, let alone extinguish, the God-given light of reason. Faith in Jesus Christ heals, strengthens and elevates the light of reason. The excellent scholars at this Conference on Philosophy in Theological Education will explore how the love of wisdom and the intellectual life should inform the eduction of theologians. This is a theme dear to the heart and mind of the great philosopher and Catholic intellectual, Ralph McInerny. His labors for the renewal of Catholic intellectual culture will be fittingly honored and celebrated at the Conference.Plus an encomium of Dr McInerny by Michael Novak (per the PDF).
- Fr Charles Morerod, OP (Keynote Speaker)
- Timothy Bellamah, OP
- John Boyle
- Romanus Cessario, OP
- Brian Daley, SJ
- Michael Dauphinais
- Lawrence Dewan, OP
- Gilles Emery, OP
- Kevin Flannery, SJ
- Marc Guerra
- Thomas S. Hibbs
- Reinhard Hütter
- Joseph Koterski, SJ
- Matthew L. Lamb
- Steven A. Long
- Guy Mansini, OSB
- John O’Callaghan
- Kevin White
- Thomas Joseph White, OP
You can download also download a PDF of the conference’s main features, download the conference’s program, or can download the registration form.
My friend from many years back, and Ave Maria University publishing fiend, Steven Long, has published his book on natura pura at Fordham University Press (link). Here is a scrape from the Fordham University Press site:
From speculative theology to the exegesis of Aquinas, to contemporary North American philosophy and Catholic social and ethical thought, to the thought of Benedict XVI, this work argues the crucial importance of the proportionate natural end within the context of grace and supernatural beatitude.
In two initial chapters, the book argues that Henri de Lubac and Hans Urs von Balthasar erred by negating the proportionate natural end for man within the doctrine of grace. Given the loss of natura within theological method, its recovery requires philosophic instrumentalities. In its third chapter, this book argues that the analytic thought so widespread in Anglophone circles cannot replace the role of classical Thomism within theology. The fourth chapter argues against those who construe affirmation of a proportionate natural end as equivalent to social Pelagianism, engaging the work of Jacques Maritain, Jean Porter, and David Schindler, Sr. In an appendix, the author examines the early thought of Cardinal Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI, and its development toward the Regensburg Lecture.
The late Ralph McInerny thought highly of it, and it’s been mentioned on an Italian blog! Long has another book coming out through ND Press.
Francis Beckwith recounts a story that is perfectly Ralph.
Thomas Hibbs, a former-student of Ralph McInerny’s (and current Dean of the Honors College at Baylor University), wrote an appreciation of Ralph that appeared in First Things magazine (link).
Ralph McInerny died yesterday morning, January 29, 2010, at around 6:30 a.m. A towering figure in the study of Aquinas. More information will be posted as I’m able to obtain and shape it for publication.
Under the direction of the Sacra Doctrina Project
