Catholic Studies Commons^™

Overview & Acknowledgments, Mathew Schmalz

Journal of Global Catholicism

This Introduction overviews the work of contributors from the Graduate Symposium sponsored by the Journal of Global Catholicism and the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture.  The Introduction also highlights the independent peer reviewed submission from Dr. Agnieszka Laddach of the University of Warsaw.

Infinite Line, Infinite Knowledge: The 'Spera' And Organized Chaos In Lambert's Encyclopedia, The 'Liber Floridus', Ava Romano

Theses and Dissertations

The Liber Floridus is a medieval encyclopedia renowned for its program of circular diagrams, or sperae. Inside this manuscript of 190 chapters, these diagrams frame and embody written knowledge, revealing a connection between encyclopedism and life in the Benedictine monastery by creating a coherent visual organization of chapters.

Book Review: Ryszard Tyndorf With Rev. Zygmunt Zieliński, Wartime Rescue Of Jews By The Polish Catholic Clergy: The Testimony Of Survivors And Rescuers, John M. Grondelski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Ryszard Tyndorf with Rev. Zygmunt Zieliński, Wartime Rescue of Jews by the Polish Catholic Clergy: The Testimony of Survivors and Rescuers. Lublin, Poland: Heschel Center, Wydawnictwo KUL, 2023. 2 vols., HB. ISBN 978-83-8288-087-8//088-5.

Mary’S Granddaughters: Marian Conversion, Gender, And The Reproduction Of Religious Belief In Medieval And Early Modern Castile, Amanda Valdés Sánchez

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

This article explores how the conversion of Muslim women was perceived as being spurred by Mary’s love, as evidenced in Castilian Marian miracle collections, popular literature, church iconography, and missional policy. I argue that, in the context of the Castilian colonization of Muslim Iberia, Muslim women’s conversion was stimulated and imagined differently from their male counterparts. Through the analysis of post-thirteenth-century Castilian Marian miracle tales and devotional iconography, my research interrogates the role of Marian devotion in the construction of a model of religious conversion that specifically sought to convert women and children and identified Muslim women as the means …

“Softer Than A Woman?" Gendered Images In Odo Of Cheriton’S Anti-Judaic Sermon, Jussi Hanska, Sari Katajala-Peltomaa

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

This article analyzes the intersection of the anti-Judaic and gendered motifs presented in English theologian and preacher Odo of Cheriton’s (d. 1246–1247) sermon for the tenth Sunday after the Holy Trinity. The sermon features an exemplum that is a distorted reinterpretation of a story originally found in Jewish historian Flavius Josephus’s Bellum iudaicum, which describes the siege and fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. In one memorable passage Josephus tells how a Jewish woman named Mary loses her mind because of the hardships of the siege and hunger, kills and roasts her baby boy, and eats it. Yet Odo …

¡Salud! Sacrificing The Sacred Sip: A Critical Analysis Of The Impact Of The Spiritual Conquest On Alcohol Traditions In Central México, Elizabeth Vilchis

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

By thoroughly investigating the available primary sources, this thesis will convey the importance of the Mesoamerican inebriating drink pulque in both the ethos and mythos of ancient Nahua society, examining how the ritual use of pulque became problematic in the eyes of the Spaniards, by investigating the cultural and ideological contradictions or double standards that enabled the tensions, struggles, and violence with which the Spanish colonial regime repressed the ritual use of pulque. This thesis compares the Nahua ethos and mythos of pulque to the Christian ethos and mythos of wine, highlighting the parallels perceived by Spaniards in Central México …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

The Catholic Church And Their Response To The Rise Of Human Rights Abuses By The Military Regimes In Argentina And Brazil: A Comparative Analysis On The Argentine And Brazilian Church From The 1960’S To The 1980’S, Mya Miller

Global Studies Senior Capstone

This study is primarily focused on the Catholic Church's role in Argentina and Brazil throughout the 1960's to 1980's. It explores the historical and political context of Latin America amidst Cold War influence which resulted in the rise of military dictatorships who resorted to violence due to their strong political views. The Catholic Church, at the time, was experiencing deep internal tension which, in some cases, lead to an unfortunate lack of action despite their vast influence and their ability to aid their communities in need.

The Origins Of The Pax Christi International Movement: The Pax Christi In Regno Christi Crusade, François Mabille

The Journal of Social Encounters

The Pax Christi movement was created in 1944 by a French laywoman. Its original name was "crusade of prayers for the conversion of Germany", the term crusade referring to a very specific political and religious imagination, marked in particular by the intransigent Catholicism of the beginning of the 20th century and by a specious analysis of the origins of the Nazism. This article, resulting from a thesis devoted to the history of the movement from 1944 to 1983, reviews the genesis of Pax Christi, and its evolution during the first 5 years of its existence, from a "crusade of prayers" …

A Religious Etiology Of Genito-Pelvic Pain And Pain With Penetration, Emily L. Carlson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Pelvic pain during penetration (PPDP) has been described using various diagnostic terms, including vaginismus, dyspareunia, and vulvodynia. The most recent and comprehensive classification is Genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD) which is characterized by psychological distress associated with pain during or in anticipation of vaginal penetration (DSM-5-TR; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2022). The etiology of PPDP is multifactorial, involving a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and relational factors. Religious and cultural influences may play a significant role in shaping individuals’ experiences of sexual pain. This study investigated the etiology of PPDP in relation to the religious influences among women raised in Judeo-Christian …

The Influence Of Colonialism On The Development Of Religious Life In Timor Leste, Abdul Kadirsyam Salampessy, Rahadjeng Pulungsari Hadi

International Review of Humanities Studies

Timor-Leste is the youngest country in the world with unique religious dynamics. The Catholic population increased rapidly after independence, while the Muslim population decreased drastically due to political dynamics. The presence of Mari Alkatiri, an Arab-descended Timorese Muslim who became Prime Minister (PM) twice, is a depiction of the presence of Islam in a Catholic-majority country. The long history of colonialism in Timor-Leste has greatly influenced the landscape of religious life there. In its development, the people of Timor-Leste live harmoniously and democratically.

This journal uses a qualitative research method that focuses on the social and cultural phenomena of the …

The Devil’S In The Details: Opposition To Demonology In Early Modern Europe, Abigail Pickard

The Purdue Historian

Common assumptions that believers of witchcraft in the early modern period were uneducated fanatics overgeneralize the complex interplay of early modern science and theology. The study of demons, known as demonology, was considered a science. It was a respected field that was studied and debated. Theologians scrutinized, defended, and revised demonological theories. Thinkers turned over foundational concepts and split hairs over the fine details of theology. Since educated scholars were considered authorities on demonology, they repeatedly wrote, talked, and theorized about the topic in a similar fashion to other ideologies of the early modern era. Due to this, authors of …

Hemispheres Of Faith: Mapping The Global Journey Of An Ivory Rosary Bead At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, Mary M. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Hemispheres of Faith reattributes a carved ivory rosary bead in the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Quito School in 18th-century Ecuador. Through examining the trade history of the Manila Galleons, material analysis, and iconographic study, Hemispheres of Faith challenges the bead's European origins and reveals the object as a product of global exchange, devotional practice, and colonial artistic collaboration within the Spanish Empire.

Recollections Of A Tejana Life, Carolina Yáñez

Art Theses and Dissertations

This thesis encompasses the life of a young woman navigating life in Texas through various political and social barriers. My interdisciplinary practice analyzes the historical context of Mexicans in Texas from its Revolutionary period into current injustices. Through fiber, printmaking, and photography I create a visual diary to illustrate what the political has made personal. These works display the beauty of Tejano culture, but also the power struggles that threaten communities I care for, as well as my own existence that persists against far-right wing agendas.

Current politics and government leadership in Texas have inspired me to make artwork calling …

The Impact Of Islam In The History Of Catholic Evangelization In Northwest Nigeria, Shichet Nache

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Today, Nigeria is home for both Christians and Muslims. Before the arrival of Christianity and Islam in Nigeria, there was the indigenous African Traditional Religion (ATR). The different cultures, tribes, or ethnic groups in Nigeria had different modes of worship and religious practices in the light of this African Traditional Religion. Today, many Nigerians are either Muslims or Christians. Christianity and Islam have now dominated African Traditional Religion. Trade played a significant role in the transportation and establishment of Islam and Christianity in Nigeria. Northern Nigeria began to have contact with Islam between the ninth and eleventh centuries, while …

“The Atmosphere That Supports Life On Earth”: An Ecocritical Approach To Tolkien’S Arda, Elizabeth Anne Turello

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Ecocriticism speaks to the relationship between the environment and literature, a progressively vital topic of discussion. What is often overlooked, however, is the necessity of the theory’s applicability to stories of speculative fiction; that is, ones existing outside the realm of the real world or, as is the case with the father of modern-day fantasy J.R.R. Tolkien, a mythology set in the ancient days of our world (“Arda”). At first, it may seem contradictory to learn about our surroundings through fictionalized ones seemingly irrelevant to Earth’s own; this apparent contradiction is not valid, though, as the relationship between humans and …

Pedro Aceves Mfa Thesis, Pedro M. Aceves

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

My Work is about looking at Cruising through a queer decolonial lens. Using multiple mediums such as photo, glass, Augmented reality, and film, I explore these queer histories and aesthetics through not just an anthropological approach but also an artistic epistemological approach weaving together narratives of prehispanic and modern queer Latinidad.

Black And Catholic: Leadership Lessons From The Saintly Six, Sr. Nicole Trahan

Black History at St. Mary's University - 2025 Collection

Finding your voice as a Black Catholic in the United States today can be challenging in many ways. This workshop explored the lessons for leadership and empowerment we can learn from Venerable Pierre Toussaint, Servant of God Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, Venerable Henriette DeLille, Servant of God Julia Greeley, Venerable Augustus Tolton, and Servant of God Thea Bowman – the six Black Americans in the official process of being recognized as Saints by the Catholic Church.

Cultural And Religious Perspectives On Suicide And Healing, Arielle Friedman

be Still

This essay is built off of a paper I wrote in a college global health course on culture and mental illness. I have always been fascinated by cultural interpretations of illness & believe that as a future physician, it is my responsibility to educate myself and others on the complex interplay between religious ideologies & recognition/management of biological disease in order to provide appropriate patient-centered care.

Peter Maurin As The New St. Benedict: A Review Essay, William J. Collinge

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Monastic-Muslim Dialogue, William Skudlarek Osb

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Syncretic Spirits / Espíritus Sincréticos, Angelica Tapia - Estrada

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

Syncretic Spirits / Espíritus Sincréticos is a multimedia exhibition that invites viewers into a fantastical space where cultural identity and perception intertwine. Colorful shaped panels, sculptural installations, prints, and drawings bridge physical and metaphysical realms. Personal archetypes intuitively inspired by natural forms drive the work.

Influenced by the dualities of my upbringing as a first-generation Mexican American, I was immersed in Mexican culture through my family traditions while finding a home in the nurturing embrace of the heartland. The work has become a means of reclaiming a new layered sense of self, disentangling from my Catholic upbringing, embracing indigenous healing …

The Development Of The Trinitarian Charism In Poland And Its Realization, Maciej Kowalski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The aim of this article is to present the stages of development of the Trinitarian charism in Poland and to discuss the ways of its implementation, as well as to answer the question to what extent the Polish Trinitarians in their more than three hundred years of history have adapted the religious charism to their native conditions in changing historical circumstances. This, in turn, will allow better understanding of the heritage and activities of the Trinitarian Order in Poland, as well as to bring closer its multifaceted impact on various areas of Church and social life. The issues raised here, …

'God Loves The World' Documentary, Ilona Kitchen

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The internet is a powerful place. People feel that they can share how they feel with no consequences. Hedviga Tkáčová (2021) argues that negative media portrayals of Christianity contribute to prejudice against Christian university students in Slovakia, which undermines social cohesion and highlights the need for greater support of religious diversity. From memes to viral videos, these digital interactions can feel like a personal attack, exposing how online spaces can betray the trust and faith of the Roman Catholic Church. As a Roman Catholic, I frequently encounter such issues when engaging with content in the media. In public settings, it …

Jesuit Resources At Georgetown University Special Collections, Aleksandra L. Kinlen

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

This article provides a brief overview of the Jesuit materials available at the Booth Family Center for Special Collections (BFCSC) at Georgetown University’s Lauinger Library in Washington, DC. In particular, it discusses the Archives of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus as a resource for investigating early American Catholicism and the history of Jesuit slaveholding in the Province. Also mentioned are the wealth of collections from individual priests as well as the support that BFCSC can provide researchers.

Review Of The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved And Sold To Build The American Catholic Church, Kelly Schmidt

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

No abstract provided.

Otra Historia Ignaciana: Incluyendo A Las Mujeres En La Historia De La Misión Jesuita, Julia A. Dowd

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Los programas de orientación de las universidades jesuitas suelen incluir un repaso de la vida de Ignacio. Lo que falta en la historia oficial de Ignacio son las historias de las mujeres con las que vivió y trabajó y que contribuyeron económica, política y emocionalmente a su formación y a la de los primeros jesuitas. También falta un análisis desde la crítica feminista del contexto histórico en el que nacieron Ignacio, los Ejercicios Espirituales y la Compañía de Jesús. En este artículo sostengo que las mujeres proporcionaron un andamiaje esencial para afianzar la identidad y vocación de Ignacio, y para …

Responding To The Global Crisis: Jacques Maritain, World War Ii, And New York's École Libre, Jacob Saliba

Journal of Global Catholicism

This article offers an interdisciplinary study of the French Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain during World War II in order to provide an historical resource for understanding the global dimensions and possibilities at work in modern Catholicism. In 1941, while living in New York City, Maritain helped to cofound and lead the École Libre des Hautes Études (the “Free French University”). An initiative primarily created by American and French intellectuals, the university became an important hub for rescuing and employing nearly two hundred individuals from across the world. Elected president in late-1942, Maritain worked closely with the New School for Social …

The Meanings Of The Hospital De San Lázaro In Seventeenth-Century Manila, Francis Galasi

Journal of Global Catholicism

The Hospital de San Lázaro was a specialized health facility in the early modern Philippines, dedicated to the care of lepers and sufferers of other contagious diseases. While it was established for this specific purpose, its role in colonial society varied. This versatility reflected the distinct priorities and commitments of the groups pulled into its orbit, as each charged San Lázaro with a unique meaning. This article explores how and why these groups—the indigenous Filipinos, the Spanish residents and the Discalced Franciscans—understood San Lázaro in their own way. It highlights the ability of fixed institutions, such as a hospital, to …

Emmanuel Mounier’S Four Books On Communitarian Personalism: Engaging With Existentialism, Marxism, And & Teilhard De Chardin, Joe Holland

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.