Portsmouth Institute's Inaugural Session: A Celebration Of
The Catholic William F. Buckley Jr.
Portsmouth Abbey School, America's premiere Catholic boarding school, today announced the establishment of The Portsmouth Institute, an annual conference program of summer study focused on issues pertaining to Catholic life in the 21st century. The Institute will provide scholars, intellectuals and all those interested in Catholic faith and life with a unique opportunity to interact with leading experts in spiritual, theological, historical, scientific, artistic, political, sociological and other aspects of contemporary society and engage in exploration of the roles and relevance of modern Catholicism.
The Portsmouth Institute will feature leadership and participation by Portsmouth Abbey's resident Benedictine monks and faculty of the Portsmouth Abbey School. Institute programs are designed to offer attendees frequent opportunities for informal discussion, as well as access to recreational opportunities on the School's campus, at Carnegie Abbey, and in nearby Newport. In keeping with its mission, the Institute's yearly sessions will also provide opportunities for attendance at Mass, the Divine Office and "mini-Retreat" sessions centered around the Abbey's landmark Church of St. Gregory the Great.
Initial funding for The Portsmouth Institute has been established with generous contributions from National Review Institute, the William E. Simon Foundation, the Healey Family Foundation and other generous alumni and friends. Accepting the role of director is Jamie MacGuire, Senior Development Officer of the Portsmouth Abbey School and 1970 graduate of The Portsmouth Abbey School.
Inaugural Conference - A Celebration of The Catholic William F. Buckley Jr.
In launching The Portsmouth Institute, director Jamie MacGuire also announced sponsorship of its inaugural conference - "A Celebration of The Catholic William F. Buckley Jr." - to be held from June 18-21, 2009 at Portsmouth Abbey School.
A stellar array of nationally renowned writers, scholars, commentators and intellectuals will gather to celebrate and explore the influence of the late William F. Buckley, Jr. - founder of The National Review - on American thought and society, as well as the role Buckley's devout Catholicism played in the formation of his thought and philosophy.
Participants will include: Buckley's son, author Christopher Buckley '70; Washington Post and Commonweal columnist E.J. Dionne '69; New Criterion editor-in-chief Roger Kimball; First Things editor Joseph Bottum; syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher; National Review Online editor Kathryn Lopez; Heritage Foundation fellow Lee Edwards; and Father George Rutler, pastor of Our Saviour church in New York City.
"We are proud to be presenting the first conference on Bill's life and thought since his death last February," commented Portsmouth Institute director James MacGuire. "Given all that has transpired in the last year, this is an ideal moment to reflect on his work and beliefs as Americans across the political spectrum begin a principled engagement with the new realities of 2009."
The conference will convene on Thursday afternoon, June 18 and conclude on Sunday morning, June 21.
"We look forward to welcoming old and new friends alike to Portsmouth Abbey and School," said Dr. James DeVecchi, headmaster. "So that they can be better acquainted with the academic and spiritual excellence that has been nurtured here for the past eighty years on the beautiful shores of Narragansett Bay."
Celebrating the Link of the Physical and the Spiritual -The Renovation of the Church of St. Gregory the Great
A highlight of the conference will be a celebration of the recently completed $4 million renovation of the Church of St. Gregory the Great, designed by Pietro Belluschi, on which work has been ongoing for the past year. A sacred concert featuring Mozart's Requiem will be held at 6 PM on Saturday, June 20, and a celebratory sung Mass will take place Sunday, June 21 at 9:30 AM.
"The Church is the heart of our Abbey and School," said the Right Reverend Caedmon Holmes O.S.B., abbot of Portsmouth. "And of course we look forward to welcoming conference attendees and all of our friends to this mid-20th century masterpiece now that it has been restored to its original glory."
For More Information:
The complete conference program and registration information for The Catholic William F. Buckley is available at www.portsmouthinstitute.org, by calling Fran Cook at (401) 643-1281, emailing her at fcook@portsmouthabbey.org, or writing her at Portsmouth Abbey School, 285 Corys Lane, Portsmouth RI 02871.
Additional queries may be addressed to James MacGuire '70 at jmacguire@portsmouthabbey.org.
Visit the PORTSMOUTH INSTITUTE Web site.
