Sponsored by the Center for Catholic Studies at ýƵƹۿ, a lecture titled “Sexuality and Prayer: A Catholic Understanding” will be given by Rev. Thomas J. Fitzpatrick, S.J., on Monday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Multimedia Room of the DiMenna-Nyselius Library.
ýƵƹۿ’s Rev. Thomas J. Fitzpatrick, S.J., will explore themes of human communion, beauty, and resurrection in the context of sexuality in prayer during his October 7 presentation, which will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the DiMenna-Nyselius Library’s Multimedia Room. This event is free and open to the public.
Basing his lecture, “Sexuality and Prayer: A Catholic Understanding,” on his conversations and experience in guiding people through the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, Fr. Fitzpatrick will discuss how prayer is a way of consciously cultivating a relationship with God, and how desire – also a central factor in human sexuality – factors into this relationship. “We are a ‘body’ and body immediately touches upon human sexuality and therefore enters into consideration of prayer,” he explains.
Fr. Fitzpatrick received a doctorate in theology from the University of Innsbruck, Austria. He has been a Jesuit for 64 years and a priest for 51 years. He currently works at ýƵƹۿ, guiding people in the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. He has previously taught at Fairfield Prep, ýƵƹۿ, Boston College, University of Notre Dame, Weston School of Theology, and University of the West Indies.
As founder and director of the Jesuit Center in Amman, Jordan, Fr. Fitzpatrick worked in Amman for 14 years. He also served as director of the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem for 10 years and founded the Cardinal Martini Leader Institute at Bethlehem University. He has written numerous articles which have appeared in periodicals in the United States, Jordan, and Jamaica.
Fr. Fitzpatrick is also a playwright; his latest work, The Gentle Whisper of Trees, is currently in production at the Westport Country Playhouse and is scheduled to premiere in December 2019.
The “Sexuality and Prayer: A Catholic Understanding” lecture by Rev. Tom Fitzpatrick, S.J. is free and open to the public. It will take place on Monday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Multimedia Room of ýƵƹۿ’s DiMenna-Nyselius Library, located at 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. For more information, visit fairfield.edu/cs.
