Author and Political Science Professor at Notre Dame to Speak at MTSM

Dr. Patrick J. Deneen, Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame, will speak on Wednesday, February 23 at 7:30 pm at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology (MTSM). The event is free, open to the public and will also be livestreamed at www.athenaeum.edu/live.

Dr. Deneen’s presentation, The Good that is Common, will explore the common good, especially how it is encouraged and fortified through good governance and the ways ordinary people reinforce it by their habits and practices. He will argue that the measure of good politic is not the size of government, but its efficacy in supporting those institutions that embody the authentic common good. These topics will be examined through the lens of the theologian Jean Danielou, S.J., and his seminal work, Prayer as a Political Problem.

Each year, MTSM hosts two public lectures established by generous donors. The LeBlond Lecture is the institution’s oldest lecture series and has been given annually or biannually for more than 60 years.

“Our annual lectures provide a venue for connecting with scholars from other seminaries and universities and furthers our mission of being a regional center for theological learning,” said Rev. David J. Endres, Ph.D., Dean of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary.

Prior to joining the faculty of Notre Dame in 2012, Dr. Deneen taught at Princeton University (1997-2005) and Georgetown University (2005-2012). From 1995-1997 he served as Speechwriter and Special Assistant to the Director of the U.S. Information Agency.

Dr. Deneen received a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and a Doctor of Philosophy in political science from Rutgers University. His dissertation was awarded the American Political Science Association’s Leo Strauss Award for Best Dissertation in Political Theory in 1995. He has also authored several books, including Why Liberalism Failed, published by Yale University Press in 2018 which has been translated into 15 languages

MTSM is the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s graduate-level Catholic Seminary and School of Theology. Our 75-acre campus provides preparation for ordination to the priesthood and permanent diaconate as part of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. In addition, our School of Theology offers graduate and certificate programs for laity, clergy and religious.

For additional information about MTSM please contact advancement@athenaeum.edu or 513-231-2223.