By Andrea DeHaan, CHaSS Communications Editor
USU Professor Patrick Mason, Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, recently interviewed Father James Martin, Jesuit Catholic priest, New York Times best-selling author, and former “chaplain” of The Colbert Report.
On Sept. 19, 2023, Mason and Martin shared a thoughtful and personal discussion for an audience on Zoom entitled “Faith in America Today: A Conversation with Fr. James Martin, SJ.” The event was part of the Arrington Conversations series.
Topics included Martin’s own decision to join the Jesuits, different styles of Catholic worship, and how Martin has chosen to offer guidance through books, media, and direct encounters with parishioners.
"I wanted to introduce Fr. Martin to the USU community precisely because he is such a well-known and respected voice on faith and spirituality,” Mason said. “He absolutely delivered, demonstrating his trademark combination of insight, curiosity, compassion, and humor.”
The candid conversation featured both men talking openly about their own spiritual practices and how people can be open to wisdom from other religious traditions.
“Patrick did an amazing job of creating an environment where everyone felt comfortable,” said one attendee. “I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”
You can watch the conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HBd11Lc54g
On Sept. 21, Utah State University’s Department of English held its annual Brewer Festival of Writing. The 2023 event featured readings from visiting writer Bojan Louis and English alum Stacie Denetsosie.
Every student in Utah State University’s Japanese Language and Culture program has been paired with a Japanese-speaking tutor for weekly conversations as a part of regular coursework.
