Concelebrants at Saturday morning Conventual Mass for the Portsmouth Institute

Abbot Michael Brunner was pleased to announce that Dr. Darryl De Marzio has been named as the new Executive Director of Portsmouth Institute. Abbot Michael announced the appointment at the beginning of June: “We are thrilled to welcome Darryl as our new Executive Director to build on the great accomplishments of the Portsmouth Institute, especially as we dedicate ourselves to advancing a vision of Benedictine education in service to students, teachers, and lifelong learners." Dr. De Marzio joined the faculty of the School two years ago, after teaching philosophy at the University of Scranton. Already pressed into service this summer, with the Pietas program for teachers and with his involvement in the Humanitas symposium, Darryl is most certainly hitting the ground running in his new responsibilities.

Abbot Michael with the Fishers (Lauren, Felix, Frederick, Chris)

The Humanitas Symposium this year marked fifteen years for this flagship program of the Portsmouth Institute, the last under the direction of Chris Fisher, serving as Chris' farewell as well as providing for the introduction of Dr. De Marzio. Its title, "God or the Machine: Seeking Truth in a Technological Age" expresses the scientific and contemporary focus that guided the agenda this year, led by a number of experts in the philosophical and theological implications of issues that now face us. The roster included Matthew Crawford, author of Shop Class as Soulcraft and The World Beyond Your Head; Patrick Deneen of the University of Notre Dame, author of Why Liberalism Failed; Joseph Vukov of Loyola University Chicago, author of The Perils of Perfection and Tara Isabella Burton, author of Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World. Also presenting were D.W. Pasulka, Carlos Eire, Jane Sloan Peters, Brett Robinson, Leo Clarke, and Denis Hector.

Darryl De Marzio, new Executive Director of the Portsmouth Institute

The Pietas conference was again offered in June, having established itself as one of the Institute’s important new initiatives. This weeklong program “invites teachers from all educational backgrounds and disciplines into a contemplative celebration of the Catholic intellectual life. Participants encounter the best in literature, philosophy, and theology in a communal, monastic setting.” The program’s participants joined the monastic community for the Divine Office as well as the morning Mass and enjoyed the quiet summer campus environment to explore texts under the direction of several of the School’s veteran faculty, including Kale Zelden, Daniel Caplin, Stephen and Katie Zins. The team was joined by Dr. Michael West of the University of Dallas, a co-sponsoring institution of Pietas. The Portsmouth Institute’s “Oxford Programme” for students finishes the month of July and has again enlisted the services of Fr. Edward Mazuski, joined by Fr. Cuthbert Elliott of St. Louis Abbey. Dr. Joanna Bullivant, Lecturer in Music at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford, is to deliver the introductory talk.