Faculty News: Teresa Berger Gives O'Callaghan Lecture

September 27, 2013

In October 2014 Teresa Berger gave the O’Callaghan Lecture at Fairfield University, speaking on “Women as Celebrants and Interpreters of Catholic Liturgy: From Sacrosanctum Concilium to Cyberspace.”

From the Fairfield University news feed:

“This presentation will map the many ways in which both women’s lives and Catholic liturgy have changed significantly over the last fifty years,” said Dr. Berger, whose most recent book is “Gender Differences and the Making of Liturgical History” (Ashgate: Liturgy, Worship and Society, 2011). “It will highlight vibrant gains in these changes as well as some quite remarkable losses. Throughout, we will attend to the immense diversity of women’s voices as they have emerged and made themselves heard with regard to Catholic liturgy.”

Dr. Berger received the distinguished Herbert Haag Prize for Freedom in the Church in 2003. Her publications include “Dissident Daughters: Feminist Liturgies in Global Context” (2001); “Fragments of Real Presence: Liturgical Traditions in the Hands of Women” (2005); and a video documentary, “Worship in Women’s Hands” (2007). An active Roman Catholic, Berger has produced (with MysticWaters Media) a CD-ROM, “Ocean Psalms: Meditations, Stories, Prayers, Songs and Blessings from the Sea” (2008); and she contributes to the liturgy blog, Pray Tell.

This lecture honors Anne Drummey O’Callaghan who worked tirelessly as a catechist, advocate for the intellectually disabled, youth minister, and director of religious education in the Diocese of Bridgeport.