Robert Miller, associate professor of Religious Studies at Mount Saint Mary College, will present “Climbing Mountains and Dodging Demons: The Dangerous Faith of Frassati and Longo” on Tuesday, April 21.
Mount Saint Mary College will present “Climbing Mountains and Dodging Demons: The Dangerous Faith of Frassati and Longo,” the next talk in the series “Lectures in Applied Theology in Honor of Sr. Peggy Murphy,” on Tuesday, April 21 at 4 p.m.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on campus in the Dominican Center room 218. Mount Saint Mary College is located at 330 Powell Ave., Newburgh, N.Y.
This lecture series was created in honor of the talented Sr. Peggy Murphy, a retired professor at the college. Sr. Murphy made learning the principles of Catholic Theology a joy for her students for more than 20 years.
The presentation will focus on two newly canonized Dominican tertiaries, Bartolo Longo and Pier Giorgio Frassati, whose lives demonstrate that holiness is accessible to ordinary people.
In his talk, Robert Miller, associate professor of Religious Studies at the Mount, will argue that being a “saint” isn’t just an old-fashioned idea, but a modern way of living. He believes that anyone can lead a deeply meaningful life by finding purpose in their everyday routines and sticking to their values.
He’ll share the stories of two men who prove that ordinary people can do extraordinary things: Pier Giorgio Frassati, who found his calling through college life and friendships, and Bartolo Longo, who went from being a Satanist to a devoted community leader. Their lives show today’s students that no matter your background, you can turn your education and your passions into a life with real impact.
Miller is a Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and a board member for the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary - USA. Before coming to the Mount, he taught both graduate and undergraduate classes in scripture and theology at Caldwell College and Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University. Miller’s research spans a wide area of theology and biblical studies, including biblical theology and typology, John’s Gospel, and Mariology. He is active in his parish coordinating the RCIA process and offering other adult enrichment opportunities, and also serves as the faculty advisor to the Mount’s golf team.