海角论坛

In Catholic teaching, the Virgin Mary is understood to bring people together under her 鈥渕antle,鈥� guiding them toward Jesus. She is a bridge and a unifier. At the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences, , an advising dean and medieval historian, teaches the course, Mary Through the Ages, which examines the figure of Mary from interreligious and intercultural perspectives. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 under her mantle that she鈥檚 able to usher people to Jesus,鈥� Corcoran said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 everyone included.鈥�

For and , two Vatican-affiliated scholars of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) and distinguished Mariology experts, the idea of Mary as a unifier was central to their . 

The trip last month, in collaboration with the , brought the scholars to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Catholic University, Mount St. Mary鈥檚 University and Georgetown University, where they spoke to Corcoran鈥檚 students. 

鈥淚t’s really important for students to see how scholarship takes place in real time and what real dialogue looks like among academics,鈥� Corcoran said. 鈥淚 was really grateful that they were willing to come to class.鈥�

Mary as a Unifier

Cecchin and Mart铆nez are the president and secretary, respectively, of the , a Vatican-based international organization that promotes Mariology, the theological study of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

During their visit, they met with Corcoran and (SFS 鈥�90), the associate director for engagement of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life. In Corcoran鈥檚 class, the scholars joined in dialogue with students from a variety of religious and academic backgrounds. 

The conversation explored the figure of Mary from interreligious and intercultural standpoints. Cecchin and Mart铆nez discussed their work of bringing Mary from history to the people of today, their work in moving Mary away from the process of vetting Marian apparitions and how the figure of Mary works to unify people across religions and cultures. 

鈥淢ary has always been an opportunity to come into interreligious dialogue,鈥� Mart铆nez said.

He spoke of the significance of Christians and Muslims . The figure of Mary was central to this collaboration, bringing leaders from both religions together as they joined in prayer and feast. 

鈥淚t was very nice to see this, the Muslim brothers singing a surah [chapter of the Quran] in front of the cross,鈥� Mart铆nez said. 鈥淭hey started calling us 鈥榦ur Franciscan brothers.鈥� We find that these kinds of events help us get into interreligious dialogues.鈥�

Cultural Understanding

In Corcoran鈥檚 course, students study Marian representations in Christianity, as well as in Judaism and Islam. Students from diverse religious, academic and cultural backgrounds come together in conversation about Mary. 

鈥淲e have students from all faiths, including students that don’t identify with any particular religion, who take this class,鈥� Corcoran said. 鈥淚t’s also really interesting to learn from students about their cultural understanding of Mary as well.鈥�

A highlight of the course is a visit to the The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which contains over 80 chapels and oratories dedicated to Mary, each representing Mary from the perspective of a culture around the world. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 a really culminating moment for the class, because each of these chapels represents different aspects of Mary,鈥� Corcoran said. 鈥淸We] see together all of these different representations of Mary and how she really is this global figure, painted to represent how she is imagined by people from each area.鈥�

Overall, Corcoran said the most important aspect of the scholars’ visit was their openness to interpreting Mary in new ways.

鈥淲e should embrace the fact that there are still ways to find newness in very old materials,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think it’s really exciting when we can bring in real scholars who are talking about the same issues that our students are and showing them what a rich academic discussion looks like.鈥�