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Saint Vincent College hosts Society of Catholic Social Scientists conference

Saint Vincent College hosts Society of Catholic Social Scientists conference

by Public Relations | December 09, 2024

LATROBE, PA – Saint Vincent College was the host site for the 32nd annual national conference of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists (SCSS) on Oct. 25-26 at the Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion.

“Several colleges and academic disciplines were represented at the meeting,” said Dr. Jerome Foss, Endowed Professor of Catholic Thought and Culture and professor of political science in the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government. “We even had a former member of Congress give a panel presentation.”

Keith Rothfus, the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district from 2013 to 2019, addressed a panel discussion about “Statecraft and Prudence: Hope in Constrained Circumstances?” Rothfus spoke on “Lincoln, Slavery and a Strategy for Pro-Life Progress.”

Foss, who is executive secretary of the SCSS board, moderated a panel on “Philosophy in the Christ-Haunted South: Flannery O’Connor and Walker Percy’s Engagement with the Western Philosophical Tradition.” He also participated in a roundtable discussion about the 2024 American presidential election and another about Daniel J. Mahoney’s book “The Statesman as Thinker.”

“I ran an undergrad reading group the week prior to the conference,” Foss said. “We read Daniel Mahoney’s book in preparation for his panel, and the students attended the panel and met Dr. Mahoney.”

Five other Saint Vincent College faculty members—Dr. Jason Jividen, associate professor of political science, chair of the Political Science Department and co-director of the Center for Political and Economic Thought; Dr. Jacob Boros, C’16, assistant professor of political science; Dr. Michael Urick, C’04, professor of management and operational excellence, graduate director of the Master of Science in Management program and dean the of the McKenna School; Dr. Kaitlin Repp, C’22, advanced research assistant; and Dr. Eric Mohr, assistant professor of philosophy and chair of the Liberal Arts Department of Interdisciplinary Studies—also participated in the conference.

Jividen participated in a roundtable about Lee J. Strang’s book “Originalism’s Promise: A Natural Law Account of the American Constitution.” That roundtable was moderated by Boros, who also moderated a panel about the Catholic response to challenges in American political life.

As part of a panel about topics in faith and business, Urick gave a presentation, “Tolkien’s Catholicism: A Model for Middle-Earth Leadership.”

Repp participated in a roundtable about “Internship with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Laudato Si’ Advocate Program.” She also presented, “Safety and Happiness: How Pandemics Teat American Founding Principles” during a panel about religious freedom in America.

Mohr moderated the panel, “Faith, Dignity and Charity in Human Health and Wellbeing.”

Carl Olson, an author and editor of Catholic World Report, received the Blessed Frédéric Ozanam Award. SCSS gives out the award annually to someone who demonstrates an exceptional application of Catholic social teaching.

“The social teaching and action of the Church is rooted in truth—in Him who is the way, the truth, and the life—but it is often the case that truth is best experienced and known through the mystery of beauty,” Olson said. “My own conversion [to Catholicism] was due in part to numerous intellectual searches, but I am now at the point in my life I recognize that Christ, the lover of mankind, was always calling me through beauty, especially the beauty of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) and the saints, but also so much art, literature and music that pointed to God, the source of all beauty.”

 

Dr. Jerome Foss gestures while speaking in front of a green chalkboard.

Dr. Jerome Foss

 

 

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