Veritas - Winter 2003 Newsletter

Barry Welcomes Scholar in Residence William Cenkner, OP

Fr. Bill Cenkner brings to Barry over 7,000 books and a lifetime of wisdom and scholarship. Residing at Congar House near the campus, he has become mentor and friend to many, encouraging students and faculty alike in their pursuit of academic excellence and personal fulfillment.

“This is my 51st year as a Dominican and my 45th year of ordination,” he said recently. He is now the Sister Jeanne O’Laughlin Scholar in Residence. Fr. Cenkner began teaching in 1959 in Columbus, Ohio and retired as Professor Emeritus from The Catholic University of America where he served as Catherine Drexel Professor of Religion from 1969-2002. He earned the Ph.D. in History of Religions and taught Scripture, Catholic Thought, and Theological Eschatology and other basic religion courses to high school, college and graduate students, and lay adults. His association with Barry began in the mid-60’s, when he directed retreats for the Adrian Dominican Sisters following Vatican II.

Fr. Cenkner has been committed to interfaith dialogue for many years. One outstanding accomplishment was his organization of the conference, “Evil and the Response of the World”. Over 100 scholars responded to his invitation to participate, and a book of essays from the symposium was subsequently published. Typically, he takes joy in the accomplishments of his students, mentioning their recent publications and awards instead of his own. His “reading retirement” includes reading and editing manuscripts for publishers and students, and research in Asian theology and philosophy.