Holy Infant is pleased to share an upcoming opportunity for reflection, learning, and dialogue through the 2026 Dave Whittington Lecture on Faith and Spirituality in the Public Sphere.
This year’s lecture will be presented by Friar Wayne Hellmann, OFM Conv., Emeritus Professor of Theology at St. Louis University and a widely respected scholar of Franciscan theology and spirituality. His talk, titled “Contemporary Issues in the Light of the Franciscan Tradition,” will explore how the wisdom of St. Francis and the early Franciscan movement can help us engage today’s complex social, cultural, and spiritual questions with faith, humility, and compassion.
Friar Wayne Hellmann is perhaps best known as one of the general editors of the four-volume Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, the standard critical English edition of the writings of St. Francis and early medieval texts about his life. His deep scholarship, combined with a pastoral and accessible style, makes this lecture especially meaningful for anyone interested in how faith informs life in the modern world.
The lecture will take place on February 16th, from 7-8:30 pm at the Student Activity Center at the Newman Catholic Community, located at 214 Pittsboro Street in Chapel Hill. Ample parking is available behind the Newman Church and Activity Center, with overflow parking in the Nash Lot directly behind the buildings.
The Dave Whittington Endowment supports lectures like this one in order to educate and develop faithful Catholic leaders in business, education, science, and the wider community by fostering thoughtful engagement with faith and spirituality.
All are welcome to attend. For more information, please contact Therese Taxis at [email protected] or visit uncnewman.org/whittington-lecture.
We hope you’ll join us for this enriching evening of faith, learning, and conversation.