July 30, 2008

Holy Cross Professors Win National Book Awards

WORCESTER, Mass. – Two faculty members at the College of the Holy Cross were awarded 2008 Catholic Press Association Book Awards for recently published works.  Joanne M. Pierce, associate professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross, was recognized with two awards for A Commentary on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (Liturgical Press, 2007); and James B. Nickoloff, associate professor of religious studies at the College earned an award for An Introductory Dictionary of Theology and Religious Studies (Liturgical Press, 2007). The Catholic Press Association awards program recognizes accomplishments and contributions of those who go above and beyond to spread the word of God. 

A Commentary on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, co-edited by Pierce; Rev. Edward Foley, Capuchin, professor of liturgy and music at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago; and Nathan D. Mitchell, an associate director at Notre Dame Center for Liturgy, received first place in the Liturgy category and an Honorable Mention in the Professional Books category.

Two dozen liturgical specialists contributed to the book, which was created for bishops and others charged with implementing the church teachings and history, so that they could understand its historical background, theology, and specific directives more clearly. 

Pierce says she hopes the book will contribute to a shared understanding of this on-going process of liturgical renewal in American Catholicism during the early decades of the 21st century. 

A member of Holy Cross faculty since 1992, Pierce teaches historical and sacramental/liturgical theology and was recently appointed the divine cluster director for Montserrat, the College’s new universal program for first-year students designed to integrate more effectively academic, co-curricular and residential experiences. She received her Ph.D. in theology (liturgical studies) from the University of Notre Dame, and specializes in medieval liturgy. She is co-editor of Source and Summit: Commemorating Josef A. Jungmann, S.J. (Liturgical Press, 1999). She served as a member of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Consultation in the United States from 1992-2007, and was a member of the editorial board for the publication of the Proceedings of the North American Academy of Liturgy from 1998-2008. She received the Arthur J. O’Leary Faculty Recognition Award at the College in 2003.

An Introductory Dictionary of Theology and Religious Studies, co-edited by Nickoloff and Orlando Espín, professor of theology and religious studies at the University of San Diego, took first place in the Reference category.  It includes entries authored by many Holy Cross faculty in the religious department: Alan Avery-Peck, professor and chair of the department; Rev. William Clark, S.J., associate professor; Gary DeAngelis, lecturer and associate director of the Center for Interdisciplinary and Special Studies; Mary Hobgood, associate professor; Alice Laffey, associate professor; Todd Lewis, professor; Rev. William Reiser, S.J., professor; Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies and director of the College Honors Program; and Pierce. Rev. Thomas Worcester, S.J., associate professor of history, and Rosemary Carbine, former assistant professor of religious studies, also contributed to the book.

The 1,500 page volume covers all of the larger and many of the smaller religions of the world and took 11 years to complete. The aim is to provide undergraduate and general readers with basic information about concepts, terms, and names encountered in religious studies and theology.

Nickoloff earned his A.B. at Stanford University, his M.Div. at Weston School of Theology, his S.T.L. at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and his Ph.D. at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley. Nickoloff hails from Los Angeles and has spent extended periods abroad living and working in Korea, Jamaica, and Peru.  Since 1989, he has taught Catholic theology at Holy Cross.  He specializes in the theologies of liberation as these have developed in North America and Latin America.

For additional information contact Cristal Perriello at 508.793.2419