Fr. Andrew Dalton to Speak at University of St. Thomas on The Shroud of Turin

The University of St. Thomas, in partnership with Othonia, a global center founded on sharing information and education about the Shroud of Turin, is proud to announce that Fr. Andrew Dalton, LC, a well-known international speaker on the Shroud of Turin, will visit the St. Thomas campus to speak on "Who is the Man of the Shroud?" on March 30.His lecture will explore the mystery of the Shroud of Turin and will also feature a traveling exhibit of the Shroud artifacts on the first day of Holy Week.

Fr. Dalton invites everyone to come, question and explore who the man of the Shroud is through the exhibit and lecture.

"I want, like Jesus with St. Thomas the skeptic to say, come, press and probe," Fr. Dalton said. "Hey, you scientists, come with your microscopes and all your x-ray and infrared and all the rest-study the shroud, but don't be unbelieving, but believe. In other words, that's the invitation to this encounter with Christ to see him with eyes of faith, because that's where we'll meet him… We need the help of this image, I believe, to contemplate his face and to long to see him alive because that's what we're made for."

Fr. Dalton is a professor of Theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, Italy. A Catholic priest of the Legionaries of Christ, Fr. Dalton's approach bridges the gap between scientific observation and theological interpretation. He teaches Synoptic Gospels and Biblical Greek and Hebrew, and he is also the author of "Fulfilled Israel: Matthew's Plerosis Paradigm."

The lecture will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 30 in Jones Hall, 1100 Sul Ross St. All day on March 30, Othonia's beautiful, interactive exhibit with a life-size Shroud replica, instructive panels, and weapons of the Passion of Jesus Christ will be open for visitors in Doherty Library, 1100 W Main St, on campus to explore the Shroud's history, science and connection to the Scriptures.

The study of the Shroud of Turin lies at the intersection of faith and science, which University of St. Thomas is particularly dedicated to with its emphasis in educating students in faith and reason. The Shroud provides the opportunity for believers and skeptics alike to probe, question, and ponder the mysterious image on a linen cloth of a man with the wounds described in the Gospel accounts of the Passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. The Shroud challenges everyone who sees it to answer the question that Jesus asked his followers, "Who do you say that I am?" (Matt 16:15).

Nora Creech, MAFC '18, is the director of Othonia in the North American region and has dedicated her life to sharing about the Shroud of Turin. A proud UST alumna, Creech is an experienced lecturer on the history, science and pastoral implications of the Shroud. She is proud to have Fr. Dalton giving a lecture at the home of her graduate studies.

"I'm so excited that my two worlds are coming together in this beautiful event on the UST campus," she said. "The MAFC focuses on preparing graduates for faithful participation in Church life and Othonia seeks to make Jesus known through the Holy Shroud. The Shroud sits at the intersection of faith and science and learning about the Shroud uniquely meets the challenges of the modern culture that often sees a conflict between matters of reason and religion. Fr. Dalton's lecture combined with Othonia's exhibit is a beautiful opportunity to meet many of the goals of the MAFC-to blend theological reflection, social science insights, research and dialogue so students can thoughtfully engage cultural issues."

The event is free and open to the public. Register online on the Othonia website.

For more information about Othonia, please visit www.othonia.orgor follow @othoniainc on social media.