Intercessory Prayer in the Mennonite and Catholic Traditions
Friday, September 30, 2022
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About the Lecture:
This talk will explore theological understandings of intercessory prayer and the communion of
saints through an ecumenical lens, holding the Mennonite and Catholic traditions in
conversation. We will consider a particular narrative of intercessory prayer involving
members of both faith communities and have the opportunity to discuss insights emerging
from that story within the broader framework of Mennonite-Catholic ecumenical dialogue.
Pfeil co-edited the book Intercessory Prayers and the Communion of Saints: Mennonite and Catholic Perspectives, which tells an unusual story. The book has an authenticated miracle at the heart of it, describing events leading to the healing of Jun Yamada. A young Japanese Mennonite, Yamada was close to death in Japan in the late 1980s. While his doctor at one point said he was so ill as to have only one day to live, both Catholics and Mennonites there prayed for his recovery. Prayers included a Catholic novena in honor of Blessed Josef Freinadametz, 1852-1908, a Society of the Divine Word missionary to China, asking for his intercession on behalf of Jun Yamada. The unusual circumstances surrounding his healing set in motion a study process which led the Vatican to accept this healing as a genuine miracle, which in turn led Pope John Paul II to canonize St. Josef Freinadametz in 2003.
In this book Professor Pfeil and co-editor, Darrin Belousek, Ph.D., bring together the rich presentations of two conferences. In the first, many witnesses describe the story of Jun Yamada, and the circumstances surrounding the miracle of his healing. The second illustrates Mennonite and Catholic theological perspectives on the key theological themes which help to interpret what happened, namely intercessory prayer and the communion of saints.
About the Speaker:
Pfeil holds a joint appointment in the Theology Department and the Center for Social
Concerns at the University of Notre Dame. Her primary fields of study are moral theology
and Christian ethics. Research interests include Catholic social teaching, racial
justice, non-violence, ecological ethics, and ecumenism. She has numerous publications
in these areas. Professor Pfeil is also a Faculty Fellow of the Kroc Institute for
International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She is a co-founder and
member of the Saint Peter Claver Catholic Worker Community in South Bend, Indiana.
For many years she has been a participant in the Mennonite-Catholic Bridgefolk movement.
About Catholic Studies:
Catholic Studies at Seton Hall University offers an innovative, interdisciplinary
curriculum for students of any creed who are interested in deepening their knowledge
of Catholicism's rich intellectual tradition and living heritage. Combining the study
of history, philosophy, theology, literature, art, sociology, and other disciplines,
Catholic Studies focuses on the Church's dialogue with culture and encounter with
the world. Students interested in Catholic Studies have the option to pursue a major,
minor, or certificate that complements and enhances the university's other degree
programs and fields of study. Over 20 years the academic program and its variegated
activities have stayed true to and fulfilled the Catholic mission and vision of the
University. For more information, please contact Ines Murzaku, Ph.D., Director of the Catholic Studies at [email protected] or Gloria Aroneo
at [email protected].
Categories: Faith and Service
