October 08, 2018
La Roche Literary Society Announces 2018-19 Schedule
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 8, 2018 – The La Roche University Literary Society invites the public to a free, on-campus series featuring book readings and lessons of faith found in Broadway productions.
“When Dreams Touch.”
Friday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m.
Ryan Room | Zappala College Center
Award-winning author Rosemary Hanrahan, M.D., will discuss how powerfully dreams can touch lives and bring people together, as they do in her first novel, “When Dreams Touch.” Dr. Hanrahan’s experience as a physician, involvement with international and public health nonprofit organizations, and leadership in health, education and community development in Haiti were the inspiration for the book.
Dr. Hanrahan has received numerous awards for “When Dreams Touch,” including the 2015 Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award for Superior Work by a Debut Author, a National Indie Excellence Award in Regional Fiction and the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Award for Historical Fiction.
“Motherlands”
Friday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.
Ryan Room | Zappala College Center
The author of “Motherlands,” Natasha Garrett, Ph.D., moved from her native Macedonia to the United States to attend college; she never expected to become a proud Pittsburgher. In this presentation Dr. Garrett, La Roche’s director of International Student Services, will read excerpts from her book, “Motherlands,” and discuss the changing patterns of immigration. In writing about gardening, food, working with international students and raising a bilingual family, Dr. Garrett uses humor and personal stories to explore what it means to become American and navigate languages, cultures and identities.
Dr. Garrett’s poetry, personal essays, and translations have appeared in Transnational Literature, Gravel, Allegro Poetry Magazine, Arts and Letters, and other publications. In 2014 she was named to the United Macedonian Diaspora’s first 40 under 40 list, which acknowledges the achievements of Macedonians younger than 40.
Stages of Faith
Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m.
Room 201 | Palumbo Science Center
Examining some of the classics as well as newer Broadway productions, Father Peter Horton, former La Roche campus minister, will speak on lessons of faith coming from the theatre. There are images of redemption being brilliantly portrayed on the stage through the work of composers, authors and actors from the past and the present. Through great music and great lyrics, Broadway has much to offer as we travel on this wonderful journey of life within the context of human experience and the gift of faith.
Father Peter is currently the pastor of St. Thomas More and St. John Capistran.
Initiated in the early 1980s, the La Roche Literary Society provides a forum for scholarship and discussion on literature and other issues.
For more information about the upcoming presentations, contact Sister Rita Yeasted, SFCC, Ph.D., at 412-536-1216 or rita.yeasted@laroche.edu.
About La Roche University: A private liberal arts college in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, six graduate degree programs and one doctoral program, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, and health and medical sciences as well as interior design and graphic design. This residential college provides a vibrant campus community for more than 1,400 men and women enjoying 30-plus student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.
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