Curran Center for American Catholic Studies
The Curran Center is located on the 2nd floor of Duane Library.
The Francis and Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies advances knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of American Catholicism within the academy and the church, and with the broader religious community and general public.
Our threefold mission is to:
- Educate rising generations of religiously-informed citizens
- Foster ecumenical, inter-religious, and interdisciplinary engagement with Catholic thought and practice
- Promote informed and compassionate analysis of the critical religious and social issues of our time.
In 2001, university president Rev. Joseph O'Hare, SJ, approached Rev. Mark Massa, SJ, about forming a center for the study of American Catholicism. In the following months, Fr. Massa set to work developing Fr. O'Hare's vision, in hopes of establishing a nationally-recognized hub for the study of American Catholic history, identity, and practice.
In 2004, John and Connie Curran expressed to Fr. Massa their interest in endowing the center, and the Francis and Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies, named in honor of John's parents, was born. Dedicated to advancing the Jesuit Catholic educational mission of the university, the Curran Center is a hub for many different types of events and programs, including public lectures, faculty seminars, major scholarly conferences, and an undergraduate concentration that, in the words of our students, shapes the way Fordham students "see and engage the world."
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