[Download] "Ralph Mcinerny (1929-2010): Thomas S. Hibbs Remembers a Prolific, Creative, Philosophical Man (Opinion) (In Memoriam)" by Thomas S. Hibbs # Book PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Ralph Mcinerny (1929-2010): Thomas S. Hibbs Remembers a Prolific, Creative, Philosophical Man (Opinion) (In Memoriam)
- Author : Thomas S. Hibbs
- Release Date : January 01, 2010
- Genre: Religion & Spirituality,Books,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 62 KB
Description
One of the marks of a virtuous character, according to Aristotle, is the performance of virtuous acts with ease and delight. On that basis, as well as others, Ralph McInerny was a remarkably virtuous man. One of Ralph's most beautiful books is entitled The Very Rich Hours of Jacques Maritain: A Spiritual Life, the premise of which is that "we can find in the person of Jacques Maritain a model of the intellectual life in the pursuit of sanctity." Those words certainly apply to Ralph, one of the great Catholic intellectuals of our time. What distinguished Ralph was not just his fidelity, his intelligence, and his astonishing productivity, but his gracious and ready wit. He possessed a knack for conversation with everyone--from philosophers and politicians to the elderly and children. Unlike most gifted individuals, Ralph was never burdened by his gifts. He engaged in serious pursuits joyfully, almost playfully. Ralph excelled in so many spheres and combined so many virtues in his person that it is difficult to know where to begin recounting his noteworthy achievements. He was a philosopher (the author of more than two dozen scholarly books, he gave the prestigious Gifford Lectures in 1999-2000), a translator (he translated the texts of Aquinas for Penguin Classics), a critically acclaimed and popular novelist (author of a number of mysteries, including the popular Father Dowling novels, which became a television series), a public intellectual (he appeared on William E Buckley's Firing Line and was a member of President George W. Bush's Committee on the Arts and Humanities), a journalist (with Michael Novak, he founded Crisis, a journal of lay Catholic opinion), and a published poet. In the midst of all this activity, Ralph was remarkably generous with his time and his help, especially for his students, in whose families he expressed an avid interest.