Lorenzo Albacete

Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete (January 7, 1941 – October 24, 2014) was an American theologian, Roman Catholic priest, scientist and author. A New York Times Magazine contributor, Albacete was one of the leaders in the United States for the international Catholic movement Communion and Liberation. He was the Chairman of the Board of Advisors of Crossroads Cultural Center.

Biography

Albacete was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and was a physicist by training. He held a degree in Space Science and Applied Physics as well as a Master's degree in Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Albacete was ordained to the priesthood in 1972 for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. He held a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He taught at the John Paul II Institute in Washington, D.C., and the St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y., and from 1996 to 1997 served as President of Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce. He was advisor on Hispanic Affairs to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

He was a columnist for the Italian weekly Tempi, wrote for The New Yorker, and appeared or was interviewed on CNN, The Charlie Rose Show, PBS, EWTN, Slate, The New Republic, and Godspy, where he was the theological advisor.

In 2010, Monsignor Albacete’s commentary was featured in the award-winning documentary film, The Human Experience.

Monsignor Albacete lived in Yonkers, N.Y. He died on October 23, 2014 in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Publications

Beside columns and articles on a number of American and international publications, Albacete was the author of God at the Ritz: Attraction to Infinity (Crossroad Publishing Company), a book in which as priest-physicist he talks about science, sex, politics, and religion.

Hendrik Hertzberg (The New Yorker) noted: "Lorenzo Albacete is one of a kind, and so is God at the Ritz. The book, like the monsignor, crackles with humor, warmth, and intellectual excitement. Reading it is like having a stay-up-all-night, jump-out-of-your-chair, have-another-double-espresso marathon conversation with one of the world's most swashbuckling talkers. Conversation, hell-this is a Papal bull session!"

Theodore Edgar McCarrick, Cardinal Archbishop of Washington wrote of the book: "Monsignor Albacete has a keen insight into the mystery of God and a wonderful sense of humor even when he is speaking about very heavy subjects. Perhaps it is precisely this sense of humor-and wonder-that brings people of all faiths to Msgr. Albacete's writings to find there a source of goodness and strength."

Bibliography

• God at the Ritz: Attraction to Infinity. NY: Crossroad, 2002. ISBN 0-8245-1951-5.

External links

• The Charlie Rose Show, a conversation with Reynolds Price, Gardner Taylor & Lorenzo Albacete about Jesus Christ.
• PBS Interview to Lorenzo Albacete: Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero
• Slate-Meaningoflife: Robert Wright interviews Lorenzo Albacete
• New York Times Op-Ed: "For The Love of God"
• Crossroads Cultural Center