One of the first scholars who has used the RESILIENCE TNA programme is Chidiebere Nnabugwu. What did the opportunity in Bologna in September of this year bring him? Read our interview with him below.
My project stands at the intersection of the growth of the African Hierarchy between the 1950s and the 1960s and their participation in the Second Vatican Council. Thematically, it focuses on the contribution of these African Bishops to the movements and speeches that led to Vatican II’s ultimate response to the problem of world poverty.
I was privileged to access the rich archival resources in Giacomo Lercaro fonds around the subject of poverty at the Second Vatican Council. It was interesting, to give a hint, to read the many fervent speeches – including those of Bishops from Africa – that were made in the meetings of the Church of the Poor Group even at the very first session of Vatican II.
My stay at Fscire was quite rewarding in terms of the resources I consulted and the network of experts and other scholars I encountered. This was so thanks to the graciousness of the Fscire team, which did its best to make my stay worthwhile and pleasant. I am very grateful, inter alia, for the assistance both before and during my stay, the accommodations I was graciously offered, the very warm reception I was accorded, and the helpful insights and suggestions I received from Fscire experts and scholars. Indeed, it felt like home.
***
Thank you for this interview, Chidiebere! We wish you good luck in your further research.
About Chidiebere Nnabugwu
Chidiebere Nnabugwu is a doctoral researcher at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, KU Leuven. He is a member of the Research Unit History of Church and Theology. His research interests include the history and reception of the Second Vatican Council, Catholic social teaching, and the twentieth-century history of Catholicism in Africa. More
About TNA Scholarships
In the 2022/2023 season, more scholars will take advantage of a RESILIENCE TNA scholarship. The following call for applications for a RESILIENCE TNA scholarship will be open May 15, 2023 to July 1, 2023.
Visual: Chidiebere Nnabugwu (left) and Prof. Alberto Melloni, Secretary Fscire (right)