The Portsmouth Institute's Catholic William F. Buckley Conference

From Justin:

Next week's highlight, for me and many other attendees, will be the three-and-a-half day conference hosted at the Portsmouth Abbey School by the newly formed Portsmouth Institute. The opportunity to invest some time in the life of the mind is something that most folks who work must normally squeeze into spare moments and is often accomplished in solitude — with a book, on a computer, or in front of the television.

A conference is more of a community event: in this case, listening to and having a chance to meet the roster of speakers who will address William F. Buckley's work and life and the role of Roman Catholics in intellectual society:

• Rev. George Rutler, Pastor of Our Saviour Church NYC
• Maggie Gallagher, author and nationally syndicated columnist
• Joseph Bottum, Editor, First Things
• Roger Kimball, author and editor of The New Criterion
• E.J. Dionne, author and syndicated columnist
• Kathryn Lopez: Editor, National Review Online
• Lee Edwards, The Heritage Foundation
• Tony Dolan, chief speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan

Other activities during the June 18-21 event include meals, tours of the school's church and wind turbine, and classical concerts by pianist Lawrence Perelman and Portsmouth Abbey faculty. Register online.

Perhaps the key reason to attend, however, remains the fact that we don't see these sorts of events that often in Rhode Island, and the founders of the Portsmouth Institute intend to make a regular practice of them. The best way to ensure that they do so — and that other organizations pursue similar offerings — is simply to respond to the opportunity for edification.