Assistant Professor of Catholic Studies Susan Reynolds has won the New Scholar Essay Prize for Catholic Studies in the Americas, awarded by the Francis and Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies at Fordham University. Her essay, titled “’I Will Surely Have You Deported’: Undocumented Clergy Sexual Abuse in an Immigrant Community,” was published in Religion and American Culture: A Journal of Interpretation in 2023. As the award recipient, Reynolds will deliver a lecture at Fordham this fall.
In the essay, Reynolds delves into the often-overlooked histories of clergy abuse within marginalized communities, highlighting the intersection of practical theology and social justice issues. Praising her work as “compelling and insightful,” prize judges noted the essay’s innovative approach, creative argument, and strong research base, as well as Reynolds’ ability to navigate the boundaries between theology and religious history.
Reynolds was honored for the same essay in June 2023 as the winner of the Catholic Theological Society of America’s New Scholar Prize.
“I Will Surely Have You Deported:” Undocumenting Clergy Sexual Abuse in an Immigrant Community” is now available online for a limited time. Content warning: descriptions of sexual violence