Scott L. Smith Jr.

Last updated
Scott L. Smith Jr.
Scott L. Smith, Jr.jpg
Born (1983-05-26) 26 May 1983 (age 41)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
OccupationAuthor, Attorney
Alma mater
Notable worksPray the Rosary with Saint John Paul II, Lord of the Rings and the Eucharist
SpouseSara Ashton LaGrone
Children5

Scott L. Smith Jr. (born 26 May 1983) is a Catholic American author and attorney. [1] Smith is the author of several books of Catholic theology and devotion including Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families co-authored with Fr. Donald Calloway, Pray the Rosary with St. John Paul II, The Catholic ManBook, and a new translation of the Preparation for Total Consecration according to Saint Louis de Montfort . He currently serves as the Chairman of the Men of the Immaculata. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Career and personal life

Smith graduated from Edmond Memorial High School in 2001 and Texas A&M University in 2006 with a degree in chemical engineering. [5] He then entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Smith received his Masters in Theology at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he studied under Dr. Brant J. Pitre. He received his juris doctor from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center of Louisiana State University in 2013. [6]

Smith served as an Assistant Attorney General with the Office of the Louisiana Attorney General from 2015 to 2019 before entering private practice. [7]

Smith lives in New Roads, Louisiana with his wife Sara Ashton LaGrone and their five children. [8] He is a 13th generation resident of New Roads, Louisiana, seat of Pointe Coupee Parish. Smith's ancestor Jean Baptiste Pourciau immigrated to Pointe Coupee Parish in 1720 from the Diocese of Cambrai, France. [9]

Writing projects

In 2010, Smith began a series of articles exploring the Lembas waybread as a symbol for the Eucharist in The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. [10] The Lembas, for example, originated as a waybread for the Elves' Great Journey to the Undying Lands, as the Manna was the waybread for the Israelites during the Exodus to the Promised Land. [11] [12] These articles were eventually published as an anthology entitled Lord of the Rings and the Eucharist. [13] Actor Kevin O'Brien, who has portrayed J. R. R. Tolkien on EWTN and elsewhere, narrated the audiobook version of Lord of the Rings and the Eucharist. [14]

Since 2010, Smith has worked as freelance essayist and lecturer on Biblical topics, including typology, Mariology, and Biblical references in contemporary books and movies. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] Smith has written extensively on the Virgin Mary and is a frequent lecturer on the subject. [26] [27] [28] [29] [30]

Smith has written on Catholic and Christian themes appearing in comics, science fiction, and current movies. [31] [32] [33] [34] A collection of his articles on these topics was recently published as The Theology of Sci-Fi: The Christian's Guide to the Galaxy.

In 2018, Smith collaborated with Louisiana historian Brian J. Costello on a series of biographies of holy men and beatified people, entitled Blessed Is He Who ...: Models of Catholic Manhood.

As of 2019, Smith is serving as the co-host of the Catholic Nerds Podcast. [35] [36] On Episode 5, the Catholic Nerds interviewed Zac Mabry, who played "Porky" in the 1994 film The Little Rascals , about his conversion to Catholicism. [37] [38]

Smith co-authored with Fr. Donald Calloway the Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families. [39]

As a pioneer of the Catholic Horror subgenre, Smith is also the author of several horror novels, including The Seventh Word and The Cajun Zombie Chronicles. [40] His novels are all set in a fictionalized version of his hometown of New Roads, Louisiana.

Awards

Smith's blog was awarded the 2018 Fisher's Net award for "Best Blog". [41]

Bibliography

Non-fiction

Sole author

Collaborative works

Fiction

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eucharist</span> Christian rite and sacrament

The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an ordinance in others. Christians believe that the rite was instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper, the night before his crucifixion, giving his disciples bread and wine. Passages in the New Testament state that he commanded them to "do this in memory of me" while referring to the bread as "my body" and the cup of wine as "the blood of my covenant, which is poured out for many". According to the synoptic Gospels this was at a Passover meal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosary</span> Catholic sacramental and Marian devotion

The Rosary, formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary, also known as the Dominican Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or beads used to count the component prayers. When referring to the prayer, the word is usually capitalized ; when referring to the prayer beads as an object, it is written with a lower-case initial letter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass (liturgy)</span> Type of worship service within many Christian denominations

Mass is the main Eucharistic liturgical service in many forms of Western Christianity. The term Mass is commonly used in the Catholic Church, Western Rite Orthodoxy, Old Catholicism, and Independent Catholicism. The term is also used in many Lutheran churches, as well as in some Anglican churches, and on rare occasion by other Protestant churches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana</span> Parish in Louisiana, United States

Pointe Coupee Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,758. The parish seat is New Roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Roads, Louisiana</span> City in Louisiana, United States

New Roads is a city in and the parish seat of Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, United States. The center of population of Louisiana was located in New Roads in 2000. The population was 4,831 at the 2010 census, down from 4,966 in 2000. In the 2020 census the population was 4,549, while at the beginning year of 2023 the census showed a population of 4,205 and expects to be under 4,000 by the years end. The city's ZIP code is 70760. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epiclesis</span> Christian Eucharistic prayer

The epiclesis refers to the invocation of one or several gods. In ancient Greek religion, the epiclesis was the epithet used as the surname given to a deity in religious contexts. The term was borrowed into the Christian tradition, where it designates the part of the Anaphora by which the priest invokes the Holy Spirit upon the Eucharistic bread and wine in some Christian churches. In most Eastern Christian traditions, the Epiclesis comes after the Anamnesis ; in the Western Rite it usually precedes. In the historic practice of the Western Christian Churches, the consecration is effected at the Words of Institution though during the rise of the Liturgical Movement, many denominations introduced an explicit epiclesis in their liturgies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eucharistic adoration</span> Christian rite

Eucharistic adoration is a devotional practice primarily in Western Catholicism and Western Rite Orthodoxy, but also to a lesser extent in certain Lutheran and Anglican traditions, in which the Blessed Sacrament is adored by the faithful. This practice may occur either when the Eucharist is exposed, or when it is not publicly viewable because it is reserved in a place such as a tabernacle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eucharistic theology</span> Branch of Christian theology

Eucharistic theology is a branch of Christian theology which treats doctrines concerning the Holy Eucharist, also commonly known as the Lord's Supper and Holy Communion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass in the Catholic Church</span> Central liturgical ritual of the Catholic Church

The Mass is the central liturgical service of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, in which bread and wine are consecrated and become the body and blood of Christ. As defined by the Church at the Council of Trent, in the Mass "the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross, is present and offered in an unbloody manner". The Church describes the Mass as the "source and summit of the Christian life", and teaches that the Mass is a sacrifice, in which the sacramental bread and wine, through consecration by an ordained priest, become the sacrificial body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ as the sacrifice on Calvary made truly present once again on the altar. The Catholic Church permits only baptised members in the state of grace to receive Christ in the Eucharist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariology of the saints</span> Contributions of Roman Catholic saints to Mariology

Throughout history, Catholic Mariology has been influenced by a number of saints who have attested to the central role of Mary in God's plan of salvation. The analysis of Early Church Fathers continues to be reflected in modern encyclicals. Irenaeus vigorously defended the title of "Theotokos" or Mother of God. The views of Anthony of Padua, Robert Bellarmine and others supported the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, which was declared a dogma in 1850.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariology of the popes</span> Papal influence on Marian theology and devotion

The Mariology of the popes is the theological study of the influence that the popes have had on the development, formulation and transformation of the Roman Catholic Church's doctrines and devotions relating to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church</span> Roman Catholic veneration of Mary

The veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church encompasses various devotions which include prayer, pious acts, visual arts, poetry, and music devoted to her. Popes have encouraged it, while also taking steps to reform some manifestations of it. The Holy See has insisted on the importance of distinguishing "true from false devotion, and authentic doctrine from its deformations by excess or defect". There are significantly more titles, feasts, and venerative Marian practices among Roman Catholics than in other Western Christian traditions. The term hyperdulia indicates the special veneration due to Mary, greater than the ordinary dulia for other saints, but utterly unlike the latria due only to God.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic prayers to Jesus</span> List of Catholic prayers to Jesus

A number of prayers to Jesus Christ exist within the Roman Catholic tradition. These prayers have diverse origins and forms. Some were attributed to visions of saints, others were handed down by tradition.

In Lutheranism, the Eucharist refers to the liturgical commemoration of the Last Supper. Lutherans believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, affirming the doctrine of sacramental union, "in which the body and blood of Christ are truly and substantially present, offered, and received with the bread and wine."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Consecration and entrustment to Mary</span> Catholic act of devotion

The consecration and entrustment to the Virgin Mary is a personal or collective act of Marian devotion among Catholics, with the Latin terms oblatio, servitus, commendatio and dedicatio being used in this context. Consecration is an act by which a person is dedicated to a sacred service, or an act which separates an object, location or region from a common and profane mode to one for sacred use. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments clarifies that in this context, "It should be recalled, however, that the term "consecration" is used here in a broad and non-technical sense: the expression is use of 'consecrating children to Our Lady', by which is intended placing children under her protection and asking her maternal blessing for them".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis de Montfort</span> French saint and priest

Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, TOSD was a French Catholic priest known for his preaching and his influence on Mariology. He was made a missionary apostolic by Pope Clement XI. Montfort wrote a number of books which went on to become classic Catholic titles and influenced several popes. His most notable works regarding Marian devotions are contained in Secret of the Rosary and True Devotion to Mary.

Brian James Costello is an American historian, author, archivist and humanitarian. He is an 11th generation resident of New Roads, Louisiana, seat of Pointe Coupee Parish. He is three-quarters French and one-quarter Italian in ancestry.

Christianity is a central theme in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional works about Middle-earth, but the specifics are always kept hidden. This allows for the books' meaning to be personally interpreted by the reader, instead of the author detailing a strict, set meaning.

Donald Calloway, MIC is an American author and Catholic priest in the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. He is known for his conversion story and his 2020 book, Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father.

The Men of the Immaculata (MOTI) was founded in 2017 in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. It is an organization that hosts annual Catholic men's conferences. Scott L. Smith, Jr. is currently serving as the Chairman of the Men of the Immaculata.

References

  1. "Scott Smith, Attorney at Law". The Pointe Coupee Banner.com. 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  2. "Celebrating Advent with a twist in unusual year". Catholic Commentator. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  3. "Seeking Guidance from an 'Average Joe'". Catholic Community Radio. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  4. "Seeking guidance from 'an average Joe'". Catholic Commentator. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  5. "Students win scholarships". The Oklahoman. 1 June 2000. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  6. "Holy Water Books, About Scott L. Smith Jr". Holy Water Books. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  7. "Scott Smith Jr. opens hometown legal practice". The Pointe Coupee Banner . Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  8. Meek, Richard. "Honoring Jesus' Birthday: Smith Family Puts Meaning Intro Season" (PDF). The Catholic Commentator. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  9. "Resting Places Of Pointe Coupée's Early Residents". Louisiana's Historic and Cultural Vistas. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  10. "The Hidden Eucharist in the Lord of the Rings" . Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  11. Fr. James T. O'Connor (2005), The Hidden Manna: A Theology of the Eucharist
  12. Scott L. Smith Jr. (2017), The Hidden Manna in The Lord of the Rings
  13. Google Books (24 March 2019), Lord of the Rings and the Eucharist, Holy Water Books, ISBN   9780998360386 {{citation}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  14. EWTN Homeschool Connections, Kevin O'Brien
  15. Brian Kelly (6 July 2018). "Saving the Best Wine for Last". Catholicism.org.
  16. Tito Edwards (7 May 2020). "Top 7 Times Science Has Proven The Bible". National Catholic Register.
  17. Brian Kelly (30 March 2018). "The Skull of Adam Was Buried Beneath the Cross of Christ". Catholicism.org.
  18. Tito Edwards (31 October 2019). "Did Jesus Eat Himself At The Last Supper, Top Myths About The Crusades And The Church". National Catholic Register.
  19. Office of Evangelization and Catechesis (July 2018). "Johannine Literature – MAT II". Diocese of Baton Rouge.
  20. Tito Edwards (23 May 2018). "Why Catholics are Losing the Culture War". National Catholic Register.
  21. "Issue #61". New Evangelists Monthly. January 2018.
  22. "Issue #92". New Evangelists Monthly. August 2020.
  23. Scott L. Smith Jr. "Did St. Kateri bring a miracle healing not once, but twice, to the same child?". Aleteia. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  24. Scott L. Smith Jr. "Archive of Smith articles". Big Pulpit. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  25. Scott L. Smith Jr. (19 March 2013). "Backwash in the Chalice?". Catholic Exchange.
  26. Fajardo, Julienne (6 October 2020). "Starbucks Logo: The True Story Behind The Siren". Citizenside. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  27. "The Terrifying New Patroness ..." National Catholic Register. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  28. Scott L. Smith Jr. (4 September 2017). "Did Mary Appear at Fatima for the Conversion of Muslims?". ChurchPop. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  29. Office of Evangelization and Catechesis (July 2018). "Mariology – MAT II". Diocese of Baton Rouge.
  30. LearnCat (July 2018). "Mariology". Diocese of Baton Rouge.
  31. Scott L. Smith Jr. (14 November 2017). "The Hidden Christian Meaning of the Myth of Thor". ChurchPop. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  32. Scott L. Smith Jr. (18 November 2020). "The Theology of Superman: Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, and Justice League". Clarifying Catholicism. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  33. Scott L. Smith Jr. (27 April 2020). "The Messiah of 'Dune': Paul Atreides, the Kwisatz Haderach". Voyage Comics. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  34. Scott L. Smith Jr. (24 July 2020). "The "Virgin Mary" of 'Dune': Lady Jessica". Voyage Comics. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  35. "Catholic Nerds Podcast". Stitcher. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  36. "Why Are Millennials Turning to Tradition?". The Station of the Cross. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  37. "Catholic Nerds, Episode 5". AnchorFM. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  38. "'Little Rascals' Alfalfa and Porky Are Catholic Converts". Catholicism.org. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  39. Calloway and Smith, Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families
  40. "Horror novel from Scott L. Smith Jr. is the first of its kind". ChristianHorror.com. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  41. "2018 Fisher's Net Awards". Best Catholic Websites. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  42. Calloway and Smith, Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families