Francis W. Sweeney

virtual exhibit fall 2004 - burns library

It was Father Sweeney's personal touch that brought repeated visits by many notable lecturers. W.H. Auden, Daniel Berrigan, Robert Frost, John Kenneth Galbraith, Seamus Heaney, Denise Levertov, Richard Murphy, Czeslaw Milosz, Sean O'Faolain, James Reston, Adrienne Rich, Susan Sontag, Stephen Spender and Robert Penn Warren all lectured at Boston College on at least four occasions. T.S. Eliot, a two-time speaker, told Sweeney that: "I want to be invited back. Even when I am unable to go elsewhere, I shall return to Boston College." Writers and artists who usually did not give readings did so at Father Sweeney's urging. Alec Guinness was reluctant to give a reading and doubted an audience would find any interest in him. Sweeney replied that people would come in large numbers even if Guinness only were to "just come here and whistle Dixie." Sweeney suspected that "guests felt safe in coming here" because "we made them feel truly wanted and appreciated, and we didn't use them - we didn't make them stand at the end of a long receiving line for instance. Those things really make a difference." Father Sweeney began lifelong friendships with many lecturers and many of their spouses. These friendships are documented in his lifelong correspondence with Christopher Dawson, Veronica Dawson, T.S. Eliot, Valerie Eliot, Alec Guinness, Seamus Heaney, Richard Murphy, Sean O'Faolain, Susan Sontag, Arnold Toynbee and other individuals.

Photograph of actor Sir Alec Guinness standing with historian Christopher Dawson at Boston College-sponsored birthday party for Dawson on November 8, 1959. A day later, Guinness gave a reading entitled "Readings of Christian Verse and Prose" as part of the Humanities Series.

Photo credit: Humanities Series - Director's Files, Burns Library, Boston College.

Reproduction of the poster used to publicize the December 4, 1961 T.S. Eliot poetry reading. This would be Eliot's last visit to Boston College. Even after the poet's death in 1965, Sweeney maintained his friendship with the poet's widow, Valerie Eliot. Every year he ordered yellow roses to be sent to Mrs. Eliot on the anniversary of the poet's death.

Photo credit: Humanities Series - Director's Files, Burns Library, Boston College

Irish author Sean O'Faolain lectured at Boston College as part of the Humanities Series on numerous occasions in the 1960s. In the Spring Semester 1964, O'Faolain was Boston College's Writer in Residence and offered eight lectures on a variety of topics related to Irish literature. He is pictured here at one of those eight lectures.

Photo credit: Lay Faculty Photograph Collection, Boston College Archives, Burns Library.

Photograph of W.H. Auden on the stage at the Boston Sheraton Hotel on February 23, 1966 with Professor John Mahoney sitting to the side. The popularity of Auden necessitated renting the hotel's auditorium. The British poet spoke under the auspices of the Humanities Series on six occasions from 1958 to 1974.

Photo credit: Humanities Series - Director's Files, Burns Library, Boston College.

Photograph of Susan Sontag meeting with students and faculty at Roberts House prior to her March 29, 1979 Humanities Series lecture. She spoke eight times from 1972 to 1988.

Photo credit: Office of Communications, University Archives, Burns Library, Boston College.

Poet and activist Rev. Daniel Berrigan, S.J. was a lifelong friend to Father Sweeney. Here he is pictured speaking in Boston College's McGuinn Hall on September 29, 1980. Berrigan spoke at Boston College under the auspices of the Humanities Series and other organizations on numerous occasions.

Photo credit: Office of Communications, University Archives, Burns Library, Boston College.

Seamus Heaney appeared at Boston College under the auspices of the Humanities Series on seven occasions during Father Sweeney's tenure as Director. Heaney is pictured here delivering a lecture entitled "Dialetics and Tribes" focusing on the language, life and times of James Joyce. The lecture was part of Boston College's centennial celebration of Joyce's birth.

Photo credit: Office of Communications, University Archives, Burns Library, Boston College.

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