Why is "Gregory the Great" Great?
The life and impact of the great pope

Saturday, March 7, 2026

a talk by Fr. Brendan Lupton
​​(University of Saint Mary of the Lake)
St. Gregory was Pope at the end of the 6th century but what made him "great?" Recognized as a doctor of the church for his profound commentaries on scripture, works of ecclesiastical and liturgical reform, and lives of the saints; he was also a monastic founder, skilled diplomat, and courageous shepherd who led the Church in Rome through a tumultuous period of plagues and barbarian invasions. In this lecture, Fr. Brendan Lupton introduces the genius and holiness of St. Gregory and propound his impact on the life of the church today.
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Fr. Brendan Lupton is Associate Professor of Dogmatic Theology at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein and a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago. He holds a B.A. and a S.T.D. from the Catholic University of America. A scholar of patristic theology, Fr. Lupton is author of Paul and Gregory the Great: St. Paul as an Exemplar of Holiness and Pastoral Leadership in the Writings of Pope Gregory the Great.