The Family Room (The Quest)
Dr. Helen Hoffner, college professor and Catholic author
Few people consider thanking a Catholic as they go about their daily activities, but the achievements and discoveries credited to ordinary Catholics are quite a story. For example, did you know the Mayo Clinic began in a convent after a tornado? Or, that you might not be drinking coffee today had it not been for the endorsement of this energizing drink by Pope Clement in the 16th century?
Dr. Helen Hoffner does an amazing job of digging into the Catholic origins of many things we take for granted: hospitals, pretzels, and insulin are just a few she discovered while writing her book, Catholicism Everywhere: From Hail Mary Passes to Cappuccinos - How the Catholic Faith Is Infused in Culture.
Similarly, intrigued by her mother’s collection of rosaries, Dr. Hoffner co-wrote a book with her mom that she likens to an antique road show, explaining variations on the rosary. A third book, Catholic Traditions and Treasures, helps explain the history behind many Catholic traditions such as burying a statue of St. Joseph when selling a house.
Helen Hoffner earned her doctorate at Widener University, her master’s at Temple University, and a bachelor’s degree at West Chester University. She also studied theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Since 1999, Dr. Hoffner has been a professor at Holy Family University where she chairs doctoral dissertation committees and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses. She has been a teacher in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is a member of the Cardinal O’Hara High School Hall of Fame and the Domestic Schools Advisory Board of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
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