Shane Harless, PhD Candidate, receives postdoctoral fellowship at St. Bonaventure University

The Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University

Shane Harless

Congratulations to HART PhD candidate Shane Harless for being appointed as the 2024-25 postdoctoral research fellow at The Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University in New York.

Shane successfully defended his dissertation “Veiled Epiphanies: Encountering the Body of Christ within the Art and Architecture of the Poor Clares of Central Italy (ca. 1212-1350)” last month which focused on the Eucharistic devotion of the Clarissan Order in Italy during the 13th and 14th centuries, and the manner in which the Poor Clares participated in the solemnities from the remote location of their choir.

Fr. David B. Couturier, O.F.M. Cap., executive director of the Franciscan Institute, reflected on Harless’ scholarship.

“For the past several years, Michael has been researching the unique art and architecture of early Poor Clare monasteries,” Couturier said. “He comes to this research position to extend our knowledge of and appreciation for early Poor Clare foundations. We have been waiting for this distinctive approach to Franciscan scholarship and we are very excited to have him working with us.”