Scott L. Smith Jr. (born 26 May 1983) is a Catholic American author and attorney. 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 ''
''. He currently serves as the Chairman of the
Men of the Immaculata.
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. 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
The Paul M. Hebert Law Center, often styled "LSU Law", is a public law school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is part of the Louisiana State University System and located on the main campus of Louisiana State University.
Because Louisiana is a c ...
of
Louisiana State University in 2013.
Smith served as an Assistant Attorney General with the Office of the
Louisiana Attorney General from 2015 to 2019 before entering private practice.
Smith lives in
New Roads,
Louisiana with his wife Sara Ashton LaGrone and their five children. 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.
Writing projects
In 2010, Smith began a series of articles exploring the
Lembas
Magic in Middle-earth is the use of supernatural power in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth. Tolkien distinguishes ordinary magic from witchcraft, the latter always deceptive, stating that either type could be used for good or evil.
Se ...
waybread as a symbol for the
Eucharist
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
in ''
The Lord of the Rings'' by
J. R. R. Tolkien. 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. These articles were eventually published as an anthology entitled ''Lord of the Rings and the Eucharist''. 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''.
Since 2010, Smith has worked as freelance essayist and lecturer on Biblical topics, including typology, Mariology, and Biblical references in contemporary books and movies. Smith has written extensively on the Virgin Mary and is a frequent lecturer on the subject.
Smith has written on Catholic and Christian themes appearing in comics, science fiction, and current movies. 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
Brian James Costello (born December 28, 1966) 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 Ita ...
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. On Episode 5, the Catholic Nerds interviewed Zac Mabry, who played "Porky" in the 1994 film ''
The Little Rascals'', about his conversion to Catholicism.
Smith co-authored with
Fr. Donald Calloway the ''Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families.''
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''. 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".
Bibliography
Non-fiction
Sole author
* ''The Catholic ManBook'', originally published 2017
Holy Water Books
''St. Louis de Montfort's Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary - New Easier-to-Read Translation'' 2019
''Lord of the Rings and the Eucharist'' 2019
2020
Holy Water Books
2020,
ttps://www.amazon.com/dp/1950782239 Holy Water Books
''The Theology of Sci-Fi: The Christian's Guide to the Galaxy''
Collaborative works
* ''Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families'' with co-author Fr. Donald Calloway
Voyage Comics
2023,
* ''Blessed Is He Who ...: Models of Catholic Manhood'', Brian J. Costello
Brian James Costello (born December 28, 1966) 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 Ita ...
and Scott L. Smith Jr.
Holy Water Books
2018
Sara A. Smith and Scott L. Smith Jr., ttps://www.amazon.com/dp/1950782166/ Holy Water Books 2020,
''Pray, Hope, & Don't Worry Women's Prayer Journal For Overcoming Anxiety: A 52-week Guided Devotional of Prayers & Bible Verses to Conquer Stress & Fear''
Sara A. Smith and Scott L. Smith Jr.
2020,
Fiction
''The Seventh Word''Holy Water Books
2016,
the first of which i
''The River Dead''Holy Water Books
2016,
References
External links
Official blog of Scott L. Smith Jr. with archived articlesAleteia Online: Scott Smith archiveCatholic Commentator: Scott Smith archiveBig Pulpit: Scott Smith archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Scott L. Jr.
1983 births
American male non-fiction writers
21st-century American novelists
American horror writers
American male novelists
21st-century American male writers
People from New Roads, Louisiana
Living people
Texas A&M University alumni
Writers from Louisiana
Catholics from Louisiana
21st-century American non-fiction writers
21st-century American Roman Catholic theologians
Christian apologists