William May is the Michael J. McGivney Professor of Moral Theology at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Dr. May has taught courses for the Catholic Distance University. Along with John Finnis, Joseph Boyle, Robert P. George and Germain Grisez, he is one of the major proponents of new natural law theory, which draws strongly on the ethics of Thomas Aquinas.
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May was born the second of three children of Robert W. May and Katherine A. Armstrong on May 27, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. His father was a Presbyterian (who later converted to Catholicism), but May was raised a Catholic by his mother. He felt a call to the priesthood while in the fourth grade, and especially wanted to become a missionary to China. When old enough, he entered the seminary and was sent to study philosophy followed by theology at The Catholic University of America. He was tonsured and received the minor orders of porter and acolyte. However, in 1952, because of a serious medical condition (petit mal epilepsy), which eventually was cured in 1959, he took some time off from seminary studies to teach in DeAndreis High School in north St. Louis. After teaching for a year, he took his epileptic condition a sign from God that he should pursue another vocation. Because of his educational foundation he found work as a book editor. He married Patricia Ann Keck on October 4, 1958. Together they raised seven children.[1]
May continued his education while an editor. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts, both in philosophy, from The Catholic University of America, and his Ph.D. from Marquette University. He received the Pro Pontifice et Ecclesia Medal and the Cardinal Wright Award from the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars. He is a fellow of the Hastings Center, an independent bioethics research institution. [2]