Catholic Theological
Society of America

In an article published today, CTSA divestment leaders Dan DiLeo and Erin Lothes share the story of the CTSA’s journey to work with the investment company Aperio Group, which specifically aligns with the bishops’ value screens and includes a robust fossil fuel screen. The article is a valuable resource for advocating to our institutions the need for urgent divestment action on this critical whole-life issue, and it shows that it is possible to align investment portfolios with Catholic moral priorities, with the critical issue of Climate Justice at the fore.  Please consider scheduling a meeting with decision-makers at your institutions to share this great news and to consider similar divestment action.

The impetus for fossil fuel divestment originated as a grassroots effort by CTSA members. The ad hoc Fossil Fuel Divestment Review Committee led the charge to this success. Now reconstituted as the Climate Justice Committee, on which I serve, together with Dan DiLeo, Chair, and Matthew Shadle, we will continue support the integration of our shared theological work in service to our common home.  

Catholic teaching and US bishops' investment guidelines demand divestment. CTSA shows how. | National Catholic Reporter (ncronline.org)

The International Network of Societies for Catholic Theology (INSeCT) will be meeting in Rome in 2024. As preparation for their gathering, they are collecting insight and research activities of members from the respective societies. The current INSeCT research project theme is "Decolonizing Theologies, Decolonizing the World." Linh Hoang, OFM, is CTSA’s new representative to INSeCT. He welcomes feedback and information from our membership. 

Please access the survey via the following link: https://forms.gle/raQJeb5BYBw4Qmg37 .

Your input is invaluable in shaping the comprehensive global presentation envision for INSeCT’s general assembly. The deadline for completing this survey has been extended to January 10, 2024.

The Center for the Study of Spirituality at Saint Mary's College (Notre Dame, IN) is hosting an online, interdisciplinary reading group for scholars to discuss Judith Herman's Truth and Repair: How Trauma Survivors Envision Justice this spring semester.  We will be meeting for three Fridays beginning on January 12th at 1pm EST.  

If you are interested in participating, please complete this registration form.  I will follow-up with more details in the new year.  Please feel free to extend this invitation to interested colleagues as well as your doctoral students.  

We are also delighted to announce that the Center will be hosting a live webinar with Prof. Herman on Friday, March 8th at 7pm EST.  The webinar will offer attendees the opportunity to ask Prof. Herman questions about her research.  You do not need to attend the reading group in order to attend the webinar, though we hope that you will join us for both.

Announcing the Institute for Black Catholic Studies

Summer Session: June 30-July 2024.

Established in 1980, the IBCS is a school of pastoral theology and ministry that meets in the summer on the campus of Xavier University of Louisiana. During the three-week semester, students are immersed in Black Catholic studies supported by a rich community life of prayer, worship, and culture. The Institute offers two tracks: the ThM Degree Program and the Continuing Education and Enrichment (C&E) Programs. For more information, refer to the 2024 Brochure at  file:///C:/Users/kdbellow/Downloads/2024-IBCS%20brochure%20(3).pdf, go to the IBCS website https://www.xula.edu/ibcs/ or call the Institute office at 504/520-7691.

Durham University’s Centre for Catholic Studies, in partnership with the Franciscans Families of the UK and Ireland, are pleased to announce registration is now open for the forthcoming international conference:

The Franciscan Tradition: Retrieval and Innovation

The Second International Franciscan Studies Conference.

Tuesday 12 – Thursday 14 March 2024

Durham, UK

Confirmed speakers include:

Margaret Carney, OSF (St Bonaventure University)

Johannes Freyer, OFM (University of San Diego)

Mary Beth Ingham, CSJ (Loyola University Maryland)

John McCafferty (University College Dublin)

William Short, OFM (University of San Diego, and Collegium Sancti Bonaventurae, Rome)

Giuseppe Buffon, OFM (Pontifical Antonianum University)

The draft conference schedule, and registration details can be found at https://tinyurl.com/354528pr 

The standard conference package including registration, refreshments, and conference meals is £190.  (Reduced student package at £160.)  Details of accommodation options are available on the website. 

Registration closes on 18 February 2024.

Please direct any queries about this conference to Brian Casey – brian.j.casey@durham.ac.uk  

The Distance Learning programmes in Catholic Theology, led by Durham University’s Centre for Catholic Studies (CCS) and world leading Department of Theology and Religion, are designed so that participants can work through material at their own pace, studying equally well in any time zone and in many different life situations, alongside work, ministry, family or caring obligations. 

Students can now enrol for 2024-25 for a Postgraduate Certificate, a Postgraduate Diploma, or the full MA. The programme is suitable both for those who have studied Theology before and for those who have a background in a related discipline, including for instance History, English, Law, or Philosophy.

The CCS are pleased to be able to offer a Bursary Fund specifically to support students on these distance learning programmes in 2024-25.

Full details of the programme are available at:  https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/courses/v8k807/

If you have any questions about these Distance Learning programmes, please do not hesitate to contact theresa.phillips@durham.ac.uk

Last year the CTSA Board recommended that, following the publication of this year's volume of the CTSA Proceedings, I begin to share with the CTSA membership some of the Proceedings readership data that I share with the Board in my semi-annual editor's reports. Beginning this month, I'll be sharing monthly readership data periodically on the CTSA Newsfeed. As a reminder, every volume of the CTSA Proceedings is available online at https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ctsa/issue/archive.

Readership Data For September 2023

• Total Article/Report Downloads: 18,206
• Top Three Most Downloaded Articles/Reports:
• • Michael J. Cantley, "The Biblical Doctrine of Original Sin" (Volume 22 [1967]) - 217 downloads
  • Ellen Leonard, "Experience as a Source for Theology" (Volume 43 [1989]) - 214 downloads
  • Francine Cardman, "The Praxis of Ecclesiology: Learning from the Donatist Controversy" (Volume 54 [2000]) - 160 downloads

Readership Data For October2023

• Total Article/Report Downloads: 14,845
• Top Three Most Downloaded Articles/Reports:
• • Ellen Leonard, "Experience as a Source for Theology" (Volume 43 [1989]) - 267 downloads
  • Michael J. Cantley, "The Biblical Doctrine of Original Sin" (Volume 22 [1967]) - 207 downloads
  • Charles E. Curran, "Masturbation and Objectively Grave Matter: An Exploratory Discussion" (Volume 21 [1966]) - 206 downloads
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Loyola Marymount University's faculty senate and the College Council of LMU's Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts have endorsed motions to support a Just Employment Policy. This is in response to a plea by LMU Solidarity/Solidaridad, an umbrella social justice group comprised of students, staff, and faculty, to adopt a just employment policy along the lines developed at Georgetown's Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. See the Just Employment Project. Additionally, members of LMU's non-tenure track faculty have just gone public with their union drive. CTSA members who would like to support these efforts can contact LMU's https://president.lmu.edu/contact/office of the president.

"Envisioning Theology with Many Centres/Centers" &
Book Launch of Beyond the Analogical Imagination:
The Theological and Cultural Vision of David Tracy

Monday, December 5, 2023
Online Conference: 7:00 - 10:00 (Chicago)
Book Launch 12:30 (Chicago)

Over three decades ago, the North American theologian David Tracy (bn 1939) described theology as a “conversation between many centers” in a time when “the Western center cannot hold” anymore.

All are invited to hear three young theologians and philosophers of religion – Simone Kotva (University of Oslo), Isabella Bruckner (Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm, Rome), and Yin-An Chen (Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide) – introduce their own visions of theology in a world of many centres/centers.

The meeting will also explore critically some implications of David Tracy’s own theological and cultural vision on this question in conversation with contributors to Beyond the Analogical Imagination: The Theological and Cultural Vision of David Tracy (Cambridge University Press, 2023).

Compered by the editors of this newly published volume (Barnabas Palfrey and Andreas Telser), this event is digitally hosted by the Research Center “Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society” at the University of Vienna, and co-sponsored by the Lumen Christi Institute, Chicago.

Click here to access details.

The CTSA prays and mourns beloved member Richard "Rick" Gaillardetz, CTSA President in 2013 - 2014) who died early this morning.  

Eternal rest grant unto Rick, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

The CTSA's Proceedings includes Rick's work:

The Francis Moment: A "Kairos" for Catholic Ecclesiology (Presidential Address, 2014).

Investigations regarding "When the Magisterium Intervenes": Exercise of the Magisterium in Contemporary Social and Ecclesial Contexts (2011, R. Gaillardetz, Convener and Moderator)

Re-imagining the Ecclesial / Prophetic Vocation (2010) by Catherine E. Clifford and Richard R. Gaillardetz

When the Magisterium Interenes... ( 2010, R. Gaillardetz, Convener)

"When the Magisterium Intervenes...": Investigations regarding the exercise of the Magisterium in Contemporary Social and Ecclesial Contexts (2009, R. Gaillardetz, Convener)

Wake & Vigil: Wednesday, November 15, 4 - 8 p.m
Gormley Funeral Home
Wake 4  - 7:15 p.m.; Vigil Service 7:15 - 8 p.m.

Funeral: Thursday, November 16, 9:30 - 11 a.m.
Live Stream Link:  https://youtube.com/live/RJErTgxAkyo?feature=share
St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church
28 Commonwealth Ave., Chestnut Hill

Reception: 11:15 - 2 p.m. 
Gasson Hall, 140 Commonwealth Ave.