Catholic Theological
Society of America

Join the Conversation

CTSA Members are encouraged to post and join the conversation, log into the CTSA website using the email address you have provided to the CTSA and your member number.  Then visit the CTSA Newsfeed and click on "Add Post" or "Comment" below a posting. 

The Newsfeed is visible to the public; only members may post on the CTSA Newsfeed.  Postings are to be related to the scholarship of theology or related to the mission of the CTSA, e.g. items of academic interest; CTSA Board statement announcements; INSeCT updates/outreach; World forum on Theology and Liberation (WFTL) updates/outreach; consultation, topic session and interest group outreach, etc.  Also posted on the Newsfeed will be member memorials.

 All discourse on the CTSA Newsfeed, whether in postings or in comments posted by CTSA members, must abide by the standards of professional conduct and constructive criticism expressed in the "CTSA Statement on Professional Behavior" approved by the Board of Directors on June 7, 2018.  The CTSA  Board and Executive Director reserves the right to edit or delete any language proposed for posting or posted on the Newsfeed.  Spam, links to websites, petitions, and advertising will be removed.

Note:  Career Opportunity postings will be removed from the Newsfeed.  See https://ctsa-online.org/CareerOpportunities for further details on how to post a position with the CTSA.

Oversight of the page is done by the Vice President and the Executive Director.  Please email them with any post related concerns.

<< First  < Prev   1   2   3   4   5   ...   Next >  Last >> 
  • 10/06/2025 10:20 AM | Kevin P. Considine

    On Tuesday October 7th at 4pm (CST), Catholic Theological Union presents the 27th Annual Louis J. Luzbetak Lecture on Mission and Culture

    Kevin Considine, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology and Director of the Schreiter Institute for Precious Blood Spirituality, will present:

    Orthopathema: A New Lens for Mission as Ministry of Reconciliation in the Decade to Come

    • Pope Francis invoked the image of the Church as “field hospital” in a world that is facing ever-expanding threats to human dignity and the common good. This was a reminder that the missio Dei calls for radical hospitality, compassion, and embodied care with whatever skills and resources are available and appropriate within a specific context. Consequently, the vision of Mission as a Ministry of Reconciliation needs to grow from being rooted in orthopraxis to include orthopathema; from “right practice” of ministry to also encompass a way of “right suffering” that has two goals: the “sinned-against” not only survive the aftermath of violence but are empowered to flourish in the future; the “sinned-against” find healing so as to not perpetuate further harm similar to how they themselves were harmed. In the decade to come, this expanded understanding of Reconciliation and Mission through orthopathema will become essential for global Christianity to remain good news to the world.

    The Lecture is Free and Open to the Public.  Please register on the event webpage to receive the Zoom Link

  • 10/03/2025 11:28 AM | Anonymous

    One Body and Many Voices: The Future of The Church, Democracy, and The Legacy of Edward Schillebeeckx’s Theology in An Age of Crisis

    10–11 June 2026

    La Salle Retreat Center
    2101 Rue De La Salle Dr
    Wildwood, MO 63038

    The last decade has seen an immense change in the theological and political landscape of the entire world. The climate crisis continues unabated; economic inequality has grown as new technologies have in many cases enabled instability rather than prosperity and development; the abuse crisis continues to plague the church and the early optimism of Pope’s Francis’s first years has faded. Although Francis enacted reforms of the curia and opened processes of synodal dialogue, that work was left unfinished with his death on Easter Monday, 2025. The church now has its second Pope from the Americas and first ‘American’ pontiff in Leo XIV. At the same time, war in Europe and the Middle East remains a constant source of anxiety combined with the increasing shift in global politics away from the liberal status quo and towards more radical forms of right-wing authoritarianism.

    In this challenging situation, the experiences of negativity and suffering are evident, in part due to the reality that we face, and in part due to the perception of the world that is shaped by media, politics, and technology. However, within every experience of negativity, the potential for contrast and ultimately the experience of God is also present—an experience of grace which orients us towards action and change. The work of Edward Schillebeeckx continues to be instructive here, particularly in his many theological reflections on epistemology, ecclesiology, and the openness of the church to the challenge of the God, the Living One.

    Schillebeeckx more specifically speaks of God’s presence in history, precisely as a history that includes sin, suffering, and abuses of power: “It can be both in the everyday events of our history and in its dramatic events, including the crucifixion, though it is never fused with this history nor does it coincide with it.” (Church, 220) In our context, the presence of God has to be sought, named, called out, and identified in order to reveal the liberating potential of the gospel at work in the church and in the world.

    This symposium will reflect on the challenges and opportunities of the present moment as well as the continuing importance of Schillebeeckx’s theology for the contemporary context and for the future. The symposium invites participants to work from Schillebeeckx’s foundational insights as a starting point for their own reflection and as threads to be weaved into a future-oriented theology that can meet the challenges of the day. We therefore invite papers focusing on, but not limited to, the following topics:

    • One and Many – Ecclesial Democracy and a Synodal Church
    • Theopolitics, Authoritarianism, Threats to Democracy, and Eschatological Ideology Critique
    • Global Church and Local Faith – The Challenges of Ministry in Differing Ecclesial Contexts
    • Foundational Methodology and the Question of Theological Truth in a Post-Truth World
    • Grace, Conflict, Contrast – The Faithful and the Prophetic Voice of the Church

    Please submit abstracts of no more than 250 words by email to Dr. Elizabeth Pyne (epyne@mercyhurst.edu) by 1 November 2025.

    The day-and-a-half-long Symposium will take place at the La Salle Retreat Center, located about thirty minutes from downtown St. Louis. Further information regarding food, lodging, and costs will be forthcoming.


  • 10/02/2025 11:04 AM | Anonymous

    "In Memory of Fr. Roger Haight, S.J."
    April 30, 1936 - June 19, 2025
    Union Theological Seminary

    Union Theological Seminary invites friends, colleagues, and the wider community to gather in remembrance of Roger Haight, S.J., on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. Fr. Haight, who entered eternal life on June 19, served on Union’s faculty for twenty-one years. He was cherished not only as a pioneering and courageous theologian, but also as a generous mentor, a wise teacher, and a person of profound spirituality and compassion. His scholarship shaped theological discourse across the globe, while his kindness left an indelible mark on generations of students and colleagues.

    The memorial service will be held at 6:00 p.m. (EDT) in James Chapel, with livestream access provided for those unable to join in person. A reception will follow the service. Guests may enter through the Claremont Avenue entrance or the main entrance at 3140 Broadway. Parking is available at the iPark Garage (645 W. 120th St., under Riverside Church), located a short walk from James Chapel.

    A livestream for the event will be available at: https://utsnyc.edu/blog/event/roger-haight-memorial/

    To RSVP for the event visit "Roger Haight Memorial RSVP Page"

    Date & Time:

    Tuesday, October 7, 2025
    6:00 PM EST
    James Chapel, Union Theological Seminary
    90 Claremont Avenue, New York, NY 10027


  • 09/25/2025 11:22 AM | Anonymous

    Dominican Theology and Practice: The Past 100 years
    Friday, February 27 - Saturday, February 28, 2026

    Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, CT

    Call for Papers


  • 09/25/2025 10:44 AM | Anonymous

    Tobias Winright, Peter Fay and Meg Kaveny, "The Least of These", Mental Illness & the Church: A Symposium on Serving the Least of These (Commonweal Magazine 9/24/25).

    https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/mental-illness-church

    The article grew out of the CTSA's 2025 Convention session "The Least of These: People Suffering from Mental Illness, Law Enforcement, and Innovative Responses Selected Session" (Convener: M. Cathleen Kaveny):

    The Least of These: People Suffering from Mental Illness, Law Enforcement, and Innovative Responses Selected Session

    Convener:  Cathleen Kaveny, Boston College
    Moderator: Shaun Slusarski, Boston College 

    Presenter: Peter Fay, Villanova University
    “Catholic Social Teaching and the Mentally Ill” 

    Presenter:  Tobias Winright, St. Patrick's Pontifical University
    “Just Policing and the Mentally Ill”

    Presenter: Meg Kaveny, Behavioral Response Team, Portland Police Bureau
    “An Innovative Partnership: Social Workers and Police Officers” 


  • 09/22/2025 8:04 AM | Kevin P. Considine

    Congratulations to CTSA member Kevin P. Considine  on the publication of his second book Analogy of the Wound: A Theology of Communication for Healing and Social Transformation (Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, Sept. 16, 2025). 

    This book explores communication as a way of salvation for the sinned-against, sinners, and all of creation through an analogy of the wound. Rooted in Jesus' praxis of healing, this theology can assist in recognizing, understanding, and interpreting the harmful residue that remains in the aftermath of violence to repair human dignity and work for the common good. The author weaves together insights from methods of contextual theologies, the wisdom of Black and Womanist Theologies, Korean diaspora theologies of 'han', psychologies of trauma and moral injury, and the Catholic tradition of analogy to arrive at a unique synthesis: moments of salvation can be found in carefully communicating woundedness in the midst of building beloved community. Although the dissimilarities in our woundedness may always be greater than our similarities, the similarities convey truth and meaning and hold the possibility of the church living as Christ's wounded and resilient Body. We aid each other's healing in right relationship.


  • 09/16/2025 10:10 AM | Anonymous

    Congratulations to CTSA member Judith A. Merkle on the publication of her book The Vows of Religious Life in a Secular Society (Bloomsbury, Sept. 18, 2025). 

    This book investigates religious vows, shedding light on the type of faith that can sustain humanity in secular times. It examines the personal impact of religious life as well as its potential to foster a sense of completeness within society at large.

    Unbelief in today's society can be partially rooted in the shallowness of the sort of religion that the secular can abandon. Such a religion, characterized as magical, shallow, illusory, or rooted solely in external rituals, lacks the depth required to thrive in a secular society. It fails to address the profound aspects of human existence, the authentic freedom of the spirit, and the enduring obedience of faith.

    This study of religious vows uncovers their deeper meanings in light of these challenges. It invites us to consider whether religious life, despite contemporary criticisms, can be seen as "touching wholeness". This book does not only delve into the theological foundations of these vows but also key areas which impact their understanding and living in new contexts. It surveys sociological landscapes and goes beyond to encompass shifts in science, psychology, theology. Religious life in this sense is part of the renewal of the church, as well as an agent in it.

    By focusing briefly on each vow, Judtih A. Merkle illustrates how religious life serves as a bridge connecting the secular and the sacred. It is a life focused on love of God and service of others which is a witness to the coming of Kingdom of God, and values which truly matter in contemporary society.

  • 09/09/2025 2:24 PM | Mary Ann Hinsdale, IHM

    The Funeral Mass of Rev. James Alan Coriden was held on September 6, 2025 at St. Raphael Catholic Church, Rockville, MD. The eulogy was given by Jim's dear friend, Johann Klodzen and  Rev. Charles Curran presided and gave the homily. The service was lived streamed on You Tube. You can access it here:

    https://www,youtube.com/watch?v=u0808AK0xCY

    It was my proud honor to present our Society's John Courtney Murray Award to Jim in 2011 when I was president.  In addition to Jim's valued scholarly and pastoral contribution as a canonist to us and to the Church, he served as a humorous inquisitor for the Treasurers' reports at our annual CTSA Business meetings. May he rest in peace and rise in glory!



  • 09/08/2025 5:12 PM | Francis X Clooney, SJ

    On Thursday, November 20 from 2 pm to 3:30 pm, a memorial service will be held for Francis Schüssler Fiorenza, in the Williams Chapel, Swartz (Andover) Hall, HDS, Cambridge MA. A reception will follow in the Braun Room from 3:30 pm to 5 pm. All are welcome. More information forthcoming, about possible live-streaming of the service, etc.

  • 08/21/2025 11:17 AM | Anonymous

    Congratulations to Elsie Miranda, Cristina Traina and Susan Ross on the publication of their book "The Meaning of Being Human: Synodal Considerations" (Paulist Press, Sept. 2, 2025). Forward by Susan A. Ross.

    This collection of essays explores the meaning of being human as beloved creatures of God in the context an ever-evolving creation. As baptized members of the body of Christ the authors of these essays explore themes raised by the global synod, with particular attention to Theological Anthropology, and the capacity of God’s Spirit and Grace to break into our ordinary lives to manifest goodness, beauty, and divine love in the world. (Paulist Press, 2025)

<< First  < Prev   1   2   3   4   5   ...   Next >  Last >> 

@theCTSA.bsky.social

©2019 Catholic Theological Society of America. All Rights Reserved.
Catholic Theological Society of America is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

CTSA Privacy Policy - GDPR Compliant


Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software