Catholic Theological
Society of America

Our colleague Frank Clooney, SJ, CTSA President during 2022-2023, has been elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, in the category of Religious Studies. The Academy was founded in 1780, and its list of members includes presidents, scientists and humanities scholars, artists and musicians. As it says at its website, “the American Academy of Arts and Sciences honors excellence and convenes leaders from every field of human endeavor to examine new ideas, address issues of importance to the nation and the world, and work together ‘to cultivate every art and science which may tend to advance the interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people.’” Frank will be inducted into the Academy at a ceremony in October of this year.

April 24, 2025

Dear CTSA Colleagues and All Who Mourn the Passing of Pope Francis:

CTSA grieves the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis and expresses gratitude for his leadership marked always by dialogue, inclusivity, catholicity, a global vision, synodality, and the enduring communal search for truth. He encouraged a theology of encounter that fosters greater intimacy with the people, taking account of their joys and sorrows. Notably, he invited our particular interest in the condition of people who live amidst the peripheries of our world. Both his annual recent visit to prisoners on Holy Thursday, and his July 2013 trip responding to the cry of refugees in Lampedusa, bookended his ceaseless grace-filled vision, personal character, and spiritual depth. He encouraged theologians to be shepherds who take on the smell of the sheep, and to recognize the need today to envision the church as a “field hospital,” a place of healing for all who are wounded in body, soul, heart, and mind. Indeed, Francis often spoke of the Eucharist as not a prize for the perfect, but, as food and nourishment for those who need it. He envisioned the sacrament of reconciliation as an experience not of desolation but of consolation.

As a leader of theologians, Francis’ 2023 apostolic letter, Ad Theologiam Promovendam (“On Promoting Theology”) urged, “To promote theology in the future, we cannot limit ourselves to abstractly re-proposing formulas and schemes from the past. Called to prophetically interpret the present and to see new itineraries for the future, in the light of Revelation, theology will have to deal with profound cultural transformations, aware that: “what we are experiencing is not simply an era of change, but a change of era.”” (#1) and he further taught us, “A synodal, missionary, and “outgoing” Church can only correspond to an “outgoing” theology” (#3). In more recent remarks addressing theologians, and also signaling his theme for our current 2025 jubilee year, he preached that theology is a “significant and necessary ecclesial ministry . . .because it is part of our Catholic faith to explain the reason for our hope to all those who ask (cf. 1 Pet 3:15). And we know that hope is not an emotion or a feeling, but the very person of Jesus, who is himself “the way, and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6).” (Greeting of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Members of the International Network of Societies for Catholic Theology (INSeCT), Friday, 10 May 2024)

His deep understanding of the ministry of theology again showed a freshness in another recent set of remarks addressing theologians from around the globe. Francis shared “This is a journey you are called to undertake together, theologians of both sexes. Here I think of an episode in the Second Book of Kings. During the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem, a text came to light; perhaps it was the first edition of Deuteronomy, which had been lost. A priest and several scholars read it, as did the king. They sense its importance but did not understand it. So the king decided to give it to a woman, Huldah, who immediately understood its meaning and helped the group of scholars – all men – to grasp it (Cf. 2 Kings 22:14-20). There are things that only women understand, and theology needs their contribution. An all-male theology is an incomplete theology. We still have a long way to go in this direction.” (Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to Participants in the International Congress on the Future of Theology, 9 December 2024)

Francis once remarked that when he thinks about theology, he thinks about light, about light that illuminates faces, people, the color of our world, so that the light of Christ and his Gospel may shine ever more brightly. May his memory continue to light the way.

Rest in peace, Francis.

Y por favor, ruega por nosotros,

Nancy Pineda-Madrid

CTSA President

Sarah and Hagar in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Traditions

From their first appearances in the Hebrew Bible through innumerable (re)interpretations in subsequent millennia, the figures of Sarah and Hagar have provoked reflection on the life cycle, fertility, conception, and childbirth; resource allocation, inheritance, and enslavement; sustaining life in precarious environments; group solidarity and partition; sex, gender, and ethnicity; and imagined relations between human and non-human entities, gods, angels, and demons. Across historical epochs and geographic regions, Sarah and Hagar have been like mirrors in which individuals and communities have found meaning and support.

The project comprises an ongoing series of lectures and discussions, and is expected to culminate in the publication of an edited volume to complement previous work in Claudia D. Bergmann and Thomas R. Blanton IV., eds, Imitating Abraham: Ritual and Exemplarity in Jewish and Christian Contexts (Brill, 2025).

Thomas R. Blanton and Claudia D. Bergmann welcome participation in and contributions to the ongoing lecture series, and proposals for articles to be included in the planned volume. All those interested in the myriad ways in which the legacies of Sarah and/or Hagar are drawn upon in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and in literature, poetry, art, music, and media from antiquity to the present are welcome to participate in the project. To propose a lecture or article contribution for the project, please contact Claudia D. Bergmann (cdb@mail.uni-paderborn.de) or Thomas R. Blanton IV (tblanton@jcu.edu). More information (including Zoom links to upcoming sessions) available at tinyurl.com/sarahagar

UPCOMING SEMINARS:

Hagar in Biblical Texts

April 23, 2025, 1:30-2:30pm ET, Zoom

Papers by Claudia Bergmann and Thomas R. Blanton IV

Hagar in Islam

May 7, 2025, 1:30-2:30 ET, Zoom

Papers by Zishan Ghaffar and Semiha Topal

Below is Linh Hoang's letter to INSeCT.  Linh serves as both President of INSeCT and as the CTSA representative to INSeCT.

----------------------- 

                                                                            April 2025

Dear INSeCT Friends,

As we start this Easter season, we are visited by the death of Pope Francis. It is a moment of sadness for his death and also of joy as we reflect on his contribution to the Church. There are tributes coming from all sectors of the world about what he has done and what his legacy will mean. He is the “first Pope” in many different ways and all of that just enhanced his unique style of leadership in the universal church. In an whatsapp chat, many of you spoke about his contribution already and what his pontificate meant and will mean to the Church. I just wanted to send my own words to reflect on how he engaged with theologians and Catholic higher education around the world.  As theologians, we know that our engagement is threefold—to the academy, to society and to the Church. At times, our interaction with the Church may be strained but never forgotten. At our last general assembly in December 2024, we were invited by the Holy See to engage in a conversation about the future of theology. Many of us were involved with this conversation and left inspired by how the Pope directly addressed us.  We took this conversation further by making our research theme for the next three years about the future of theology through our own unique perspectives as theologians: The Future of Theology: Disrupting the Past and Generating a New Vision.

When Pope Francis first appeared on the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica, he asked the faithful people to pray for him. This humble act set the stage for his pontificate and the stance that the Church should take. The act of praying is grounded in a faith that seeks understanding. We know that clearly as seekers who want to understand through our faith rather than just settling on knowledge making.

As Pope Francis rests in peace, we pray for him. Then we continue to pray for the work that has been given to us to do. We ask for prayer to reflect on the future of theology within our academy, society and Church. We ask for prayer as we anticipate a new pontiff in the Church. We ask for prayer as we encourage each of our particular society’s engagement with INSeCT’s theme. And, we ask for prayer for each of us as we continue to do the mission given to us to do.

Peace and good,

 

Linh Hoang OFM  

President, INSeCT 

Letter from Soyica Diggs Colbert, Interim Provost, Georgetown University, to the community:

Dear Colleagues,

By way of Vice Provost Jeff Urbach, we learned of the sad news of the passing of Al Bertrand, Director of Georgetown University Press. I recognize how challenging this news will be for members of our community. I encourage you to visit Every Hoya Cares for mental and spiritual well-being resources.

Let us hold Al’s family and friends in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Please see information about Al’s time at Georgetown below.

Sincerely,

Soyica Diggs Colbert
Interim Provost
____

It is with sadness that the Office of the Provost shares news of the passing of Alfred “Al” Bertrand on April 20, 2025.

A distinguished figure in academic publishing, Al joined Georgetown University Press in 2018, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his tenure at Princeton University Press and John Wiley & Sons in Oxford. Al held a master's degree in classics from Princeton University and a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Chicago.

Al brought a wonderful enthusiasm for ideas, books, and publishing to Georgetown. He established the first Faculty Editorial Board and reached out to many people across the university to share his excitement about the Press. Through his vision and leadership, Al diversified the publishing portfolio to expand the scope and variety of books that the Press publishes, adding books that reach beyond academics and connect us more deeply to the university, the broader Washington, DC community, and readers around the world. He brought his publishing enthusiasm to Georgetown students through the Press’s expanded internship program, taking great pride in mentoring a new generation of publishing professionals. We are grateful for his service to the Georgetown community.

Beyond his professional achievements, Al was deeply committed to social justice. He was a mentor in the Georgetown Community Scholars program and is remembered by his colleagues and friends for his kind spirit and dedication to his family and friends. 

Al is survived by his wife, Claire, and children, Eve and Jamie. He will be deeply missed. We will share additional information about a memorial service when it becomes available.

The Institute for Black Catholic Studies (IBCS) is a school of ministry that meets summers on the campus of Xavier University of Louisiana.  Established in 1980 as an immersion learning experience, the Institute offers a 3-week Graduate Theological Program and Continuing Education/Enrichment Programs with offerings in three 1-week modules. 

The  multicultural and intergenerational student body consists of laypersons, religious and clergy, pastoral ministers and scholars. Faculty members are experienced, experts in their respective fields of ministry or scholarship. 

The 2025 dates are June 29-July 18.  For more information, visit www.xula.edu/ibcs.

Consider a Jubilee Year investment in the IBCS - graduate or continuing education studies supported by a rich community life of prayer, worship and cultural activities!

Members Spring Publications (Orbis Books)  ~ Congratulations!

Ilia Delio and Andrew Davis, ed., Whitehead and Teilhard: From Organism to Omega

https://orbisbooks.com/products/whitehead-and-teilhard-from-organism-to-omega?_pos=3&_sid=59224ed89&_ss=r

Roberto Goizueta, Caminemos con Jésus: Toward a Hispanic/Latino Theology of Accompaniment 30^th anniversary edition

https://orbisbooks.com/products/caminemos-con-jesus-reprint?_pos=1&_sid=bffd165c3&_ss=r

Daniel Horan, A White Catholic's Guide to Racism and White Privilege

https://orbisbooks.com/products/a-white-catholic-guide-to-racism-and-white-priviledge?_pos=1&_sid=7b681cfe3&_ss=r

Christian Krokus and Habib Zanzana, eds. Christian de Chergé : Spiritual Writings

https://orbisbooks.com/products/christian-de-cherge?_pos=1&_sid=98a1d4b67&_ss=r

Christina Lledo Gomez, and John Sheveland, eds. Vulnerability and Flourishing 

https://orbisbooks.com/products/vulnerability-and-flourishing-cts70?_pos=3&_sid=65f130e97&_ss=r

Paul Schutz, A Theology of Flourishing: The Fullness of Life for All Creation

https://orbisbooks.com/products/creaturely-flourishing-a-new-theology-of-creation?_pos=2&_sid=4199b75d4&_ss=r&variant=49699836920109

Ashley Theuring,  Sacrifice Lost: The Dark Legacy of the Cross

https://orbisbooks.com/products/sacrifice-lost-the-dark-legacy-of-the-cross?_pos=1&_sid=12eb0b61f&_ss=r

Register and see the details for this webinar series at: www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org.   10AM eastern.  Feedback welcome!

The dates are April 9, 23 and May 7, 21.   

Thank you to the Virtual Events Committee members MaryKate Holman, Eli McCarthy and SimonMary Aihiokhai for coordinating last evening's event Sanctuary and Solidarity: Catholic Theology in the Face of Mass Deportation.  Panelists were Leo Guardado, Tisha Rajendra, and Brett Hoover.  We are grateful for their witness and wisdom. Thank you.

Precis:  Catholic Social Teaching strongly defends migration as a human right, a right which is under acute and heightened threat in our present political context. Our panelists will consider how Catholics can apply the principles of CST into actionable practice. In other words, how can we shift from theoretical to practical sanctuary and solidarity? 

Resources from the Chat and Additional Resources

• ACLU Know Your Rights: Immigrants' Rights
• Colorado Rapid Response Network  Home | CORRN
  
• CTSA Proposing New Interest Group
• Catholic Church Reform International
• Corpeno, Xiomara. Immigrant Rights: How to Support Immigrant Communities During ICE Raids, (Convergence, January 22, 2025). 
• Letter of the Holy Father Francis to the Bishops of the United States of America (February 10, 2025).
• Mass Deportation and the Teaching of the Church (Provided by B. Hoover)
• McDonald, Matthew. Mass Deportations 'Incompatible With Catholic Docrtine,' Cardinal McElroy Says at His DC Debut (National Catholic Register, 2025)
• National Immigrant Justice Center, Know Your Rights: If You Encounter ICE

Note: The event was not recorded.

Three Webinars of interest:

1. March 17^th: Spotlight on HIV/AIDS & Global Health: Understanding Foreign Aid & What is at Stake 

Register link:

https://sju.webex.com/weblink/register/r4a97692e4433045f6e27c7ecbb834a83

• 2. Thursday March 27, 2-3:15pm (EST)
  From the Field: Global Challenges to Religious Freedom: 
  A Conversation with Dr. Steve Schneck, Chair, US Commission on International Religious Freedom  (speaking in his personal capacity)  

• Register link:

  https://sju.webex.com/weblink/register/r1cc4b2ee6c1a082a9dc008088244e692

   

  • 3. Friday April 11^th 12:15-1:30 pm (EST)
    What’s Going On:  South Africa, Global Refugee Crisis, and US Politics

  Panelists: Fr. Peter Knox, SJ, Jesuit Institute of South Africa  
  Dr. Anna Floerke Scheid, Duquesne University
  Joan Rosenhauer, Executive Director (retired), Jesuit Refugee Service

• Register link:
• https://sju.webex.com/weblink/register/r474e79692ab3b197e31212d0ff1dc044