Catholic Theological
Society of America

The CTSA prays for and remembers longstanding member Msgr. Bernard O. McGarty who died on May 8, 2023.

Eternal rest grant unto Bernard, 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.

Obituary

*Photo and Obituary accessed on 5/23/23 at Blaschke & Schneider Funeral Homes <<https://www.blaschkeschneider.com/obituaries/rev-bernard-mcgarty>>

Dear friends,

   Please visit our website: ahprojectusa.org which is the official website for the U.S. Catholic Indigenous Boarding School Accountability and Healing Project.  Our Archives subcommittee has recently published the official results of their list of the Catholic Indigenous Boarding Schools.  There were over 400 US boarding schools of which the Catholic Church ran 87 of them in 22 states.  They have done extraordinary volunteer and professional research as a gift to work towards accountability and healing for the US Indigenous Community and for the whole Church.

     You can click on "Resources" on our website to find several pages of Catholic, secular and international websites that I compiled to help people get in touch with relevant Indigenous organizations and media outlets.   Our email is: ahprojectusa@gmail.com.

      Our Archives Subcommittee also has their own website with more in- depth reporting:  www.ctah.archivistsacwr.org.   You can contact them directly:  CatholicTruthandHealing@gmailcom.    

      Sincerely,  Margaret Mary Moore, vice-president,  U.S. Catholic Indigenous Boarding School Accountability and Healing Project.

      MMMoore@compuserve.com

    

https://www1.villanova.edu/university/liberal-arts-sciences/graduate-studies/news-events/2023/0516.html

On Saturday, May 20, 2023, the three inaugural graduates of the Villanova University doctoral program in Theology will gather on stage at the Master's and Doctoral Degree Commencement and Recognition Ceremony inside Villanova Stadium. University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 CLAS, will bestow upon them their academic hoods—a symbolic act recognizing their successful completion of the program and their transition from students to colleagues of the faculty.

The Rev. Rebecca Irwin-Diehl '23 PhD, Andre Price '23 PhD and Sister Theresa Dung Trang, LHC, '23 PhD, who all entered the program in 2017, will make history as the first cohort of Theology PhD students to graduate.

The PhD program was founded in 2016 as an interdisciplinary and integrative program seeking to formulate and advance theology within the Augustinian tradition of “faith engaging culture” and to emphasize the study of theology as lived experience. Students would study how faith and theology interact with cultural dynamics and would be able to see their specific research questions in the context of broader social questions.

“Several years ago, when considering new doctoral programs, I was determined that new programs should only be added if they fit Villanova’s distinctive niche and our Augustinian mission to serve the needs of society, the Church and the world,” says Father Donohue. “Villanova’s PhD in Theology program does just that—exploring the intersection of theology and culture within the Augustinian tradition, setting it apart from other Theology PhD programs across our country. St. Augustine and our Augustinian values continue to define who we are as a University community, and our Theology PhD program brings together a new community of scholars to engage in conversations about Augustine, his life and his legacy, and how they impact our lives today.”

Associate Professor Peter Spitaler, ThD, who was chair of the Villanova Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the inception of the PhD program, notes that its creation was motivated by the need to train scholars who are well-equipped to address the complicated issues facing the global church and society.

“The outlook of the program is bright,” Dr. Spitaler says. “As the world becomes more complex and diverse, the study of theology becomes increasingly relevant, and our program provides students with the intellectual tools and skills necessary to address these complex issues. These graduates have completed a rigorous program and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their academic pursuits. They have developed new ideas, theories and methods in the fields of theology and religion, and they have enriched Villanova’s academic community. I am confident that they will continue to make meaningful contributions to the church, society and academy.”

Another defining characteristic of the Villanova Theology PhD is its Heart of Teaching program, which provides coursework in theological pedagogy in addition to faculty mentorship and supervised teaching. It serves as a practical application of an apprenticeship-in-community model inspired by Villanova’s Augustinian identity.

“The Heart of Teaching program is a beacon for doctoral education, across higher education, that generally neglects teacher formation,” says Heart of Teaching Program Director and Associate Professor Timothy Hanchin, PhD. “By forming reflective educators in light of Villanova’s distinct mission, the Heart of Teaching enfleshes Augustine’s concern for education attuned to our restless heart and mind. The Heart of Teaching recognizes that teaching is a creative craft just as intellectually rigorous as scholarship.”

This emphasis on both scholarship and teaching is essential for Adele Lindenmeyr, PhD, William and Julia Moulden Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), who was also instrumental in the creation of the PhD program.

“Thanks to its rigorous curriculum and teacher training program, our doctoral students are prepared to be the effective teacher-scholars our communities, schools, churches and organizations need,” says Dean Lindenmeyr. “I am grateful to the doctoral faculty for their investment in the program and their students. Teaching and mentoring at the doctoral level is time-intensive, and the success of these students reflects our faculty’s commitment to preparing a new generation of theologians.”

Program Co-director and Professor Stefanie Knauss, ThD, notes that the program’s goal is to train theologians who are experts in their fields of studies, excellent scholars and dedicated teachers, but the program’s focus on “faith engaging culture” also prepares students to take on leadership positions outside of the academy.

“Our students have an openness to the world around them,” Dr. Knauss says. “They are open to other career trajectories, and we emphasize how our students’ skills can transfer to other fields, which responds to the changing professional profiles of graduates with a PhD in Theology and of the academic landscape in the humanities more broadly.”

This openness is reflected in the next steps that each new graduate will take in their careers. Dr. Irwin-Diehl will continue to serve as the Director at the Center for Continuous Learning at American Baptist Home Mission Societies in King of Prussia, a position she accepted while enrolled in the PhD program. Dr. Price will be a Louisville Institute Postdoctoral Fellow beginning Fall 2023 and will continue to pastor Mount Olivet Tabernacle Baptist Church in West Philadelphia, as he has done throughout his time at Villanova. After a semester-long research fellowship in the fall, Sister Trang will return to her native Vietnam to begin her teaching responsibilities for sisters in formation.

While the graduating students all recognize the importance of the Theology PhD program in their lives and careers, Dr. Knauss also notes that the PhD program and the students enrolled in it have had a significant impact on the culture in the department.

“The engagement with our students’ questions enriches our own research; they challenge us to consider new questions and perspectives in our teaching; and the Heart of Teaching program has motivated not only our students to be intentional about their pedagogical practices but also us as faculty,” Dr. Knauss says.

For Emory Woodard IV, PhD, Dean of CLAS Graduate Studies, the mission of the Theology doctoral program is directly aligned with the mission of the University.

“The centerpiece of the first-year experience for every Villanova undergraduate is an introduction to our Catholic and Augustinian ethos,” says Dean Woodard. “Having a doctoral program that produces scholars whose work exemplifies that ethos completes the circle. Now, not only do we ensure our students are exposed to values that are central to the Villanova experience but also do we ensure that such scholarship informs the work at community organizations, churches and other institutions of higher education across the country and around the world.”

Dr. Knauss has been the PhD program co-director since its outset, along with Professor Jonathan Yates, PhD, who notes the rapid pace of change in higher education and the world since they began planning the program more than 10 years ago. The global pandemic, the changing influence and perception of Christianity in U.S. culture, and online education, for example, have all necessitated department leaders to adjust their plans, or, in some cases, have reaffirmed their assumptions, such as the value of in-person instruction and the cultivation of an authentic academic community. Through all of the upheaval and uncertainty of recent years, Dr. Yates sees promise in the future of the program and the impact it can have at Villanova and beyond.

“This year’s Commencement ceremony will be a special one. We hope it will be a day that will make the Villanova community proud and be the first of many commencements at which we are able to send a few doctores out into the world,” says Dr. Yates. “We hope that this program might be able to contribute, at least in a small way, to the growth and to the flourishing of the church both in the U.S. and around the world. The overarching goal, of course, is to make our world a little better than it has been.”

The CTSA mourns and prays for Rev. John W. Crossin, OSFS who died on Friday, May 12, 2023.

Above photo and the following memorial link
were accessed on May 15, 2023, from the
Oblates of St. Francis DeSales, North American Provinces

May John's soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in Peace.

Rev. John W. Crossin, OSFS  - Memorial

The book club will next meet on Thursday, June 22, at 5:30 p.m. (ET) to discuss Susan Bigelow Reynold's book People Get Ready: Ritual, Solidarity and Lived Ecclesiology in Catholic Roxbury, chapters 4 - 6.  Based upon our last meeting, we anticipate that these will be engaging and thought provoking. 

If you missed our last meeting, please consider reading Susan's book and joining us.

Greetings, colleagues. I am passing on an invitation to our membership from Bishop Daniel Flores, the Chair of the USCCB Committee on Doctrine and part of the US Coordinating Team for the Synod. The US Synod Team is inviting theologians from the United States to join bishops and members of six different US theological societies to engage in two online synodal spiritual conversations on 

Thursday, May 25, 2023 from 3:00-5:30 pm EDT/2:00-4:30 pm CDT/1:00-3:30 pm MDT/12:00 noon-2:30 pm PDT

and

Tuesday, June 6, 2023 from 7:00-9:30 pm EDT/6:00-8:30 pm CDT/5:00-7:30 pm MDT/4:00-6:30 pm PDT

The conversations will focus on the North American Final Document for the Continental Stage of the Synod and will use a self-directed spiritual conversation model. Space will be limited to 120 participants for each of these conversations. Each Society has been asked to send direct delegates for each meeting, but the remaining spots will be offered for all interested theologians – you can sign up at https://airtable.com/shrHT2BDqy9S4j0yq until May 17, and we would encourage you to join in this opportunity to talk with our colleagues and our bishops. While there are other opportunities planned for graduate students and for Canadian theologians and their bishops later this year, for space reasons this invitation is being extended to US Catholic theologians who have completed their PhD in theology or a related field.

Relevant links:

https://airtable.com/shrHT2BDqy9S4j0yq (sign up here)

https://www.usccb.org/resources/north-american-final-document-continental-stage-2021-2024-synod (North American Final Document)

https://www.synod.va/content/dam/synod/common/phases/en/EN_Step_6_Spiritual-Conversation.pdf (conversation model)

Here is Bishop Flores' message:

Committee on Doctrine

3211 FOURTH STREET NE WASHINGTON DC 20017-1194 202-541-3015

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

May 4, 2023

I am delighted to inform you that the US Synod Team will be convening a special listening session for theologians throughout the United States to reflect on the North American Final Document for the Continental Stage for the 2021-2024 Synod. The US Synod Team wants to create a space for listening and dialogue specifically those trained in Catholic theology. The sessions will be modeled on the Virtual Assemblies of the Continental Stage (see Appendix D of the Final Document). There will be two sessions: Thursday, May 25, 2023, from 3-5:30 PM ET and Tuesday, June 6, 2023 from 7-9:30 PM ET.

The Team is asking that you, the leaders of the scholarly theological societies in the United States, share this invitation with your members who hold a doctoral degree in theology or a related field. The Team hopes to plan a listening session with graduate students in the future. This invitation is extended to the following scholarly organizations:

• Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States

• Academy of Catholic Theology

• Black Catholic Theology Symposium

• Catholic Theological Society of America

• College Theological Society

• Fellowship of Catholic Scholars

  The sessions have a capacity of 120 participants apiece. Ten (10) spots will be reserved for each society in each session. Organizations may choose to select the ten participants for their reserved spots. There will be a question on the form to indicate if the delegate was selected by the organization to participate. An invitation will be extended to bishops to attend these special listening sessions and to select a theologian from their diocese to attend as well. The registration deadline is Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Zoom details and a preparation guide will be shared after

registration closes. Y ou can find the registration form here: https://airtable.com/shrHT2BDqy9S4j0yq

The listening session will use the spiritual conversation model, which is at the heart of all the synodal listening sessions thus far. Theologians will be placed into groups of 6-8 and introduced to one another via email prior to the listening session. In a spirit of co-responsibility, each listening circle will be self-facilitated. We are asking for volunteers to act as facilitators for the listening circles and representatives to share the fruits of the conversation in plenary.

Please contact the US Synod Team at synod@usccb.org if you have any further questions. Yours in Christ,

Bishop Daniel E. Flores, Diocese of Brownsville Chair, Committee on Doctrine

 

Are you musically inclined, or perhaps just like to sing? Do you play an instrument that can travel with you to Milwaukee? Then join the CTSA pop-up liturgical choir!  We are looking for choir members to sing at the CTSA annual convention liturgy on Saturday evening, May 10th. Email liturgical coordinator, Layla Karst, at layla.karst@lmu.edu for more information or to volunteer. 

Greetings. Some of you will have already seen the very good essay by Dennis Holtschneider, CM, President of ACCU, expressing his concern about states seeking to gag free speech at colleges and universities, restricting what can be taught. His piece, from the perspective of ACCU and in light of his prior experience as president of DePaul University, is a solid defense of religious freedom, including freedom to teach freely. The link is here.

Have a good weekend, and good luck at semester's end!

Frank

Villanova University Department of Theology and Religious Studies is pleased to announce its new Chaplaincy Education Track within the Master of Arts in Ministry and Theology. The new Track serves those who wish to prepare for chaplaincy ministry, including the following areas: health care, prison, the military, corporate sector, university life and other institutional settings.

Program Highlights:

• Only chaplaincy education program offered through a university setting in Pennsylvania
• Part-time and full-time students benefit from on-campus and hybrid modalities
• Complete two units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
• Prepare for a transformative leadership role
• Full-time students can complete the program in two years
• Funding opportunities available

More details about the program and course requirements can be found at 

https://www1.villanova.edu/university/liberal-arts-sciences/programs/theology/graduate-programs/masters.html

 

Hello friends,

I'm writing to share a Call for Papers for the Political Theology Network Conference in September. I'd especially like to draw attention to the stream called "Naming the Anthropos in Anthropocene: A Catholic Political Theology of (Hu)Man," that our team of editors for the Catholic Re-Visions blog will be facilitating, which may be of particular interest to the members of the CTSA. 

Proposals are due by May 2. 

https://politicaltheology.com/political-theology-network-conference-call-for-papers/