Catholic Theological
Society of America

The CTSA remembers and prays for longstanding member Sr. Anne M. Clifford, CSJ, who died on October 2, 2024.

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

Celebration of Anne's Theological Contributions to the CTSA:

Clifford, A. (2017). Pope Francis’ "Laudato Si’" On Care for our Common Home: An Ecofeminist Response. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America, 72. Retrieved from https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ctsa/article/view/10090

Clifford, A. M. (2006), Convener. Theological Anthropology in Dialogue with Racial and National Identity. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America, 61. Retrieved from https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ctsa/article/view/4840

Clifford, A. M. (2005). Science, Naturalism, and Resurrection—A Response to John F. Haught. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America, 60. Retrieved from https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ctsa/article/view/4675

Clifford, A. M. (2005) Convener. Body Symbolism in Catholic Theology, Theological Anthropology. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America, 60. Retrieved from https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ctsa/article/view/4722

Clifford, A. M. (2004), Convener. "What Is the Place of Sacrifice in Christian Identity?" and "How Are Sex, Sin and Grace to be Conceived in the Midst of the Church's  Sex Abuse Crisis?" Theological Anthropology. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America, 59. Retrieved from https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ctsa/article/view/2129

Clifford, A. M. (1997), Convener. Theological Perspectives on the Body, Theological Anthropology. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America, 52. Retrieved from https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ctsa/article/view/4229

Clifford, A. M. (1996).  Pneumatology in Theological Anthropology. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America, 51. Retrieved from https://ejournals.bc.edu/index.php/ctsa/article/view/4154

Sisters of St. Joseph, Baden Pennyslvania
1020 State Street, Baden, PA  15005

Prayer Viewings: Tuesday, October 8 from 1 p.m. to the close of Prayer Vigil, and on Wednesday, October 9 from 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Medaille Hall)

Prayer Vigil: Tuesday, October 8 at 6 p.m., Medaille Hall

Mass of Christian Burial: Wednesday, October 9 at 4 p.m., Sisters of Joseph Motherhouse Chapel

Anne M. Clifford, CSJ, Obituary

Invitation to write a book review for https://catholicbooksreview.org/

 You select the book, I mail it to you, you send me the electronic review, and I post it (about 1,500 to 2,000 reviews posted since 2001). Write to Hegy@adelphi.edu/   He is the list of books available in October:

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM. Theologian of the Eucharist By Kenneth J. Howell (320 pp – CUA Press) [“This volume explicates John Chrysostom’s Theology of the Eucharist by placing it in relation to many other aspects (of his theology)” p. 24. Numerous quotations followed by commentaries and explanations]

I PETER. Revised edition. Tyndale NT Commentaries. By Wayne A. Grudem (260 pp – IVP Academic) [First published in 1988. A long introduction about date and authorship, followed by a commentary of the various sections]

REDISCOVERING THE WISDOM OF THE CORINTHIANS. Paul, Stoicism, and Spiritual Hierarchy By Timothy Brookins (340 pp – Eerdmans [In 1 Corinthians 1-4 Paul condemns the internal divisions. The “wisdom” of 1 Cor 1-4 refers to the Stoic philosophy that prevailed in Corinth; some members considered themselves as “wiser” philosophically and “superior” intellectually; this led to conflictive divisions. Paul refutes this philosophical interpretation of his teachings]

THE FUTURE OF CATHOLIC BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION. Marie-Joseph Lagrange and Beyond Edited by James Prothro and Isaac Morales (340 pp – Eerdmans) [The need of a balance between a scientific and a spiritual-pastoral interpretation is traced back to the accomplishments of Marie-Joseph Lagrange, the founder of the biblical school of Jerusalem; it is discussed by 15 biblical scholars]

CHRISTIANS AT HOME. John Chrysostom and Domestic Rituals in Fourth-Century Antioch By Blake Leyerle (140 pp – Penn State University Press) [Drawing from Chrysostom’s sermons, the author describes the home devotions of the Antioch Christians.

THE MEANING OF SALVATION. Redemption and Hope for Today. First published in London in 1965 By Michael Green (1930-2019) (240 pp – Eerdmans) [This is a textual and historical analysis of salvation in its many meanings in the history of Israel, the Jews of the first century, and the teachings of John the Baptist, Jesus, the Evangelists, and Paul; in all cases salvation is hope in concrete situations.]   

JESUS AND DIVINE CHRISTOLOGY By Brant Pitre (360 pp – Eerdmans)

[In the tradition of the study of the historical Jesus, Pitre shows that Jesus made claims of divinity for himself]

EUCHARISTIC RESERVATION.  Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery Outside Mass. By Paul Turner (180 pp – Liturgical Press)[Commentary section by section on the new edition of Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery Outside Mass of 2024]

Together with

ONE ORDINARY SUNDAY. A Meditation on the Mystery of the Mass By Paula Huston (250 pp – Liturgical Press) [This book “began as an attempt to explain the mysterious power of the Mass in my own life” (xxiv). Much of it is autobiographical rather than scholarly. I do not know to what extent it is of academic interest] Short reviews will do.

CATHOLIC DOGMATIC THEOLOGY: A SYNTHESIS. Book 3. On the Church and the Sacraments. by Jean-Hervé Nicolas, OP (750 pp – CUA Press) [Translated from German. First published in 1985]

REMARRIAGE IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY By Andrew Das (320 pp – Eerdmans) [Review of the Jewish and Greco-Roman sources and the witness of the early church]

The nineteenth-century Salesian Pentecost (Classics of Western Spirituality) edited by Joseph Boenzi (270 pp – Paulist Press) [The Salesian family, the Sisters and the Daughters of Francis de Sales, the Fransalians]

WHILE I BREATHE, I HOPE. A Mystagogy of Dying by Richard Gaillardetz (200 pp – Liturgical Press)[Diagnosed with terminal cancer, Richard Gaillardetz wrote short reflections as a mystagogy to the approach of death and the mystery of God]

GIFTS FROM FRIENDS WE NEVER WANTED. Biblical Journeys of Grace. By Virginia Herbers (120 pp – Liturgical Press) [The unwelcome friends of failure, disappointment, and worries are sources of grace. This is illustrated by 10 characters of the NT]

Everyday Annunciations. On Learning to Say Yes By Susan Swetnam (120 pp – Liturgical Press)  [Swetnam recounts how she came to accept her husband’s death when contemplating Fra Angelico’s Annunciation. Using numerous stories of disrupted lives, she describes how to say “Yes” through six paintings of the Annunciation.]

September 10, 2024

Paul McMahon will be the first layperson to serve in this role in the 160-year history of the Catholic publishing company.

McMahon has recently served as Editorial Director of Paulist Press. He will succeed Paulist Father Mark-David Janus, who has served as President and Publisher since 2010 and will now assume the role of Publisher Emeritus.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be selected and appointed by the Paulist Fathers as the first lay President and Publisher of Paulist Press. I am aware that this appointment follows an amazing 160-year history of Paulist Fathers who have guided the vision of their founder, Fr. Isaac Hecker, CSP, in sharing the gospel of Jesus and the rich traditions of American Catholicism.

It is with a sense of pride that I build on the mantle of the Press’s most recent publishers: Frs. Kevin Lynch, Lawrence Boadt, and Mark-David Janus, who have each embraced the teachings of the Second Vatican Council by publishing books that resonate with the intersection of faith and contemporary culture. It is my hope and vision to collaborate with the Paulist Fathers, the board of directors, and the entire lay staff of the Press in building upon this impressive tradition and advancing the mission to meet the needs of our church and society.”

 

In appointing a lay President and Publisher, the Paulist Fathers demonstrate their strong commitment to lay involvement in their mission and ministry and to listening to the signs of the times as reflected in the Council and the teaching of Pope Francis.

Fr. Romulo Vasquez Gavida, OP, Prior Provincial in Peru, has asked that we keep Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez, OP, in our prayers.  His health is fragile at this time.   I have no further information.  May our brother Gustavo know the healing love of God.  

Nancy Pineda-Madrid

CTSA President

The Margaret Brennan Institute, a ministry of the Monroe, MI IHM Sisters, is sponsoring a webinar featuring CTSA member Natalia Imperatori-Lee on 9/18/24 @ 7:00 p.m. (EDT).  The title of her presentation is "Stories We Tell: Latinix Narratives and the Future of Catholicism." It is free and open to the public. For further info and registration: (copy and paste in your browser):

https://margaretbrennaninstitute.org

Dear CTSA Members,

I have sad news to share with you.  In her January 2024 letter, then CTSA President Kristin Heyer announced the creation of the CTSA Tutti Fund, created for the purpose of defraying the costs of attending the annual convention for members who are experiencing financial precarity.  The Tutti Fund came into existence because of the generous contributions of Dr. Sophie Pierog and her husband Tom, and their work with the Callaghan-Pierog Family Foundation, Inc.  After the creation of the Tutti Fund, The Foundation made a second contribution to CTSA which Kristin Heyer announced during the convention’s business meeting.  In 2024, the foundation enabled 7 members of the Society to attend our annual CTSA convention and participate in the John Courtney Murray SJ Banquet.  In addition, the foundation’s contribution inspired some members to donate to the Society in support of the Tutti Fund.  Sophie and Tom's generosity will continue to support and inspire the CTSA in 2025 and beyond.  CTSA is grateful to Linh Hoang for securing this foundation’s contribution to CTSA. 

Dr. Sophie Pierog, passed away on August 29, 2024, after a long illness.  She was generous in many ways.  Even after her official retirement, she continued her work as a medical doctor. Please pray or offer up a mass for Sophie Pierog and her family.  If you wish to send condolences, you may address them to:

Rosemary Doran, Treasurer
The Callaghan-Pierog Family Foundation, Inc.

7408 Fifth Ave., Suite 2
Brooklyn, NY  11209

May Sophie rest in peace.

Nancy Pineda-Madrid, CTSA President

ICCGS-CoNGO Conference on Global Action on

Peace, Sustainability, and Prosperity

On August 26-27, 2024, the Interfaith Coalition Conference for Global Citizens (ICCGC) and the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) co-hosted an international interreligious conference on “Global Action on Peace, Sustainability, and Prosperity” at the Church Center of the United Nations in New York City. The goal of the conference was “to pursue peace, human security, dignity, and planetary sustainability” through fostering collaboration and solidarity among religious communities in diverse contexts around the world.

Won Buddhists organized the ICCGC, which held its first international conference online in 2020 on the theme of “The Future of Religion after COVID.”  Since that time, there have been online meetings in 2021 and 2022, as well as the first in-person meeting held in Seoul in August 2023, which featured the former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as the keynote speaker.

This year the conference considered points of intersection between religious and spiritual leaders and issues of ecological concern, global governance, peacekeeping, global citizenship education, and multilateral collaboration.  This conference will help to prepare for the United Nations Summit of the Future, scheduled for September 20-23, 2024.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the organizers issued a public consensus declaration: “A Call to Global Community and Action for a Just Peaceable, Inclusive, and Sustainable World.”  This declaration calls for 1) Embracing Inclusivity and Respect for Diversity; 2) Advancing a Global Ethic of Peace and Justice’ 3) Protecting the Planet: Our Sacred Duty to Future Generations; 4) Empowering Future Generations Through Ethical Education and Civic Engagement; and 5) Strengthening Collaboration for Global Unity.

Members of the Catholic Theological Society of America and of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies Julius-Kei Kato and I, as well as other officers of SBCS, participated in planning and leading the meeting. 

The website of the conference contains details about the program, including the various speakers and many of the papers that were presented.https://www.iccgc.kr/program.php

Jonathan Y. Tan, the Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan Professor of Catholic Studies at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, was interviewed by Voice of America (VOA) News' Adam Hancock on Pope Francis' upcoming papal visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore from September 2-13, 2024. “Pope Francis is seeking to shine a spotlight on, and remind the rest of the world about, struggling communities in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste,” said Jonathan Tan, the Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan Professor of Catholic Studies at Case Western Reserve University. “They are coping with immense poverty, high illiteracy and unemployment rates, and the effects of climate change on island communities,” Tan told VOA. Less than 10% of Singapore’s population is Catholic which, according to Tan, presents the pope an opportunity to “encourage and empower minority Catholic communities” in the region.

Link: Pope finding strength to carry message of Catholicism to Asia, Oceania, on longest trip (VOA News, August 28, 2024)

The CTSA remembers Gerald O'Collins, SJ, who died on 22 August 2024 at the age of 93 in Parkville, Australia, following a long and distinguished career.

https://jesuit.org.au/vale-fr-gerald-ocollins-sj-ac/

All are invited to a conference in honor of James F. Keenan, SJ, Canisius Professor at Boston College, founder of Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church, and a recent John Courtney Murray award winner. The conference will take place in person at Boston College Friday, Sept. 13 and Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. The Friday portion only will be live-streamed. Schedule is available here; link to register (free) is here. 

Fr. Keenan is not retiring--we are gathering to celebrate and honor his contributions while he is still active in leading our field. Please join us!