Catholic Theological
Society of America

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.

MARIAN FELLOWSHIPS
The Marian Library and the International Marian Research Institute (IMRI) at the University of Dayton are accepting applications for short-term fellowships to support research and artistic creation using the Marian Library’s collections and the expertise of the International Marian Research Institute. These fellowships, made possible by a generous gift from the Marianist Province of the United States and additional support from the Marian Library and the International Marian Research Institute, illustrate the continued partnership between the Marian Library and IMRI to promote scholarship in Marian theology and related topics.
Application deadline for Summer 2024 fellowships: Monday, Jan. 15, 2024
Questions may be addressed to  MarianFellowships@udayton.edu.

Information may be found at the following links:
https://udayton.edu/artssciences/ctr/imri/fellows/index.php

https://udayton.edu/marianlibrary/fellowships/index.php

CALL FOR PAPERS

April 18-19, 2024   "Moving Along the Arc: Women and Men Religious as Agents of Reconciliation and Transformative Action Towards a More Racially Just Church and World"

Last year, together with The National Black Sisters’ Conference (NBSC), the Center for the Study of Consecrated Life (CSCL) at CTU began a conversation about the role of religious life in dismantling racial injustice. CSCL collaborated with the NBSC on a webinar series and have only begun to scratch the surface of these topics. Now, we want to hear from you! The original sin of racism in the United States is surging and those in consecrated life have a critical role to play in systemic healing through their own growth in becoming more strongly promoters of justice, opposing anti-racism, and through enabling others to do so through their ministries, and through programs dedicated to reparations. We invite papers that explore the intersection of racial/ethnic identity, anti/racism, social justice and religious life. We welcome submissions from both men and women religious.  CTU is blessed with an extensive network of educational institutions, religious orders, institutes, and nonprofit organizations focused on religious life. By emboldening this network in racial justice and reconciliation through this symposium, we can make an even greater difference. The symposium will take place at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago on April 18-19, 2024 with a keynote presentation from Fr. Bryan Massingale, STD of Fordham University.   For consideration, paper proposals must be submitted to cahanihu@ctu.edu no later than November 30, 2023 containing the following information: Author(s) name(s) and contact information Year of Ph.D. or graduate student status Title and an abstract no longer than 300 words

Click Here to Submit

Questions? Contact Director Chioma Ahanihu at cahanihu@ctu.edu

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF CONSECRATED LIFE The Center for the Study of Consecrated Life serves as a theological, academic, and pastoral resource for engaging contemporary issues and realities in consecrated life today from a global perspective. The goal of CSCL is to dynamically engage in research and dialogue, and to support events, publications, and other programming that engages with religious life.

The Centre for Catholic Studies (CCS) at Durham University (UK) has opened applications for its Scholarships and Bursaries in Catholic theology and Catholic studies for 2024/25.  Applications are welcome from home and international students. Available awards include:

• Up to FIVE Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ) Bicentenary Scholarships for full-time or part-time MA and PhD candidates in Catholic Theology or Catholic Studies.  Each award includes full tuition fees (at the UK/Home rate) and a maintenance allowance of up to £17,000 per annum (pro rata).
• ONE three-year Louis Lafosse PhD Scholarship funded by the Sisters of the Religious of Christian Education.  The award included full tuition fees (at UK/Home rate) and an annual maintenance grant of up to £13,850 per annum (pro rata).

The closing date for applications for the FCJ and Louis Lafosse scholarships is Sunday 18 February 2024. New candidates for a postgraduate degree within the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University must also complete a standard DU application for postgraduate admission with all supporting documents by Sunday 28 January 2024.

Full details of all the awards available, including eligibility criteria and an application form, are available at Funding - Durham University

Any queries, please contact theresa.phillips@durham.ac.uk 

 

 

Brandon Haskel, Assistant Coordinator, WFTL Secretariat, invites CTSA members, on behalf of the World Forum on Theology and Liberation (WFTL), to join the WFTL for an upcoming webinar focused on a crucial topic of global significance. 

 

Event Details 

Webinar Title: "Current Situation and Challenges for the Palestinian People and Palestinian Liberation Theology"  

Date and Time: November 4th, 2023, Saturday  

Bethlehem Time: 17:00 to 19:00 (5:00 PM to 7:00 PM)  

Montreal/New York Time: 11:00 to 13:00 (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM)  

Platform: Zoom 

The World Forum on Theology and Liberation serves as a platform for convergence, encounter, and exchange among theologians worldwide who are dedicated to the principle of liberation in personal, regional, and international contexts. We are committed to fostering discussions, debates, and publications that align with our thematic axes and principles. 

Event Description: For decades, the Palestinian people have endured a journey of oppression amid an Israeli colonization project that has impacted all dimensions of life in Palestine. In the midst of this permanent and structural situation, what are the more urgent concerns for the Palestinian people at the current time? As the ways of resistance have also encompassed spirituality through the development of Palestinian liberation theologies, how can the Palestinian experience of oppression and resistance inspire other liberation theologies across the globe? 

Panelists: 

• Mitri Raheb, PhD: A prominent figure in Palestinian theology, Mitri Raheb has made significant contributions to this field. His insights and publications, such as "Faith in the Face of Empire: The Bible through Palestinian Eyes" and "The Politics of Persecution: Middle Eastern Christianity in the Age of Empire," are highly regarded. 
• Varsen Aghabekian, PhD: An expert in right-based community practice, Varsen Aghabekian has been actively engaged in NGOs working on various critical issues related to Palestine. Her publications, including "Palestinian Christians: Emigration, Displacement and Diaspora" and "The Saga of Survival: Armenian Palestinians, the British Mandate and the Nakba," have provided valuable perspectives. 

Registration: English-to-Spanish translation will be available during the webinar, ensuring accessibility to a wider audience. To ensure your participation in this webinar, please register before the 25th of October through the following link: Webinar Registration 

This is an invitation to join us in person or via zoom.  You can visit:

www.spiritunbounded.org

www.rootandbranchsynod.org

www.we-are-church.org and many other organizations.

You will hear speakers from around the world along with Sr. Joan Chittister and Dr. Mary McAleese.  This is a lay-led synod in solidarity with the Synod of Pope Francis.  We invite everyone to join in!

The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) has marked the release of Laudate Deum with a newsletter story on CTSA's fossil fuel divestment. Before you read the story, please take a moment and recognize those who helped make this achievement possible, especially:

• Erin Lothes Biviano, past chair of the ad hoc Fossil Fuel Divestment Review Committee (since re-named the Climate Justice Committee), who has led CTSA's divestment discernment since 2013.
• Executive Director Mary Jane Ponyik.
• President Kristin Heyer and past Presidents Francis Clooney and Christine Firer-Hinze.
  
• Matthew Shadle and Julia Brumbaugh, current Committee members.
• Nancy Rourke, past Committee member.
• John O'Shaughnessy, CFO for the Franciscan Sisters of Mary.
• Treasurer Patrick Flanagan.
• Thomas Massaro, Gina Wenzel Wolfe, and John Carr, who together produced the 2017 Abbreviated Fossil Fuel Investment Report.

CTSA Goes “All In”

By Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Staff

https://shorturl.at/iCFQ2

The Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA) may have a modest endowment compared to that of universities, but they recently went “all in” when it came to following the Pope Francis’ lead on attending to the world’s climate.

The largest association of Catholic theologians in the world, the CTSA noted that there was no shortage of vendors offering to invest their endowment of less than $1 million in ways that met various social justice criteria, but few that “allowed us to provide 100% fossil fuel exclusions,” explained Kristin E. Heyer, president of their board of directors.

In 2022, the CTSA committed to divest from fossil fuels in fidelity to Laudato Si’, the Pope’s 2015 encyclical on care for the natural environment. Subtitled “On Care for Our Common Home,” the encyclical emphasized God’s gift of the world for our use and God’s extraordinary trust of placing it our collective care.

That commitment led to an extensive search for a firm that would offer the fullest range of ways to assure that “CTSA budgets going forward will reflect our commitment to the biosphere, its diversity, health, and sustainability,” noted Rev. Patrick Flanagan, CM, CTSA treasurer. “We recognize that a budget is a moral document that reflects who we are called to be.”

We finally found a firm that “allowed us to maintain and go beyond our ethical investing status quo,” Heyer noted. “They will use USCCB exclusionary screens and provide customized shareholder engagement opportunities, Catholic values proxy voting, and broad asset diversification. Our new firm will also offer positive screening for Catholic values, and, most directly relevant to our committee’s charge, will provide fossil fuel exclusions to enable our divesting from the Carbon Underground 200.”

The Carbon Underground 200 is a list of publicly-traded companies considered to have the greatest negative impact from profiting on their coal, oil and gas reserves.

“100 percent of our invested funds are now subject to these investment standards,” said Flanagan. “I am so grateful to be part of a learned society like CTSA that is so faithful Pope Francis’ 2015 papal encyclical, Laudato Si’. It is an historic moment in the life of CTSA.”

That commitment is all the more prescient in light of the Pope’s newest apostolic exhortation, “Laudate Deum,” released on October 4th, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The document calls even more strongly for immediate action in light of the quickly worsening climatic conditions and obvious effects on some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

“What is being asked of us is nothing other than a certain responsibility for the legacy we will leave behind, once we pass from this world,” the Pope enjoins, and then pleads further. “In conscience, and with an eye to the children who will pay for the harm done by their actions, the question of meaning inevitably arises: ‘What is the meaning of my life? What is the meaning of my time on this earth? And what is the ultimate meaning of all my work and effort?’”