Moral Theology of Pope Francis

Moral Theology of Pope Francis: Expanding the U.S. Reception of the First Jesuit Pope

October 14-15, 2022 |听 In-person |

md传媒国产剧 College strongly encourages conference participants to receive the COVID-19 vaccination before attending events on campus.
Moral Theology of Pope Francis

About the Conference

The papacy of Pope Francis has ushered in remarkable changes for the Roman Catholic Church. From a new emphasis on collegiality in ecclesial governance to a transformed set of public priorities for the global church, Pope Francis鈥檚 unique model of pontifical leadership holds far-reaching implications for virtually every aspect of Catholic practice. Catholic theology is not immune, and yet Catholic moral theology鈥攑articularly in the United States鈥攈as still not grappled fully with the emphases of Francis鈥檚 pontificate. To address this gap, this conference brings together leading Catholic ethicists in the United States to reflect on Pope Francis鈥檚 implicit approach to moral theology in order to clearly establish the unique insights of the first Jesuit pope and to develop substantive applications of these insights in a U.S. context.

The conference opens with a public panel on Friday afternoon in Gasson 100. During the panel, two of md传媒国产剧 College鈥檚 most distinguished theological ethicists, Lisa Sowle Cahill and James F. Keenan, S.J., will join Fordham University鈥檚 James and Nancy Buckman Chair in Applied Christian Ethics, Bryan N. Massingale, and Marquette University鈥檚 Conor M. Kelly to discuss the distinctive features of Pope Francis鈥檚 vision for theological ethics in the Catholic Church. The panelists will also explore the obstacles and opportunities affecting the reception of this vision among U.S. Catholics. A public reception will follow the Friday panel.

On day two, the conference will continue with private sessions for the invited participants. Prominent theological ethicists from across the United States, these participants will share their research on the impact of Pope Francis鈥檚 approach to moral theology for applied ethical issues related to ecology, peace and nonviolence, gender, migration, racism, and more. Their work at the conference will produce an edited volume, co-edited by conference organizers 听Conor M. Kelly, and Kristin Heyer, professor of theological ethics at md传媒国产剧 College, designed to extend the U.S. reception of the 鈥淔rancis Revolution鈥 into the field of moral theology.听



Schedule and Registration

Friday, October 14, 2022 |听Gasson Hall, room 100 |听

4:00pm

Opening Panel

Welcome: 听Andrea Vicini, S.J.,听Chair, Theology Department, md传媒国产剧 College

  • Lisa Sowle Cahill, md传媒国产剧 College
  • James F. Keenan, S.J., md传媒国产剧 College
  • Bryan N. Massingale, Fordham University
  • Conor M. Kelly, Marquette University (convener)

Reception, Gasson Commons, room 112


Saturday, October 15, 2022 | Stokes Hall, room N203听| For Invited Participants

8:30am-9:00am

Convening

Continental breakfast
9:00am-10:00am

Session I: Option for the Poor and Social Ethics

  • M.T. D谩vila, Merrimack College听
  • Thomas Massaro, S.J., Fordham University
10:10am-11:10am

Session II: Migration and Ecclesial Ethics

  • Kristin Heyer, md传媒国产剧 College听
  • Elyse Raby, Santa Clara University
11:00am-11:30am

Coffee Break

11:30am-12:30pm

Session III: Sexuality and Gender

  • Bryan Massingale, Fordham University
  • Megan McCabe, Gonzaga University
12:30pm-2:00pm

Lunch Break

2:00pm-3:00pm

Session IV: Race and Bioethics

  • Maureen O鈥機onnell
  • Andrea Vicini, S.J., md传媒国产剧 College
3:00pm-3:15pm

Coffee Break

3:15pm-4:15pm

Session V: Ecology and Nonviolence

  • Daniel DiLeo, Creighton University 听
  • Laurie Johnston, Emmanuel College
4:20pm

Concluding Remarks

  • Kristin Heyer, md传媒国产剧 College
  • Conor Kelly, Marquette University

Speakers

Lisa Sowle Cahill

Lisa Sowle Cahill, Ph.D.

Lisa Sowle Cahill听is the J. Donald Monan, S.J., Professor, md传媒国产剧 College.听听Dr. Cahill is a past president of the Catholic Theological Society of America (1992-93) and the Society of Christian Ethics (1997-98).听听She received her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago Divinity School, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.听听Her works include听Blessed Are the Peacemakers:听听Pacifism, Just War and Peacebuilding听(Fortress, 2019);听A Theology and Praxis of Gender Equality听听(Bangalore:听听Dharmaram Publications, 2018);听Global Justice, Christology and Christian Ethics听(Cambridge University Press, 2013).


Mar铆a Teresa (MT) D谩vila

Mar铆a Teresa (MT) D谩vila, Ph.D.

Mar铆a Teresa (MT) D谩vila, visiting associate professor of practice at Merrimack College, is a scholar focusing on racial and migrant justice, public theology, and the ethics of the use of force. With Agnes Brazal, she is co-editor of Living With(out) Borders: Theological Ethics and Peoples on the Move (Orbis Press, 2016). She is a regular contributor to 鈥淭heology en la Plaza鈥, National Catholic Reporter, the first Latin@ column in a national Catholic newspaper. Her work also appears in Syndicate and Political Theology Today. Since 2016 she has been a consultant for the Science for Seminaries program, and now the Dialogue on Ethics Science and Religion, initiatives that enable seminaries to include sciences in the training of pastors and faith leaders.

Mar铆a Teresa (MT) D谩vila es profesora asociada de la pr谩ctica (visitante) en el departamento de Estudios Religiosos y Teol贸gicos en Merrimack College, en Massachusetts. Pertenece a la iglesia Cat贸lica como mujer laica. Sus estudios y escritos se concentran en las 谩reas de justicia racial y migratoria, teolog铆a p煤blica, y la 茅tica del uso de armas y la guerra justa. Junto a Agnes Brazal (de las Filipinas), MT es co-editora de la colecci贸n de ensayos Living With(out) Borders: Theological Ethics and Peoples on the Move (Orbis Press, 2016). Contribuye regularmente a la columna 鈥淭eolog铆a en la Plaza鈥 en el peri贸dico National Catholic Reporter, la primera columna dedicada al 谩ngulo latino en un peri贸dico Cat贸lico estadounidense. Desde el 2016 trabaja en la junta de consultores para el proyecto de las ciencias en los seminarios, una iniciativa que trata de facilitar el uso de las ciencias en la educaci贸n teol贸gica de los pastores y l铆deres de fe. MT lleva unos cinco a帽os estudiando de cerca el fen贸meno de las 鈥済uerras culturales鈥 en los EEUU, y la manera en que las mismas interfieren con la misi贸n de las iglesias cristianas en la naci贸n.


Daniel R. DiLeo

Daniel R. DiLeo, Ph.D.

Daniel R. DiLeo听is associate professor and director of the Justice and Peace Studies Program at Creighton University. His research focuses on Catholic social teaching, climate change, and听Laudato Si鈥. He recently co-authored 鈥淯.S. Catholic bishops鈥 silence and denialism on climate change鈥 (Environmental Research Letters) and is the editor of听All Creation Is Connected: Voices in Response to Pope Francis鈥檚 Encyclical on Ecology听(Anselm Academic, 2018). Since 2009, he has been a consultant with Catholic Climate Covenant. He earned his PhD in theological ethics from md传媒国产剧 College.


Kristin Heyer

Kristin Heyer, Ph.D.

Kristin E. Heyer听is professor of theological ethics in the theology department at md传媒国产剧 College. Book publications related to this conference include听Christianity and the Law of Migration听(Routledge, 2021);听Building Bridges in Sarajevo: The Plenary Papers from CTEWC 2018听(Orbis Books, 2019); and听Kinship Across Borders: A Christian Ethic of Immigration听(Georgetown University Press, 2012). She holds degrees from Brown University and md传媒国产剧 College and serves as co-chair of the planning committee for听Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church听and President-Elect of听Catholic Theological Society of America. She is currently at work on听Moral Agency and the Promise of Freedom.


Laurie Johnston, Ph.D.

Laurie Johnston, Ph.D.

Laurie Johnston, Ph.D.听is Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Emmanuel College in md传媒国产剧. A social ethicist, she has written and edited works on just war theory, peacebuilding, Catholic-Muslim relations, and political theology, including听The Surprise of Reconciliation in the Catholic Tradition, with J.J. Carney, and听Can War be Just in the 21st听Century?听with Tobias Winright. She has been a member of the Community of Sant鈥橢gidio for more than 20 years and serves as Academic Associate of the Sant鈥橢gidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue. She holds degrees from the University of Virginia, Harvard Divinity School, and md传媒国产剧 College.


James Keenan

James F. Keenan, S.J., S.T.D.

James F. Keenan, S.J., is the Canisius Chair, Director of the Jesuit Institute and Vice Provost of Global Engagement at md传媒国产剧 College. A Jesuit priest since 1982, he received a licentiate and a doctorate from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has edited or written 25 books and published over 300 essays, articles, and reviews in over twenty-five international journals. His most recent book is听A History of Catholic Theological Ethics听(Paulist Press) and he has just finished听Preparing for the Moral Life: The D鈥橝rcy Lectures听that Georgetown University Press will publish in 2023.听听Keenan is the founder of Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church (CTEWC).


Conor M. Kelly, Ph.D.

Conor M. Kelly, Ph.D.

Conor M. Kelly, Ph.D.听is Associate Professor in the Department of Theology at Marquette University. His teaching and research focus on moral discernment in ordinary life. His publications include听The Fullness of Free Time: A Theological Account of Leisure and Recreation in the Moral Life听(Georgetown University Press, 2020), the co-edited volume听Poverty: Responding Like Jesus听(Paraclete, 2018 with Kenneth R. Himes), and, especially relevant for this conference, 鈥淭he Role of the Moral Theologian in the Church: A Proposal in Light of Amoris Laetitia,鈥 鈥淔rom John Paul II to Francis: The Widening Trajectory of the Catholic Theology of Family,鈥 and 鈥淓veryday Solidarity: A Framework for Incorporating Theological Ethics and Ordinary Life.鈥澨


Megan McCabe

Megan McCabe, Ph.D.

Megan McCabe听is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University. Her work is in the fields of moral theology, feminist theologies, social ethics, and liberation theologies. Her current research engages questions of sexual violence, gender, and moral responsibility for social change. She was the co-chair of Gonzaga University鈥檚 Commission on University Response to Catholic Sexual Abuse Crisis and continues to oversee the implementation of the commission鈥檚 recommendations.听She is currently co-chairing a five-year seminar at AAR, 鈥淐ontextualizing the Catholic Sexual Abuse Crisis,鈥 and co-founded and co-chaired for three years an interest group at the CTSA, 鈥淭heology, Sexuality, and Justice: New Frontiers.鈥澨


Thomas Massaro, S.J., Ph.D.

Thomas Massaro, S.J., Ph.D.

Thomas Massaro, S.J.,听is Professor of Moral Theology at Fordham University. A Jesuit priest of the United States East Province, he has taught as professor of moral theology at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at md传媒国产剧 College, and at Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, where he also served as Dean. Father Massaro holds a doctorate in Christian social ethics from Emory University. His nine books and over one hundred published articles treat Catholic social teaching and its recommendations for public policies oriented to social justice, peace, worker rights and poverty alleviation. A former columnist for听America听magazine, he writes and lectures frequently on such topics as the ethics of globalization, peacemaking, environmental concern, the role of conscience in religious participation in public life, and developing a spirituality of justice. His most recent book is听Mercy in Action: The Social Teachings of Pope Francis听(Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2018).听


Bryan N. Massingale

Bryan N. Massingale, S.T.D.

Bryan N. Massingale听is Professor of Theological and Social Ethics and holds the James and Nancy Buckman Chair in Applied Christian Ethics at Fordham University. A priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, he is the current President of the Society of Christian Ethics, a past Convener of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium, and a former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America. Massingale has authored two books and more than 170 articles, book chapters, and book reviews.听听His monograph,听Racial Justice and the Catholic Church, received a First Place Book Award from the Catholic Press Association of the U.S. and Canada.听听He frequently addresses issues of racial and sexual justice in venues such as National Public Radio (NPR), ABC News, the PBS NewsHour, the Huffington Post, Canadian Public Radio, the South African Times, and the Associated Press.听听He is an active participant in a network of Catholic thought leaders advocating the full inclusion of LGBTQ persons in both society and the faith community.


Maureen H. O鈥機onnell

Maureen H. O鈥機onnell, Ph.D.

Maureen H. O鈥機onnell听is Associate Professor of Christian Ethics in the Department of Religion and Theology at La Salle University. She authored听Compassion: Loving Our Neighbor in an Age of Globalization听(Orbis Books, 2009) and听If These Walls Could Talk: Community Muralism and the Beauty of Justice听(The Liturgical Press, 2012). Her newest book,听Undoing the Knots: Five Generations of American Catholic Anti-Blackness听(Beacon Press 2021) explores the interplay of her Catholic and racial identities across her family鈥檚 history in the City of Philadelphia. She is a member of POWER (Philadelphians Organizing to Witness, Empower, and Rebuild), an interfaith coalition of more than 50 congregations committed to making Philadelphia the city of听鈥just听love鈥 through faith-based community organizing and serves on the Boards of Cranaleith Spiritual Center, a ministry of the Religious Sisters of Mercy. She is also a member of the President鈥檚 Commission on the Legacy of Slavery at Rosemont College.听


Elyse Raby

Elyse Raby, Ph.D.

Elyse Raby is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University. Her research focuses on the intersections of ecclesiology, embodiment, and gender. She has written on metaphor in ecclesiology (Horizons, 2022), on theologies of the diaconate (Ecumenical Trends, 2022) and on priesthood and ministry (U.S. Catholic, April 2019), and on intersex and theologies of creation (Theology & Sexuality, 2018). Her first book will analyze the metaphor of the church as a body in nineteenth and twentieth-century Catholic theology and, in particular, how different understandings of embodiment shape our understandings of the church, its ministry, and its relationship to the world. She holds a Ph.D. from md传媒国产剧 College.


Andrea Vicini, S.J.

Andrea Vicini, S.J., M.D., Ph.D., S.T.D.

Andrea Vicini, S.J.听(MD, PhD, STD) is Michael P. Walsh Professor of Bioethics and Professor of Theological Ethics in the md传媒国产剧 College Theology Department (md传媒国产剧, MA). Recent publications include two co-edited volumes鈥Reimagining the Moral Life: On Lisa Sowle Cahill鈥檚 Contributions to Christian Ethics听(2020);听Ethics of Global Public Health: Climate Change, Pollution, and the Health of the Poor听(2021)鈥揳nd, among the articles:听鈥淐OVID-19: A Crisis and a Tragedy鈥揥hat鈥檚 Next?,鈥澨Theological Studies听(2021);听鈥淗ealthcare Practice at the End of Life: Addressing Opposite Attitudes and Diverse Contexts,鈥 Concilium听(2021);听鈥淧osthumanism in Popular Culture: Ongoing Challenges,鈥澨Concilium听(2021); 鈥淎rtificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Bioethical Challenges and Approaches,鈥澨Asian Horizons听(2020);听鈥淧reserving the Earth and Promoting Health: Challenges for the Common Good,鈥澨Studia Moralia听(2020).听

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md传媒国产剧 College is also accessible via public transportation (MBTA B Line - md传媒国产剧 College).

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md传媒国产剧 College strongly encourages conference participants to receive the COVID-19 vaccination before attending events on campus.