Transformed By Hope Conference

Vox Nova readers may be interested to know about an exciting conference taking place in Chicago at the CTU and DePaul University at the end of October called “Transformed by Hope: Building a Catholic Social Theology for the Americas.” It features sessions with Gustavo Gutierrez, the presidents of the three Bishops’ Conferences of the Americas, and an impressive assortment of international Catholic theologians. From the conference website:

This conference, which marks the fortieth anniversary of the 1968 historic meeting of the Latin American Bishops’ Conference (CELAM) in Medellín, Colombia, will bring the strength of Catholic social teaching to bear on the urgent concerns of our day. The goal is to project a vision of Christian hope and solidarity for the Church of the Americas.

The opening plenary session on the evening of Wednesday, October 29 at CTU features a conversation among the presidents of the three Bishops’ Conferences of the Americas:

– Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
– Archbishop James Weisgerber of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops/La Conférence des Évêques Catholiques du Canada
– Archbishop Raymundo Damasceno Assis of el Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano

On Thursday, October 30 the conference will convene at DePaul University with a morning plenary address by theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez, O.P. at DePaul University. In the afternoon, all will gather once again for a plenary session focused on a conversation between Kenneth Himes, O.F.M., and Laura Vargas Valcárcel.

Plenary and concurrent sessions on Thursday and Friday will include theologians and scholars from across the Americas engaging together a variety of issues reflecting “the current signs of our times.” The conference aims to contribute to a renewed social theology for the Americas, a renewal that draws upon the wellsprings of Catholic tradition, faith, and practice with a focus on the pastoral mission of the Church.

Other speakers include John Allen, Michael Budde, Orlando Espín, Roberto Goizueta, Diana Hayes, Bryan Massingale, Patrick McCormick, James Nickoloff, Robert Schreiter, C.P.P.S., and many others.