Year In Review 2022-2023

ICTC's theme for 2022-23 is “A Journey Towards Healing and Reconciliation.“ At this moment in history we are mindful that our world and our communities are impacted by wars, violence, hostility and anxiety. These community and global challenges affect us and lead us away from our call as Christians and people of goodwill to respond to violence and hatred in love as Scripture and Sacred texts teaches.

This year’s theme is further inspired by General Congregation 36, Decree 1 –“Companions in a Mission of Reconciliation and Justice.” In the section “On mission with Christ the Reconciler,” we are called to share God’s work of reconciliation in our broken world. There is an urgency to the three dimensions of this ministry of reconciliation, namely, reconciliation with God, with one another, and with creation.

This reconciliation is always a work of justice, a justice discerned and enacted in local communities and contexts (paragraph 21) Additionally, educational apostolates and centers for communication and social research, such as ICTC, should help form people committed to reconciliation, confront obstacles to reconciliation, propose solutions, and to help in the transformation of our cultures and societies (paragraph 34).

Catholic Heritage Series

The Current Challenges to the Catholic Church and the Ways to Meet Them

Peter C. Phan

Tuesday, November 1, 2022 Reception and Lecture

Reconciling with creation, humanity, and God are challenges that Catholic Church in the US is facing Dr Peter Phan examined Pope Francis's Laudato Si', Fratelli Tutti, and Evangelii Gaudium as ways to address these challenges.

Peter C. Phan is a Vietnamese refugee who obtained three doctorates and is was the Ignacio Ellacuría Chair of Catholic Social Thought at Georgetown University (now retired in Italy). He was the first non-Anglo President of the Catholic Theological Society of America and has received numerous awards. His publications cover various topics in theology, including Orthodox theology, patristic theology, eschatology, and interreligious dialogue.

Winter A Spirituality of Ra

Bryan N. Massingale

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Reception and Lecture

The rise of white Christian nati intersectional threat to the we and LGBTQ communities, and Inspired by the thought of Po presentation outlined the con needed by both individuals and society for authentic racial justice and reconciliation.

Fr. Bryan N. Massingale is a prominent theologian and professor of theological and social ethics. He is an expert in Catholic Moral Theology, Catholic Social Thought, African American Religious Ethics, and racial justice. He is also a past Convener of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium and a former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America

Jesus and the Peripheries: What do the Gospel stories of Jesus reaching out to those on the margins say about reconciliation?

James Martin, S.J.

Monday, May 8, 2023

Zoom

Rev. James Martin, S.J. is a Jesuit prie author, and Editor at Large at Americ magazine. He's known for his award-w books, appearances on major TV netw and radio shows, and a robust social m presence. He advocates for greater understanding and inclusion of the L community within the Catholic Church.

Catholic Intellectual Tradition

Introductory Lecture with Fr. Michael Raschko

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Fr. Michael Raschko, SU Professor Emeritus, returned to SU for a lecture on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. The lecture aimed to deepen understanding of Christianity's engagement with Western culture, from the past to the Reformation. Fr. Raschko also explored how Catholicism continued this engagement when the institutional Church lacked engagement.

"Cathonomics" Reading Group

Participants from various disciplines engaged in reading and discussing Cathonomics by Anthony M. Arnett. The book served as a comprehensive guide for individuals of diverse backgrounds and faiths who aspire to build a world economy that is prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable. Arnett combines economic insights with perspectives from theology, philosophy, climate science, and psychology, highlighting the shortcomings of neoliberalism and presents a fresh model based on Catholic social teaching and classical ethical traditions.

Session 1: February 28, facilitated by Dr. Michael Jaycox, Theology and Religious Studies

Session 2: April 5, facilitated by Dr. Jason Wirth, Philosophy

Session 3: May 2, facilitated by Dr Jessica Imanaka, Albers

Interreligious Dialogue Initiative

Healing and Reconciliation: A Nuu-Chal-Nulth Perspective

Dr. E. Richard Atleo

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Dr. E. Richard Atleo, whose Nuu-chah-nulth name is Umeek, is a hereditary chief and scholar. He created the First Nations Studies Department at Vancouver Island University and taught at several Canadian universities. He received the Equity Award from the Canadian Association of University Teachers and has held roles in various organizations.

See No Stranger: Reconciliation and Revolutionary Love with Valarie Kaur

Thursday, April 20, 2023

Zoom

Valarie Kaur is a civil rights leader, lawyer, award-winning filmmaker, educator, and founder of the Revolutionary Love Project. Valarie became an activist when a Sikh father and family friend was the first person murdered in hate violence in the aftermath of 9/11. For two decades, in his memory, Valarie has led visionary campaigns to tell untold stories and change policy on issues ranging from hate crimes to digital freedom. Her work ignited a national movement to reclaim love as a force for justice.

The Revolutionary Love Project is creating connected communities to build a compassionate society. Valarie, a Punjabi Sikh farmer's daughter, shares her transformative vision in her TED Talk and bestselling memoir. President Biden recognized her work in healing America at the White House.

Healing the Ruptures of Coloniality: Race, Religion, and the Secular

Dr. Oludamini Ogunnaike

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

This talk explored how the colonial color line, as defined by WEB DuBois, still exists in the 21st century, particularly in relation to race and religion. The presentation builds on the work of Frantz Fanon and Sylvia Wynter and suggests ways to move beyond it.

Oludamini Ogunnaike is a University of Virginia Associate Professor of African Religious Thought, author of 'Deep Knowledge,' winner of ASWAD's Outstanding First Book Prize, and specializes in West and North African Sufism and Yoruba traditions.

Laudato Si' Action Platform SummitandCelebration

Thursday, October 20, 2022

We gathered for an update and celebrated Seattle University's participation in Pope Francis's “Seven-Year Journey Toward Integral Ecology." Speakers included President Eduardo Peñalver, Laudato Si Action Platform Co-Chairs Jeanette Rodriguez and Yolanda Cieters and Committee Sponsors Provost Shane Martin, CFO Wilson Garone and VP for Mission Integration Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos

We have made this commitment in response to the call by Pope Francis in his encyclical “Laudato Si'” to envision sustainability in the holistic spirit of integral ecology and to redefine and rebuild our relationship with each other and our common home.

President Eduardo Peñalver

Caring for Our Common Home: A reading of Laudato Si' through the lenses of Querida Amazonia

Thursday, October 27, 2022

And

Pope Francis calls for an ecological conversion in his encyclical Laudato Si'. To achieve this, traditional substance ontology needs to be challenged. Querida Amazonia offers a pathway forward by providing a new lens to read Laudato Si' and navigate its richness.

Decolonizing Religious Landscapes for a Pluriversal Church

Friday, October 28, 2022

Indigenous people in the Abya Yala continent are integrating their philosophical and spiritual principles with Christian dogmas. This inter-religious, intercultural approach leads to a pluricultural Church that offers a deeper understanding of indigenous complex philosophical systems.

Dr. Titizano is a Quechua-Aymara Catholic theologian who teaches at NAITTS and is the Director of Latina/o Theology and Ministry

Leadership Network at Santa Clara University. Her research includes Indigenous philosophies, ethics, and feminist decolonial thought. She serves in Memoria Indígena and COSTIAY.

Dr. Cecilia Titizano Dr. Cecilia Titizano

Ecological Spirituality From the Ancestral Testimonies of the Nahua People

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

with

Ignacio Torres Ramírez

About Ignacio: Nahui Cuauhtli, which is his traditional name meaning Four Eagle, is a proud member of the indigenous community of Amatlán de Quetzalcoatl in Tepoztlán, Morelos. His ancestral roots shape his deep connection to the land, spirituality, and cosmovision In 1992, he was appointed as the esteemed guardian of the community's sacred conch. Beyond his role in preserving indigenous traditions, Nahui Cuauhtli is a veterinarian and a Corporal Therapist, offering massage, chiropractic, and traditional herbal medicine.

This conversation explores the Nahua cosmovision and its historical context, including the pre-Hispanic era and the era of conquest. It delves into the deep cosmology of the ancestors, covering the arrival of the Aztecs, the Spanish conquest, and indigenous, black, and popular resistance. The traditions, uses, and customs, such as earth ceremonies and communal planting, are presented as sacred practices within the Nahua cosmovision.

Faculty Fellowship Presentations

The St. Joan’s Alliance and the Shaping of the International Women’s Rights System

Dr. Nova Robinson Associate Professor, History and International Studies

October 13, 2022

This talk explored how Catholic feminist thought influenced the international women's rights system from 1920 to 1960. It focused on St. Joan's, a feminist Catholic organization that began in London to support suffrage in the UK and later championed women's equality globally. With its global reach, St. Joan's actively participated in discussions on international women's rights, advocating for representation from colonized regions unlike other secular women's organizations.

How to Go Forth and Set the World on Fire without Burning Out

Dr. Amelia Seraphia Derr Associate Professor, Social Work Director, Bachelor of Social Work Program

May 12, 2023

This presentation considered the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of social work students and workers and how to address this crisis through building resilience It examined current practices in social work education and offered customized best practices to educate students for sustained and generative careers.

2023 Catholic Earth Day Summit

Co-Sponsored Event

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Sponsored by: Archdiocese of Seattle, St. James Cathedral Seattle, St. Joseph Parish, Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture, Catholic Climate Covenant, and Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center

The Creation Care Network's annual environmental justice summit provided space to ground our collective work spiritually with a Mass Archbishop Paul D Etienne, discern how the Spirit is calling us to build reciprocity with the Earth, and act together for climate justice.

The day included:

Keynote speakers Amy Gulick and Dave Montgomery and a panel on Climate Action moderated by Jeff Renner, with Jay Julius and Mangesh Pol

Co-Sponsored Event

Sponsored by: Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability, and Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture

Each year, in the weeks leading up to Earth Day (April 22nd) CEJS, in partnership with various Seattle University departments and student groups, encourages action and participation in initiatives that focus on the urgent need for environmental justice, sustainable development, and climate solutions.

Co-Sponsored Event

The Healing Heart Of Lushootseed

World Premiere Event

Vi Hilbert, an 83-year-old elder from the Upper Skagit Indian tribe, turned to music as a means to heal the world after the tragic events of September 11th. In the documentary "The Healing Heart of Lushootseed," her journey is showcased as she gathers support for her ambitious project.

Sponsored by: Lushootseed Research, Reverend Louis Gaffney, S.J. Chair, and Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture

Vi taqᵂšəblu Hilbert, an Upper Skagit tribal member, dedicated her life to preserving and teaching the Lushootseed language and culture. She worked extensively with linguist Thom Hess, taught at the University of Washington, and helped local tribes establish their language programs. Vi received numerous awards for her contributions and was honored with a building named after her at Seattle University

UPPER SKAGIT ELDER Vi taqwšəblu Hilbert

COMPOSER Bruce Ruddell

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Documentary Film Featuring:

Sixth Annual Immigration Summit: Catholics Engaging in Immigrant Justice

Co-Sponsored Event

Saturday, August 27, 2022

It was a day of camaraderie, learning, and action in the pursuit of justice for immigrants. Through deep listening and an open heart, we accompanied immigrant communities, addressed mental health, advocacy, legal issues, and more. The event concluded with an interfaith and ecumenical townhall.

Sponsored by: Archdiocese of Seattle Immigrant and Refugee Ministry, St. James Cathedral Immigrant Assistance, Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center, and Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture

Morning Sessions

Voices of impacted communities

Understanding and supporting the legal needs of immigrant communities

Current immigration issues

Afternoon Sessions

Catholic advocacy

Community refugee sponsorship

Mental health and wellbeing in the Latino community

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Celebrating Black Catholic Heritage

Co-Sponsored Event

Tolton: From Slave to Priest

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Sponsored by: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Black Catholic Advisory Circle, SU's Campus Ministry, and Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture

"From Slave to Priest" is a captivating live production featuring music, drama, and inspiring performances. Actor Jim Coleman recounts the remarkable life of Fr Augustus Tolton, the first African American priest in the US, who is being considered for sainthood. From his escape from slavery to his battle against prejudice, Tolton's story embodies reconciliation, hope, and Christ's love. The performance, lasting 75 minutes, delivers a professional theater experience suitable for ages 10 and up. Fr. Tolton's cause for canonization is progressing rapidly in the Vatican

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mass Celebration

Monday, January 16, 2023

St. Ignatius Chapel

Co-Sponsored Event

Celebrant: Most Rev. Frank R. Schuster, D. D.

Keynote Speaker: Malcolm Nelson, Principal of St. Therese Catholic Academy

Sponsored by: Black Catholic Advisory Circle, Campus Ministry, and Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture

The time is always right to do what is right

Looking Forward Fall 2023

"What We Remember Will Be Saved" with Stephanie Saldaña

Thursday, September 28, 2023

3:30 p.m., ADAL Rolfe Room

Annual Immigration Summit

Saturday, September 30, 2023

LeRoux Room, Student Center

Laudato Si' Action Platform

Summit and Celebration

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

3:00 p.m.

LeRoux Room, Student Center

Catholic Heritage Lecture with Sr. Joan Chittister

Friday, November 3, 2023

4:00 p.m.

Campion Ballroom

2023-2024 ICTC Faculty Fellows

FACULTY RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

Meenakshi Rishi

PhD; Professor, Economics

Research Topic: Responding to the Cry of the Earth: Using Behavioral Economics to Assess Public Support for Improvements in Air Quality

Jennifer Fricas

PhD, MPH, RN; Assistant Professor, Nursing

Research Topic: Understanding Embodiment: A Critical Connection for Improving Human and Environmental Health Under Laudato Si' in the Anthropocene

COURSE DEVELOPMENT FELLOWSHIPS

Heath Spencer

PhD; Associate Teaching Professor

History

Course: Global Migration and Human Dignity

Sarah Cate PhD; Assistant Professor

Political Science

Course: Public Policy Process

ICTC Team

Ph.D.,

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Fr Arturo Araujo, SJ, Rector, Arrupe Jesuit Community and Associate Professor of Visual Arts He joins our team, bringing his exceptional skills, talents, and experience to ICTC Let's extend a heartfelt welcome and support as we embark on this exciting journey together.

ICTC Jesuit Artist in Residence

MDiv, Javeriana University, Bogotá

MFA, University of New Mexico

Jeanette Rodriguez, Ph.D. Executive Director of ICTC

Religion and the Personality Sciences Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley

Jessica Palmer, MA Associate Director MA, Theology and Spirituality, and Transformational Leadership, Seattle University

Estefania Kendall Senior Administrative Assistant BBA, Universidad de los Llanos

Sophia Cofinas Communication and Program Assistant Double Major in Public Affairs and International Studies, Seattle University

Arturo A. Araujo, SJ

Advisory Board Members 2022-2023

Ajay Abraham, Associate Professor, Marketing, Albers School of Business and Economics

Arturo Araujo, SJ, Rector of Arrupe Jesuit Residence, Associate Professor, Visual Arts, Art and Art History

Sharon Callahan, School of Theology and Ministry Professor Emerita

Elizabeth Guss, Community member, St. Hubert Catholic Church

Jane Peterson, College of Nursing Professor Emerita

Mary Sepulveda, Coordinator, Collection Development; Special Collections & Archives, Lemieux Library and Learning Commons

Lucas Sharma, SJ, SU Trustee, ICTC Advisory Board Chair

Donna Teevan, Associate Professor and Chair, Theology and Religious Studies

Jason Wirth, Professor, Philosophy, and Interreligious Dialogue Chair

We are excited to announce and welcome our new board members:

Fr. James Eblen, Professor Emeritus, School of Theology and Ministry

Dr. Nalini Iyer, Professor, Department of English

Dr Jessica Ludescher Imanaka, Associate Professor, Albers School of Business and Economics and the Department of Philosophy

Our Vision

Seattle University’s Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture invites the community to renew the Catholic intellectual tradition of engagement at the crossroads where faith and reason, religion and culture, church and world meet - through academic research, reflection and dialogue. We strive to be a place of multifaith, diverse conversations where people come together to engage in topics necessary about the meaning of the Gospel in our time.