1. Art and Diseño

Gibbons Hall B-20
620 Michigan Avenue, North East
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Telephone: 202/319-6089
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.crvp.org
Invitation to a Joint International Conference
“Renewing the Church in a Secular Age:
Holistic Dialogue and Kenotic Vision”
March 4-5, 2015
Gregorian University, Rome
We stand at turbulent wedding of secularity and Synod, globalization and cultural
diversity. In the midst of this Pope Francis calls the Church to be listening and
discerning, welcoming and serving. How can this mission be accomplished?
With Charles Taylor, José Casanova, Hans Joas, Tomas Halik and others The Council for
Research in Values and Philosophy (RVP, www.crvp.org) has convoqued specialized
teams from each of some 16 nations across North America and Europe, each to write a
book on these issues as experienced in their cultural context.
This wealth of scholarship will be brought to Rome in dialogic form in a conference at
the Gregorian University in Rome March 4-5, 2016.
By this letter we wish warmly to invite you to play an active role in these discussions.
Attached is a detailed program. Please note that registration, while free, is required. We
do hope that you can join in this important effort for the Church in these complex times.
With all best wishes, I remain
Sincerely yours
George F. McLean
President
The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.crvp.org
Program
MARCH 4th, 2015
14:30-15:30 – OPENING SESSION

Welcome by R.P. François-Xavier DUMORTIER SJ, Rector of the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Remarks by R.P. George F. MCLEAN, OMI, President of the Council for Research in Values
and Philosophy.

Opening Address by S.E. Card. Gianfranco RAVASI, President of the Pontifical Council for
Culture.
MODERATORS – REPRESENTATIVES of Pontificia Università Gregoriana and Council for Research in
Values and Philosophy.
15:30-17:00 – The Dynamics of Secularity in the West.

José CASANOVA (Georgetown University, USA) − «A Catholic Church in a Global Secular
World».

Hans JOAS (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany) − «The Church in a World of Options».
MODERATORS – Archbishop Thomas MENAMPARAMPIL SDB (India) & João J. VILA-CHÃ SJ (Pontificia
Università Gregoriana, Roma).
17:00-17:30 – PAUSE
17:30-19:00 – A LISTENING CHURCH: Implications of Science and Technology, Imagination, Subsidiarity.

Louis CARUANA SJ (Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Roma) − «Nurturing the Human Face
of Science».

Leon Dyczewski OFM (University of Lublin, Poland) – «New Technologies and Styles of
Evangelization».

Daniel DECKERS (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany) − «Being Pope Francis».
MODERATORS – Nicolas de BREMOND D’ARS (Centre d’Études Interdisciplinaires des Faits Religieux
[CEIFR], France) & Richard ROUSE (Pontifical Council for Culture, Roma).
March 5th, 2015
9:00-10:30 – A DISCERNING CHURCH: the Gospel Experience, and Foundations in Secular Times for
Renewed Hope.

Tomáš HALÍK (Charles University, Czech Republic) − «Discerning the Signs of the Times».

Juan Carlos SCANNONE SJ (Colegio Máximo de San José, Argentina) − «Iglesia y
Discernimiento Espiritual en una Edad Secular y un Mundo Global».

Massimo GRILLI (Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Roma) − «Tutto è grazia. Ri-lettura
dei macarismi oggi, nella Chiesa».
MODERATORS − Philip J. ROSSI SJ (Marquette University, USA) & Pavel HOSEK (Charles University,
Czech Republic).
10:30-11.00 − PAUSE
11:00-12:30 – A WELCOMING CHURCH: Pluralism, Encounter and Dialogue.

Robert SCHREITER CPPS (Catholic Theological Union-Chicago, USA) − «Spirituality as
Platform and Forum for Encounter».

Michael-Paul GALLAGHER SJ (Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Roma) − «Remembering
Imagination and Narrative».

Adriano FABRIS (Università di Pisa, Italy) − «Rethinking Universality for a True
Interreligious Dialogue in a Pluralistic Age».
MODERATORS – Helen ALFORD OP (Pontificia Università San Tommaso, Roma) & Taras DOBKO
(Ukrainian Catholic University, Ukraine).
13:00-14:30 − LUNCH BREAK
15:00-16:30 – A SERVING CHURCH: Polarization, Participation and Peace.

Adela CORTINA (University of Valencia, España) − «Religiones y Ética Cívica
Transnacional en el Espacio Público: Un Camino hacia la Paz».

Peter JONKERS (Tilburg University, Netherlands) − «A Serving Church: Overcoming Polarization through Participation».

William BARBIERI (Catholic University of America, USA) − «Kenotic Ethics for a Servant
Church».
MODERATORS – Staf HELLEMANS (Tilburg University, Netherlands) & James CORKERY
Università Gregoriana, Roma).
SJ
(Pontificia
16:30-17:00 – PAUSE
17:00-19:00 –Authenticity: The Life of the Church in a Secular Age.

Charles TAYLOR (McGill University, Canada).
MODERATORS – Mary MCALEESE (Ex-President of the Republic of Ireland) & Michael-Paul
GALLAGHER SJ (Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Roma).
19:00-19:15 – CONCLUSION.
This joint International Conference is the result of an effort began with the identification by
Professor Charles Taylor’s, author of A Secular Age, of four disjunctions of Church and People relating
to (a) seekers who have left ecclesial practice in search of the Spirit, (b) the magisterium charged with
pastoral responsibilities; and (c) contemporary moral guidance, (d) in a world of plural spiritualities.
Presently the project is working to articulate the four emerging characteristics of the Church as (a) not
only listening to the experience of the laity (b) but discerning the path ahead, and hence (c) welcoming
the seekers and (d) serving their broad religious needs in a context deeply marked by pluralism and
diversity.
Scholars around the world, but for now particularly in the West, are hereby invited to join the effort
of Church renewal which this Conference represents, based on the work of more than a dozen
Research Teams in different parts of Europe and North America. As a joint project of the Council for
Research in Values and Philosophy (RVP) with the Pontifical Gregorian University (PUG) in Rome, the
Conference intends to engage the Roman mind and so better contribute to the universal Church as it
faces the many present challenges. As such, the Conference will also function as a launching pad for
similar initiatives to follow on the impact of secularization across Asia, Africa and Latin America and
so contribute to the worldwide renewal of the Church as a communio of Dialogue in search of Truth,
Beauty and the Good as the emergence of God’s Kingdom in human history.
The Conference is open to all with a professional interest in the topic and committed to the entire
Program. No fee will be charged for the Conference, but REGISTRATION by January 30, 2015 is
mandatory. Travel and accommodation will be the responsibility of the participants. For the Form
and further information visit the RVP website: [http://www.crvp.org] or the PUG website:
[http://www.unigre.it]. For Hotels near the Gregorian University, see the link
[https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/80073771/rvp_rome_2015/Hotels.pdf].
It is anticipated that this event at the Pontifical Gregorian University will be followed by a Roman
edition of the Cortile dei Gentili on the afternoon of March 6, 2015.