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Colloquia, Symposia, and Public Events

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The Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage hosts a number of colloquia every academic year. These events are so named because of their conversational nature. Seeking to spearhead the universal significance of Catholicism, each colloquium engages a unique topic and features a number of guest speakers, each one a noted authority in their respective discipline. Such events generally include a keynote address, a response, and free time for Q&A.


Events

  • Blessed, Broken, and Given: Students’ Perspectives on the Eucharist and Social Justice

    November 7, 2024
    Palm Court, MDS Chapel, Damen Den, Ignatius House

    As part of Ignatian Heritage Month, the Hank Center and Campus Ministry invites you to take part in an event investigating the connection between the Eucharist and Social Justice. The day will include two research colloquia where invited undergraduate students will present short papers on this topic, the celebration of Evening Prayer/Vespers, and dinner.

    All members of the ҹAV Community are invited to this event, but RSVP is required no later than October 31.
  • Continental Philosophy Symposium

    April 4-6, 2024
    Regents Hall, Lewis Towers, WTC

    The so-called “theological turn” of the mid-20th Century describes the several ways that Continental philosophy is frequently taken up in Catholic academic settings– both as a courting of religious belief and, as frequently, a way past belief. At the same time, debates within Continental Philosophy about secularization, atheism and the deconstruction of Christianity directly mark the decline of ontotheology in the West, which demands an opening to non-European voices. The rise of these secular forms becomes a critique of the West from within, a self-reflexive gesture made in the wake of the death of Europe’s God, while also providing liberation for those on the margins of its ‘civilizing’, violent ethos. This conference hosted an array of leading global voices–scholars who interrogated these questions and a host of others.
    This event was a closed meeting by invitation only.
  • A Better Way to Work: Pope Francis, the Care Economy, and the Future of Work

    June 22, 2021, 11:30 AM CDT
    Zoom Forum

    In the aftermath of the global pandemic, the economic value of care reemerges as what it has always been: a matter of human dignity and justice. Re-prioritizing care requires new mindsets--from building a world that is socially and environmentally just, to reevaluating the meaning of decent work in contemporary life, to developing feasible economic and public policies that place care of people and care of environment at the center of life. We were pleased to host a dialogue about these crucial questions. This event was free and open to the public.
  • Videos Available| Signs of the Times: Context, Contingency, Crisis

    This day-long symposium offered reflections on major events and current affairs impacting Catholics, the Church, and the study of theology and ethics today. Featured current LUC doctoral students and recent graduates.
    April 23, 2021, 9:00 AM
    Zoom Forum


  • VIDEO AVAILABLE | Spirit and the Machine: Catholic Responses to an Increasingly Artificial World

    An interdisciplinary conversation with Fr. Phillip Larrey (Pontifical Lateran University), Ann Skeet (Santa Clara University), and John W. Farrell (journalist) on Artificial intelligence (AI), one of the most important technologies in the world today-- but also one rife with serious spiritual, social and ethical questions.
    May 12, 2021, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CDT
    Zoom Forum

  • Videos Available| Spring 2021 Series | Catholic Higher Education in Light of Catholic Social Thought

    Read more about our multi-part series on the publication Catholic Higher Education in Light of Catholic Social Thought: Critical-Constructive Essays, edited by Bernard Prusak and Jennifer Reed-Bouley. This series was cosponsored by The Ann Ida Gannon Center for Women and Leadership.
    Spring Semester 2021
  • The Storm Cloud of the 21st Century: Capitalism, the Technocratic Paradigm, and the Sacramental Imagination

    October 15, 2020
    Featuring Eugene McCarraher, Villanova University. Free and open to the public.
  • Fratelli Tutti: A Conversation Addressing Pope Francis’s New Encyclical on Human Solidarity and its Socio-Political Implications for the United States

    October 16, 2020, 12:00 - 1:30 PM
    During this time when our nation experiences an unprecedented health and socio-political crisis, a nationally recognized panel of voices explored the teaching of this encyclical on human solidarity and draw some concrete implications for this pivotal moment in our nation’s history. With M. Shawn Copeland, John Gehring, Carmen Nanko-Fernández, and Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv.This event is free and open to the public. Registration Required.
  • Everything Is Connected: Reflections on "Home" on the 5th Anniversary of Laudato Si'

    May 21, 2020. A compelling conversation marking the 5th anniversary of the publication of the landmark encyclical. Featured Paul Elie, Michael Schuck, and Nancy Tuchman.
  • Through the Lens of Data: The Enslaved Community Owned & Sold by the Maryland Province Jesuits

    The Center for Textual Studies and Digital Humanities and CCIH were excited to host special guest speaker Sharon Leon of Michigan State University, who talked about her work on the Jesuit Plantation Project. This event also was the first in a new Jesuit Studies Series being offered by the Hank Center.
  • The Global 1968 Symposium: Days of Past Present

    The Hank Center was proud to present its anticipated Global 1968 Symposium, a three-day event that surveyed the tumultuous confluence of events that took place that year.
  • Habemus Papam +5: Pope Francis, Five Years after Becoming the First Jesuit Pope

    Marking the fifth anniversary of the election of the first Jesuit Pope, CCIH welcomed Massimo Faggioli, Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University who provided the keynote.
  • Jesuitical

    In collaboration with America Magazine, the Hank Center proudly presented Jesuitical, a podcast for young Catholics from America Media. Read about the live audience with America's favorite Jesuit, Fr. James Martin.
  • 1968 Series Part I: The Legacy of Humanae Vitae & What It Means to Be "Pro-Life"

    This symposium featured presentations and discussions on the legacy of the papal encyclical, fifty years after its promulgation.
  • Good God, But Life Could Be Less Than Easy: George Saunders and the Fiction of Radical Humanism

    This symposium featured not only a morning address by George Saunders, but also traditional conference panels interspersed with creative expressions and responses to conference themes. The day concluded with a special visit from the creative writing students at 826Chi, a local nonprofit organization, and a book signing session.
  • Live from ҹAV: George Saunders Radio Hour

    An evening with MacArthur Genius and the Man Booker Prize-winning author, George Saunders. Raised Catholic in Chicago but now also a practicing Tibetan Buddhist, the author has a decidedly individual take on spirituality that informs his fictions.
  • Perspectives on Personhood: Resources in Science, Philosophy, and Theology

    This colloquium brought together resources from different academic disciplines to interrogate various perspectives on human consciousness and personhood.
  • That We May All Be One: Reformation and the Spirit of Christian Unity

    On October 18, 2017 CCIH marked the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's 95 Theses with a day-long symposium that examined ecumenical dialogue through the years and the legacy of the Reformation.
  • Sacred Sustainability: Life Hacking a Living Tradition

    Social entrepreneur, speaker and author of Y on Earth, Aaron William Perry led the audience in an interactive, and educational discussion titled: “Sacred Sustainability: Life Hacking a Living Tradition”.
  • Revolution of the Heart: A Symposium on Dorothy Day

    This two-day symposium featured speeches by former Catholic Worker community member Robert Ellsberg and Dorothy Day's granddaughter Kate Hennessy, as well as the play "Haunted by God."
  • Astronomy and Faith: From Lemaitre's Big Bang to the Jesuit Fathers of the Vatican Observatory

    Dr. Jonathan Lunine, Professor of Physical Sciences at Cornell University, delivered a talk at the Faith and Science Symposium on November 10.
  • Citizenship, Public Service, and the Common Good

    A two-day symposium on migration, U.S. gun culture, global security, Illinois state politics, and the role of faith in public life.
  • My Dream Act: A Play by Martha Razo and Cecilie Keenan

    My Dream Act, performed by Martha Razo under the direction of Cecilie Keenan, was presented by FRONTERA: Artists Crossing Borders. The play took place on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at the Citizenship, Public Service, and the Common Good Symposium.
  • Religious Faith and Modern War: A Literary Journey

    A lecture by Jesuit-educated, award-winning writer and veteran of the US Marine Corps on Redeployment, his collection of "brutal, piercing, sometimes darkly funny" short stories.
  • An Islamic Response to ISIS: A Panel Discussion with Omer Mozaffar, Dr. Lisa Reiter & the LUC Community

    The Hank Center and Campus Ministry joined forces for this panel discussion about an Islamic response to ISIS. The panel featured Dr. Omer Mozaffar (Muslim Chaplain, LUC), Dr. Lisa Reiter (Director, Campus Ministry), and student representatives from the ҹAV community.
  • The 2015 Teilhard de Chardin, SJ Lecture: Violence, Mysticism, and Rene Girard by Prof. Ann Astell

    The 2015 Teilhard de Chardin Lecture in Catholic Studies, entitled "Violence, Mysticism, and Rene Girard," was delivered by Prof. Ann Astell.
  • Caring for Our Common Home: Conversations on Ecology & Justice

    On September 9, 2015, ҹAV responded to and reflected upon Pope Francis's recent environmental encyclical Laudato Si in a day-long series of events.
  • Collectio Avellana Project

    The Collectio Avellana is a compilation of 244 imperial, papal, and senatorial letters and documents. The goals of this project was to provide a systematic study of the Collectio Avellana a whole, as well as of individual documents, events, and to contribute to a better understanding of the history of both the Later Roman Empire and the Early Church.
    LEARN MORE
  • The Preferential Option for Culture in Latino/a Theology

    This colloquium sought to honor the presence of Cardinal Ravasi in the United States by engaging the rich history and diversity of Latino/a Catholicism, and the origins, development, and future of Latino/a theology.
  • His Eminence Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi to Receive Honorary Degree from ҹAV

    In honor of the installation of the John Courtney Murray Chair in Public Service, His Eminence Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi addressed the ҹAV community and received an honorary degree from ҹAV.
  • The Racial Divide in the United States

    A symposium with guest speaker Most Rev. Edward Braxton, Bishop of Belleville, IL
  • CANTICO & CREOSOTE: Experimental Films With A Religious Theme

    ҹAV's School of Communications presented two films that make use of the religious image and symbol of St. Francis to explore the cinematic form.
  • Sanctuary and Sustenance: Syria and the Plight of Refugees

    Throughout Spring 2014, a team of Chicago based partners hosted a series of events across the city looking at the current political situation and humanitarian crisis in Syria through the eyes of displaced and refugee civilians. ҹAV's Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage took part in this series with a symposium.
  • Habemus Papam +1: The First Year of Pope Francis A symposium to mark the first year of Pope Francis's reign

    To mark the one-year anniversary of Pope Francis’s election, The Joan and Bill Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage hosted a symposium, Habemus Papam +1: The First Year of Pope Francis. The symposium ran from Thursday, March 27, from 1– 5:30 p.m. for a lively discussion focused on the first year of the Pope’s reign: What has he accomplished? Where do we go from here? What remains to be done?
  • The challenges of Global Jesuit Education: Responses to Poverty and displacement

    Symposium with Prof. David Hollenbach, S.J., University Chair in Human Rights and International Justice and Director of The Center for Human Rights and International Justice at Boston College. Wednesday, November 13, 2013. 3:30pm - 5:30pm. Damen Student Center MPR-South.
    LEARN MORE
  • Music of the Jesuit Missions

    The Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage presented its research colloquium: Music of the Jesuit Missions. This colloquium exploreed the history, traditions, and efforts to restore and re-introduce the colonial music of Latin America.
    DETAILS
  • Music of the Jesuit Missions I

    On April 10 Chicago based chamber music chorus Bella Voce and Chicago Arts Orchestra performed American Colonial Music at Madonna della Strada Chapel. The concert was part of a day long research colloquium: Music of the Jesuit Missions. This colloquium explored the history, traditions, and efforts to restore and re-introduce the colonial music of Latin America. Watch Video
  • Music of the Jesuit Missions II

    On April 10 Chicago based chamber music chorus Bella Voce and Chicago Arts Orchestra performed American Colonial Music at Madonna della Strada Chapel. The concert was part of a day long research colloquium: Music of the Jesuit Missions. This colloquium explored the history, traditions, and efforts to restore and re-introduce the colonial music of Latin America. Watch Video
  • Habemus Papam: Abdication, Conclave, and the Chair of St. Peter

    A panel discussion that explored the history of the papacy, Pope Benedict's unexpected decision to step down as the leader of the Catholic Church, and challenges ahead. | February 26, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm | McCormick Lounge, Coffey Hall
    LEARN MORE
  • Jesuits and Sports: Historical Perspectives and Resources for our Times

    On January 31, the Hank Center hosted a lecture by Fr. Patrick Kelly, S.J., Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Seattle University. In his book Catholic Perspective on Sports Fr. Kelly, S.J. provides a historic overview of the changing Catholic views towards sports, broadens traditional understanding of the interconnectedness between spirituality and athletics, and explains why this topic has been neglected by scholars. The author offers new insights on the contributions of Catholic thought and its relevance to sports today.
    DETAILS

PAST COLLOQUIA, SYMPOSIA, AND PUBLIC EVENTS

See a list of past events