Flossie Bourg, Ph.D., recently reviewed Between Life and Death: From Despair to Hope by Kashyap Patel, M.D. (Penguin Random House India, 2020). Dr. Patel, an oncologist, tells the story of his patient Harry, who has terminal cancer and must come to grips with his diagnosis and eventual death. Professor Bourg's review in the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC) explores how the engaging narrative raises important questions about the education and support patients need if they are to exercise meaningful informed consent, as well as what training and support medical professionals need if they are to support their terminal patients and care for themselves. To read the review GO»
Sr. Charity Bbalo, Religious Sister of the Holy Spirit, earned the Certificate in Catholic Social Teaching through the project “Catholic Sisters in Partnership for Sustainability,” funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and is continuing her Loyola studies in our new project, “Living Charisms for Sustainable Human Development." In July, the Global Sisters Report published her article, "Preserving Trees by Making Charcoal from Paper Litter." Read it»
Additionally, Sr. Charity led her college in a tree planting as part of its first ever “Environment Day.” Coverage of the event by a local radio station prompted several schools to contact Sr. Charity to learn how they could host a similar event.
Karen Brady, MRE, is a member of the Jordan Ministry Team in Tucson, Arizona. While this ministry has been offering adult formation programs for close to twenty years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects on her ministry, Karen has marveled, "Who knew Zoom would be the new evangelization tool that it has become?! Jordan Ministry Team has moved from a local adult ed ministry to a more global ministry."
Click the image above to learn more about Karen and her mnistry.
Since his graduation, Alloys has been working for the non-profit Emmah’s Garden. It’s purpose is to address the issues of water scarcity and safety affecting the people of Nyandoche Ibere in rural western Kenya. To that end, Emmah’s Garden provides filters for water purification and makes possible water harvesting and water storage in order to extend the growing season for farmers. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, Alloys continues working to realize the non-profit’s goal of building an educational center in the village. To learn more about Emmah’s Garden and see how you can help, GO»
Michael Cowan, Ph.D., recently wrote a guest column entitled "Successful Coalitions Must Dispense with Purity Tests" for The Advocate'. In it, Dr. Cowan draws upon his experiences with collective action change efforts in New Orleans to explain the work that must happen to turn protest into progress and the conditions under which coalition-building across race will be successful.
The sixty-fifth annual peer-reviewed volume of the College Theological Society (CTS), entitled All the Ends of the Earth: Challenge and Celebration of Global Catholicism, contains Dr. Lamont’s article, "Postmodern Theological Curriculum Theory in a Globalized Context." The volume’s Introduction by Jane E. Linaham and Cyril Orji notes that Dr. Lamont's article "raises the important question about the assumptions that underlie even the way we teach Christian theology" and makes the point that “[every] teacher—indeed, every person of faith—needs to be aware of our built-in biases and to make a hospitable place for difference to be honored and respected." Dr. Lamont presented the article at the 2019 CTS Convention in Notre Dame, Indiana in a panel "The Art and Practice of Teaching Theology," before its inclusion in this volume available now from Orbis Books.
Graduate Rhonda O'Brien (MPS ’20), in a partnership with Deb Echo-Hawk and the Pawnee Nation, has been working on the Pawnee Seed Preservation Project, preserving corn and other plants that the Pawnee had once grown in Nebraska before their removal to a reservation in Oklahoma in the 1870s. Since 2003, Rhonda has worked with Echo-Hawk, a team of 17 gardeners, and one farmer to propagate the sacred corn and traditional vegetables. Her work exemplifies care for creation as expressed in Laudato si'; and she credits the first Native American saint, Kateri Tekakwitha—the patroness of ecology and the environment, people in exile, and Native Americans—with guiding her ministry at the Preservation Project and the Conservation Center.
To learn more GO»
In the 2019 Encyclical Christus Vivit, Pope Francis writes both about and directly to young people. This magisterial document has far-reaching implications for ministry involving young people, and Dr. Lamont participated in creating a nearly 90-page study guide on 10 major themes of Christus Vivit. As part of her work with the USCCB National Advisory Team on Young Adult Ministry, she worked with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) to assist in the development and production of Christus Vivit: Pathway to Accompaniment Study Guide by serving on the planning, editorial, and writing teams.
The Study Guide will assist ministry leaders and the young people they serve to explore and apply the document in practical ways.
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To purchase a copy GO»
Lindy Brasher, MRE, was recently published by the National Catholic Reporter in its "Small Earth Stories" feature in which readers explain, in 150 words or less, specific ways they're responding to climate change in day-to-day life. Lindy's post, "Lessons from a New Teacher," shares her experience of using the natural world as her classroom. Read Lindy’s post »
In addition, the Ecojesuit website published an article by Lindy on its site. Her reflection considers the Vatican's theme of "Everything is connected" marking the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si'. Read the article »
Loyola Press has just published Becky Eldredge’s second book, The Inner Chapel: Embracing the Promises of God. In it, Becky draws upon her training in pastoral studies and her ministry as a spiritual director and retreat facilitator to assist readers in developing a richer prayer life and drawing closer to God.