Welcome to the FIRST

The newsletter of Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church
 
November 2017

Dear Friends,
 
SARAJEVO REGISTRATION UPDATE
 
We are happy to report in our first month over 150 people from 44 countries are registered for the Sarajevo conference.  Please remember that registration ends December 1 st.
 
DECEMBER 1 st DEADLINE
 
Why so early?  Our primary challenge is visas.  Since Bosnia is such a small country it only has 2 consulates per continent and requires on site visa applications.  240 of our 500 invitations are to people who need visas.  We received special permission from the Bosnian foreign ministry to make application by mail, but it is a process that must be initiated more than 6 months before the date of the visa.  By January 15, all 240 visa applications must be processed.  In order to oversee all this work we have hired a full time person in Sarajevo.
 
We did not think the CTEWC network should have two different deadline dates, one for visa and one without.  In terms of the ethics of solidarity, we set December 1 st as the deadline so that all the paperwork would be accomplished in time.
 
It also allows us to go to the waitlist.  We already have 30 names there.  We will write them on December First and they will have even less time for the visas, whence again our December First deadline.  (Remember the site can only hold 500, so we need to be sure we don't over register).
 
POSTERS
 
We provide six different posters to illustrate what a poster could look like at Sarajevo.  WE are hoping for up to 250 Posters for Sarajevo.  Thanks to Boston College students Meg Loughman and Maddie Bald for their designs on the posters of Kristin Heyer, Cathy Kaveny, Agnes Brazal, Shaji George Kochuthara, Antonio Autiero, and me.  Please note, the poster should introduce you and your general area of work.
 
Other Matters
 
Sadly two of our beloved members have passed away, "Archie" Romeo Integan, S.J., and Norbert Rigali, S.J. Please see our notices below.
 
Also from the Gregorian University please see the notice on the integral ecology program that they have started.
 
Finally, please see the Asian Report and the 4 Forum essays by Peter Knox, Agnes Brazal, Aníbal Torres, and Tom Massaro.
 
All the best
 
 
Jim
Sarajevo Posters


Obituary
Fr. Romeo "Archie" Integan, S.J.
Fr. Romeo "Archie" Intengan S.J., Filipino moral theologian, medical doctor, and political activist, passed away on October 10, 2017 at the age of 74. As co-founder of the Phil ippine Democratic Socialist Party (PDSP) in 1973, he helped provide an ideological alternative for the moderate left during the Marcos dictatorship. His first assignment after ordination was to teach at the Ateneo de Manila University where he introduced students to liberation theology. In 1978, he was incarcerated for leading a march against the fraudulent elections. After getting summoned by First Lady Imelda Marcos in 1980, he fled and sought sanctuary in a Sabah camp in Malaysia, ran by the Moro National Liberation Front. He later proceeded to Spain to specialize in moral theology at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid and came back to the Philippines when Ferdinand Marcos was ousted by the 1986 People Power revolution. He served as provincial superior of the Philippine Jesuits from 1998 to 2004. Fr. Archie participated in the CTEWC conferences in Padova and Manila. Younger theologians can learn from his passion for liberation and option for the poor.


Obituary
Father Norbert Jerome Rigali, S.J.
Father Norbert Jerome Rigali, S.J., retired professor of philosophy and religious studies at the University of San Diego and other Catholic universities, died October 4, 2017 at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Los Gatos, after a long illness. He was 88 years of age and had been a member of the Society of Jesus for 70 years, 58 of them as a priest.
 
Norbert was born December 29, 1928 in Glendale, Calif., the sixth of seven children of Henry A. Rigali and Frances White. He graduated from Loyola High School, Los Angeles, briefly attended Loyola University, and entered the Jesuit novitiate at Los Gatos February 10, 1947. Studies in classics and philosophy were made at Los Gatos and Spokane (Gonzaga BA, 1952, MA, 1953), theology in Innsbruck, Austria (Jesuitenkolleg, S.T.L., 1960) and the University of Munich (Ph.D., Philosophy, 1964). He was ordained a priest in Innsbruck July 26, 1959.
 
His primary ministry was teaching and writing. Before ordination, he taught Latin at St. Ignatius High School, San Francisco (1953-54), and was an Instructor in philosophy at Loyola University, Los Angeles (1954-56). Upon completion of his studies, he taught philosophy at Mount St. Michael's, Spokane, (Assistant Professor, 1964-65) and Loyola Marymount University (Assistant Professor, 1965-68). He then spent a year as a Research Associate at the Cambridge Center for Social Studies, Cambridge, Mass. (1968-69) before returning to the classroom. He was Visiting Assistant Professor of Moral Theology and Religious Studies at Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 1970-71, and then taught at the University of San Diego, where he spent a total of 37 years as Professor of Moral Theology and Religious Studies (1972-2009). He was Theologian in Residence at Loyola Marymount University, 2010-11 and retired to a ministry of prayer at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Los Gatos in 2011.
 
Norbert published widely in the fields of philosophy and moral theology. His works include a study (in German) on the thought of the German-Swiss philosopher and psychiatrist, Karl Jaspers, and many articles on Christian ethics in Theological Studies and in other professional journals and popular religious publications.
 
His colleagues esteemed his scholarly work in an ongoing methodical reconstruction of Catholic moral thinking in the post-Vatican II era, where he brought the tools and insights of philosophy to what he termed its "transformation from moral theology to theological ethics."
 
He is survived by his brother, Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia, ofKnoxville, Tenn.And several nephews and nieces and grand-nephews and grand-nieces living in various parts of the country.
 
The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, October 31 at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, 300 College Avenue, Los Gatos 95030, with burial at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, 490 Lincoln Street, Santa Clara 95050.
 
Donations in memory of Father Rigali may be made to Jesuits West Province, P.O. Box 68, Los Gatos, CA 95031 or to a charity of your choosing.
 
 

Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology 
The Pontifical Universities of Rome now offers a one year joint diploma in Integral Ecology.

Featured Forum Articles:



Asia Report
By Shaji George Kochuthara
29th 
Annual 
Conference of the Association of Moral Theologians of India (AMTI)
The Association of Moral Theologians of India held its 29th Annual Conference from 20th to 22nd October, 2017 at Niveditha, Aluva, Kerala. The three days conference discussed the theme, "Conscience and Conflicts." Dr. K. S. Radhakrishnan, former Vice Chancellor of Sanskrit University, Kalady and former Chairman of Kerala Public Service Commission, inaugurated the conference. He initiated the discussion on conscience and conflicts by presenting an inclusive approach in morality based on Advaita, an Indian Philosphical system. Mar Sebastian Adayanthrath blessed the conference by celebrating the Holy Eucharist. In his homily, he emphasised the need of giving space to individuals in moral deliberations by helping him or her to develop an enlightened conscience. The conference had in total nine sessions on the following topics: Conscience in Amoris Laetitia (Shaji George Kochuthara, CMI), the Freedom of Conscience - the Objective and the Subjective Orientation in the Catholic Doctrine (Scaria Kanniyakonil), the Distortion of the Conscience (Anthony Fernandes), Conscience and Character (Vimala Chenginimattam, CMC), Formation of Conscience-A Psychological Perspective (Francis Chittuparambil, OCD), Social Media and Conscience (Jose Thayil, SJ), Conscience in the Celebration of the Liturgy (Paulachan Kochappilly, CMI), Conflicts of Interest in the Healthcare and the Role of Conscience (William Eronimoose, MI), Conscientious Objection and Health Care (Christopher Vimalraj). Each session had one presentation of 20 minutes, a response of 5 minutes and common questions and clarifications for 35 minutes. Dr. Selvaraj presented the findings of his newly defended doctoral thesis on indissolubility of marriage.
The general body elected new office bearers: The  president: Rev. Dr. Shaji Kochuthara  (President), Rev. Dr. Vimala CMC (Vice President), Rev. Dr. Augustine Kallely (Secretary) and Rev. Dr. Thomas Parayil (Treasurer).
The meeting arrived at the following conclusions.
  1. 1.     The next annual conference shall take place from 19th to 21st  October, 2018 on the theme: Liberating the Oppressed in Indian Context.  The theme may include the liberation of political minorities, religious minorities, financially poor, dalits, transgender, oppressed women, etc.
  2. 2.     The meeting nominated George Kodithottam, John Karuvelil and Christopher to the academic committee of the next conference. The President of the Association will be the convener of the committee. The committee is expected to finalize the titles by the end of November 2018 and based on the titles call for papers will be published.
  3. 3.     In order to make sure the quality of the papers, an abstract will be requested from those who wish to present papers. After scrutinizing the abstracts, the academic committee will finalise the papers.
  1. Next conference onwards, a panel discussion on regional moral issues might be included.
  2. Rev. Dr. Clement Campos thanked all the members for the support given while he was serving the association as president. Rev. Dr. Shaji, the new president, thanked all the members, especially to the outgoing President and Vice President for their service. The meeting concluded with a prayer by George Kodithottam. Rev. Dr. Vimala expressed the gratitude of the association towards Rev. Dr. Varghese Pulickal, the director of Niveditha and his entire team.


Augustine Kallely, Secretary
22/10/2017
 

Call for Papers: 
DePaul University is hosting the "Daughters of Wisdom: Women & Leadership in the Global Church," in Chicago in April, and the submission deadline is November 10, 2017.

Call for Papers: 

                        

ASIAN HORIZONS, DHARMARAM JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY
CALL FOR PAPERS

DECEMBER 2017: ASIAN CHRISTOLOGIES
Responding to the religious, cultural, social, political and economic context of Asia, and drawing inspiration from the religious and cultural resources, in recent decades Asian theologians have attempted to develop their own Christologies. December 2017 issue is dedicated to Asian Christologies.
Please send your articles (4500-5000 words, including the footnotes) at the latest by 15 November 2017. Kindly include the abstract of the article in 150-200 words, 5-7 Keywords and a summary of the CV of the author in 100-150 words.
Other regular items: "New Scholars": Abstract of doctoral theses (recently defended and not yet published); Reports and Statements of important conferences, Book Reviews.
For submitting the articles and for more details: Shaji George Kochuthara (editor-in-chief): kochuthshaji@gmail.com

Themes: 2017-2019
2017: Vol. 11
March: Amoris Laetitia
June: Protestant Reformation after 500 Years
September: New Faces of Religious Fundamentalism and Violence
December: Asian Christologies
2018: Vol. 12
March: Asian Public Theology
June: Theology of Family, Sexuality, and Marriage: From Casti Connubii to Amoris Laetitia
September: Sensus Fidei, Sesus fidelium and the Magisterium
December:  Theological Education: Challenges
2019: Vol. 13
March: Gender: Theology and Praxis
June: The Theologian in the Local Church
September: Biblical Theology: Asian Contribution
December: Religious Pluralism: Changing Perspectives
 


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Jim Keenan S.J.

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