SimonMary Asese Aihiokhai

Affiliation:  University of Portland

Abstract Title: Theology as a Prophetic Discipline for Catholic Universities: Reading the Signs of the Times

Summary: Does a Catholic university mean a return to a way of being that is devoid of concrete historicity? Or does it mean a turn to the prophetic that allows for entering into multiple discourses with an insightfulness that allows for new questions to arise that further the flourishing of society? This paper argues for the latter. This paper will do the following: first, articulate a broader vision of a Catholic university for our times and how theology can help bring this to fruition. Second, show how theology can take on this proposed role with the use of a case study.

Maha Al-Rayes

Affiliation:  Assumption University

Abstract Title:  Nominal Christianity in Contemporary Society: Insights from Educators, Clergy, and Individuals

Summary:  This presentation highlights findings from a comprehensive study investigating nominal Christianity through the perspectives of individuals, clergy, and educators. It delves into the underlying causes and characteristics of nominal faith and discusses how Christian education and community involvement can foster deeper spiritual engagement. Attendees will be provided with practical strategies to address nominal Christianity within modern communities, gaining valuable insights into how to encourage active faith participation and strengthen connections within their congregations and educational programs.

Cynthia Cameron

Affiliation:  St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto

Abstract Title: Anachronistic Relic or Prophetic Voice for Girls?: A Theological Case for All-Girls’ Catholic Schools

Summary:   Are all-girls’ Catholic schools an anachronistic relic of a sexist past, something to be jettisoned as no longer serving contemporary Catholic families? Or do they serve a more prophetic function in the Church, calling us to attend to the well-being and flourishing of adolescent girls? This paper suggests that, rooted in a history of women educating women, all-girls’ Catholic schools enact a feminist theological commitment to girls and that they prepare girls to resist the toxicities of our contemporary culture and to exercise agency in their lives.

Tyler Chamberlain

Affiliation:  Trinity Western University

Abstract Title: The Intelligence is Enlightened by Love: George Grant on Modernity and Faith-Learning Integration

Summary: This paper draws from George Grant’s 1986 essay “Faith and the Multiversity” to articulate the importance of the Christian Liberal Arts against the backdrop of what Grant calls “the modern paradigm of knowledge.” Using Simone Weil’s definition of faith as “experience that intelligence is enlightened by love,” Grant suggests that the fact-value distinction, and the subsequent exclusion of faith from what counts as knowledge, has contributed to the specialization encouraged by modern “multiversities.” His solution is to recover a paradigm of faith, which affirms that the world is a unified whole within which everything proceeds from beneficence.

Andrew Connolly

Affiliation:  UBC

Abstract Title: Understanding and Teaching the Religious Work of Fiction

Summary:  For decades, literary and cultural studies scholars have been both researching and teaching the cultural work of fiction: how a particular work of fiction attempts to intervene in a particular cultural moment by reinforcing or challenging cultural norms. This paper applies this broader approach to religious contexts. In other words, this paper looks at how authors use fiction to intervene in particular religious moments by addressing religious communities that have a specific understanding of the role and potential of fiction. Furthermore, the paper explores how this understanding of fiction within religious communities can become part of a post secondary curriculum.

Rosette Correa

Affiliation:  CISVA

Abstract Title: Non-Catholic Enrollment in Catholic Schools: Room for Evangelization or Road to Extinction?

Summary:  Discussion among Catholics and Christians alike regarding Pope Francis’ recent comments during his trip to Asia has observers questioning whether the pontiff’s assertion endorses religious pluralism. While the Pope emphasizes compassion and respect for other faith traditions, this is problematic to educators focused on evangelizing students about Jesus Christ as the sole path to salvation. Preserving Catholic doctrinal integrity while fostering belief in God poses challenges, especially in environments where religious belief may be tepid or non-existent. To develop students intellectually, spiritually, and morally while respecting other faith traditions is the goal of Christian education and with religious pluralism, challenges in finding a pedagogical approach that encourages dialogue among faiths without compromising the core values of each tradition is necessitated.

Indre Cuplinskas

Affiliation:  St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta

Abstract Title: Early 20th Century Experiments in Christian education: Catholic Youth Organizations as Sites for Engaging a Secularizing World

Summary:  In the first decades of the 20th century, Catholics created youth organizations as a response to perceived modern threats. Many of these groups became places of negotiation, where youth and adults, lay people and clergy, navigated the relationship between Catholic identity and modern, secular concerns. Through a focus on debates about bodily practices in three European and Canadian movements, this paper both highlights a non-traditional but significant site of Catholic Christian education, and examines how Catholic youth and adults sought to respond to modern, secular developments that were particularly significant for youth.

Israel Diaz

Affiliation:  Candler School of Theology, Emory University

Abstract Title: Christian Education in a Missionary Key: Cultivating Missionary Activity in a Digital World

Summary:  This presentation will consider how Christian education in a missionary key can form and inform God’s people for missionary activity in a digital world. To this end, the presentation will describe how the “device paradigm,” which underlies digital innovations, challenges the common good and contributes to the decline of religious faith. In response, the presentation will draw on the post-conciliar theology of evangelization to describe four characteristics of Christian education in a missionary key and reflective practices for forming and informing God’s people for missionary activity in a digital world.

Sr. Cynthia Emeka

Affiliation:  Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi-Kenya

Abstract Title: Integration of Theological Education with Secular Disciplines: A Pathway to Holistic Christian Education in Catholic Universities

Summary:  The paper explores the essential role of theology in Catholic universities as part of the Church’s evangelizing mission, fostering holistic education and societal transformation. There is a tension between theology and secular disciplines. This disintegration hampers academic innovation and holistic transformation. Drawing insights from Ex Corde Ecclesiae, the paper highlights the urgent need to reintegrate theological education with secular knowledge to form individuals who uphold human dignity and contribute meaningfully to Church and society. A pastoral cycle methodology will be employed. It examines current trends, pastoral challenges, and proposes key crescendos in favour of theological education.

Rick Faw

Affiliation:  A Rocha Canada

Abstract Title:  Earthkeeping in the Way of Jesus: A Rocha’s Tatalu Conservation Residency Program as an Example of Ecological Discipleship

Summary:  This presentation will profile A Rocha Canada’s Tatalu Conservation Residency program, an immersive experience that disciples participants to grow in their response to God’s call to care for God’s world. It utilizes a multi-model (head, hands, heart) and multi-dimensional (spiritual, social, ecological) approach that is based on biblical convictions and that longs for everyone to glimpse shalom – right relatedness with God, each other and all creation.

Matthew Hoven

Affiliation:  St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta

Abstract Title: The Future of Catholic Schools: Prospects and Decisions for Fully-Funded Catholic Schools in Western Canada

Summary: This presentation draws upon our published research taken from an exploratory, qualitative study of chief superintendents of Catholic schools in Western Canada, along with other current research into Catholic education. We argue that the schools’ religious mission must seek responses to institutional and social issues instead of simply being cosmetic and non-functional. We have three suggestions for the future of the schools: First, leadership should embrace Pope Francis’ call to synodality. This ecclesial model of leadership is educationally-sound and theologically-centered; it holds the potential to re-anchor and re-vitalize administrators and trustees. Second, provincial collaboration in structuring teacher faith formation can enable individualized faith learning, cultivate community, and promote mental health. Third, a scholarly review of the implementation of the bishop’s national religious education program is needed. The program is theologically- and educationally-sound; however, a lack of teacher preparedness in teaching religion risks making religious learning hollow or, worse, an indoctrination.

Chris Hrynkow

Affiliation:  St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan

Abstract Title: Grounding Education for Peace as a Catholic Paradigm within the Treaty Six Context of Responsibilities

Summary: This presentation involves two main movements to: (1) name and analyze support for the Catholicity of education for peace and (2) articulate ways our team is working to incarnate it within the Treaty Six context of responsibilities with a focus on the establishment (2020) and teaching of Peace Studies at St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan. A conclusion delves into how, for Catholic and non-Catholics alike, education for peace is well suited to living out the mission and vision of the college.

Rob James & Shawn Bullock

Affiliation:  Vancouver School of Theology

Abstract Title: Promising Stories, Problematic Contexts: An Exploration of the Use of Story in Chrisitan Education

Summary:  The Bible offers a rich resource for educational storytelling, whether in formal or informal settings. Discovery curricula position children as meaning-makers, but hidden curricula may inadvertently shape responses. We argue that adults and teachers should offer more guidance to facilitate deeper engagement with biblical narratives and their broader contexts. This guided approach benefits both children and adults, enhancing understanding and creative exploration. While adults sometimes hesitate to provide guidance, growing into and trusting their creative abilities can foster activities, worship, and discussion that enrich Christian education for storytellers and audiences alike. This pedagogical strategy promises transformative learning experiences indeed.

Maureen Kinahan

Affiliation:  St. Mark’s College

Abstract Title: Pilgrims on a Shared Journey: An Analysis of Interfaith and Multifaith Prayer

Summary:  This paper examines interfaith and multifaith prayer as pathways for genuine spiritual growth in diverse religious settings. It discusses contributions from leaders like Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI alongside challenges posed by scholars such as Makafui Tayviah and Jeannine Hill Fletcher. By differentiating interreligious from multireligious prayer, it outlines key conditions for successful shared rituals, stressing mutual respect and sincere engagement. A case study of a 2015 multifaith service at the 9/11 Museum exemplifies these principles, advocating for inclusive practices that foster understanding and societal harmony amid cultural tensions.

Adam Lalonde

Affiliation:Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto

Abstract Title: The Rhetoric of Theology: Understanding a Medieval Shift in Theological Method through the Summa de Anima of Jean de la Rochelle, OFM (d. 1245)

Summary:  This paper puts forward the Summa de Anima of Jean to la Rochelle as a window to the shifts in investigative and pedagogical method of theology at the turn of the 13th c. with the reintroduction of the Aristotelian corpus to the West. While shifts in content have long been the focus of scholarship in this period, this paper looks to the rhetorical structures of the text as a guide to understanding it as spiritual exercise rather than a compilation of logical results. This provides a case study of the role of language in theological pedagogy and training for ministry.

Peter Lauwers

Affiliation: Justice, Court if Appeal for Ontario 

Abstract Title: The Challenge for Catholic Education: To Evangelize or to Succumb to the Secular Culture

Summary:  Catholic education has the resources to evangelize and to resist succumbing to the secular culture. These include a positive stance rooted in vocation, a commitment to justice, and recognition of the need to cultivate the responsive virtues, including interpersonal reverence and the personal commitment to faithfulness, to taking responsibility, to veracity, to goodness, to participation in community, and to experience hope as a form of energy that is strongest when circumstances are darkest.

Fiona Li

Affiliation:  St. Mark’s College

Abstract Title: Exploring ‘Power-With’: Decolonizing Christian Education

Summary:  In this paper, I will first argue that education, even Christian education, have been primarily focused on knowledge. Knowledge, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. We need knowledge in order to make wise decisions and in the formation of the human person. But this knowledge has been presented and filtered through a particular lens: the privileged White men who were also “winners” or ”conquerors.” Moreover, the readings that we choose to discuss in our classrooms or inform our lectures may play into this dynamic as the normative voices (White, male scholars) are used as the primary text, with BIPOC voices remaining in the margins. But history cannot always be “his (White) story;” those in the margins also need to express their stories, experiences, and needs to contemporary society. After establishing this, I will look at the concept of “power with,” which I argue will help draw attention to those forgotten and marginalized voices, require the person to recognize one’s privileged position, and to relinquish that power as they join those neglected in the margins in an act of solidarity.

Ramon Luzarraga

Affiliation:  Departement of Theology and Religious Studies, St. Martin’s University

Abstract Title: Can Catholic Education be Decolonized and Catholic? Lessons from the Caribbean

Summary:  Roman Catholic schools have been an integral part of education in the Caribbean from colonial times through today, including participating in Caribbean decolonialization. “Decolonization” in the Caribbean is about including once-suppressed voices but not to the exclusion of voices from the former metropolitan power. This is made possible by the incarnational and universal dimensions of the Catholic charism of the schools themselves. “Decolonization” is not reduced to a culture war, but is the realization by Caribbean people that human beings are a hybrid of identities, the purpose of which is to use diverse experiences to discover God’s truth together.

Harry O. Maier

Affiliation:  Vancouver School of Theology

Abstract Title:  To Instruct a City: Clement of Alexandria’s Paedagogus and the Education of Early Christian Urban Residents

Summary:  This paper examines Clement’s educational ideals and situates them in the context of an urban environment of economic inequalities and differences of status. The paper shows how Clement aimed at forms of urban integration, at least amongst Christians of differing status but possibly also more broadly, and as such furnished guidelines for moral formation for Christians living in densely populated neighbourhoods. In so doing, he sought to advance a mode of urban thriving in which education was to play a transformative role in shaping daily life, pursuing ethical ideals in the conduct of everyday practices, and promoting urban cohesion. The paper examines his treatise with the help of recent studies on urban aspiration and intersectional economic relationships and contextualize Clement’s teachings about education within broader Jewish and Christian traditions of the period.

John Martens

Affiliation:  St. Mark’s College

Abstract Title: Does John Chrysostom Offer Us a Model for How We Should Teach Children the Bible Today? 

Summary:  John Chrysostom, circa 349–407 AD, wrote “On Vainglory, or The Right Way to Raise Children” on the education of Christian children. Chrysostom believes that the best way to raise children includes teaching them stories from the Bible, Hebrew Bible first, then New Testament. Chrysostom’s treatise encourages us to ask questions about how children should be educated in knowledge of the Bible today. Is his model for education in the Bible worth retrieving? And how can we be certain that any model that we adopt for teaching children the Bible is inclusive and sensitive to the needs of all children?

Graham McDonough

Affiliation:  Faculty of Education, University of Victoria

Abstract Title:  Are Catholic Schools Innovative Leaders in Catholic Church Reconciliation Efforts?

Summary:  How do Catholic schools respond to the TRC’s (2015) Calls to Action when, despite apologies from Pope Francis and the Canadian Bishops, Catholic teaching on religious pluralism continues to negatively evaluate Indigenous spiritualities? This presentation examines documents from three Catholic school systems that strongly promote Indigenous culture, and examines four hypotheses that suggest either (1) Catholic teaching on religious pluralism is irrelevant to their daily operations; (2) they only engage thinly with it; (3) they heavily but tacitly adhere it; or (4) they are intuitively engaged in a professionally-driven response that is leading the Church toward a new religious pluralism.

Germain McKenzie

Affiliation:  Independent Scholar

Abstract Title:  EDI in the Classroom: An Interpretation from the Standpoint of Catholic Social Teaching

Summary:   Contemporary EDI approaches in education are aimed at improving students’ understanding of social inequalities and injustice in society, and to promote an ethical response to those realities. This paper interprets EDI in the light of Catholic Social Teaching in a way that offers teachers and instructors a coherent framework for implementing concrete pedagogies. Coincidences with existing EDI programs are pointed out as well as differences derived from peculiar ideas and practices proper to the Catholic faith.

Peter Meehan

Affiliation:  St. Jerome’s University

Abstract Title: “Fairness, Equality and Goodwill”: Archbishop Philip Pocock’s Realpolitik for the Separate Schools of Ontario

Summary:  This paper explores the evolution of church-state relations in Canada through the lens of Ontario’s separate school system, beginning with the 1867 British North America Act. It focuses on the leadership of Archbishop Philip Pocock, who, from his early episcopal roles to his tenure in Toronto during and after the Second Vatican Council, reshaped Catholic advocacy for publicly funded education. Rejecting behind-the-scenes bargaining, Pocock embraced a new strategy grounded in fairness, dialogue, and engagement with the modern world. His approach anticipated contemporary models of synodality and reflected a transformative moment for the English-speaking Catholic Church in Canada.

Nicholas Meisl

Affiliation:  St. Mark’s College

Abstract Title: Gen 1–3 as told by the Apostle Paul and the Silver Screen

Summary:  Whether in adult faith instruction, children’s catechesis, or preaching, Christian teachers and ministers work to convey biblical texts in ways that both shape the imagination and influence learners’ behavior. In this undertaking, a significant challenge is applying ancient texts to contemporary challenges and contexts (cf. Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, IV). In this paper, I argue that Paul’s creative method of communicating biblical texts to his audience can be a model for contemporary Christian educators. A primary goal of Paul’s letters, particularly the way he references Jewish Scriptures, is to shape the imagination of his audience (Richard Hays 2005). First, I will examine the way Paul uses Scripture to educate his audience, focusing on his references to Gen 1–3 as an illustrative example. Second, I will explore the way these creation accounts are treated in roughly contemporary Jewish texts such as the Greek Life of Adam and Eve and 4 Ezra, highlighting the similarities that exist with the method employed by Paul. Third, I will examine several recent films which reference Gen 1–3, arguing that they interact with the biblical material in ways similar to Paul and therefore are instructive contemporary examples for how Christian educators can communicate biblical stories in such a way that they shape the imagination and inspire action in their learners.

Heesun Nam

Affiliation:  Trinity Western University

Abstract Title:  Christ with a Thousand Faces: A Scoping Review of Literary Christ-Figure Characters for Christian Liberal Arts Education.

Summary:  Through this scoping review of existing literature, I seek to explore whether research may offer answers to the following questions: 1) How does international students’ cultural process of meaning-making impact their reading of literature featuring fictional Christ-figures? 2) What might Christian educators do to navigate through a textual analysis of such literature in order to foster spiritual formation amongst international students? By engaging in this review of literature, my hope is to demonstrate that Christian educators can use such works to understand their students and gauge how Christ is viewed through their unique cultural, religious, and historical contexts.

Raymond Nnaemeke

Affiliation:  St. Mark’s College

Abstract Title: University of Lagos, Nigeria Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Christian Education: Challenges and Prospects

Summary:  This paper explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Christian education, highlighting both its potential benefits—such as personalized learning and administrative efficiency—and its ethical challenges. Concerns include data privacy, automation, and the erosion of communal and holistic learning. The discussion draws from Pope Francis’ reminder in Gaudium et Spes that technology must serve human dignity. As AI risks reducing students to data points, Christian institutions must ensure its use aligns with their mission of fostering moral integrity and personal growth. This paper offers a faith-informed reflection on these tensions and proposes recommendations for ethical AI integration in higher education.

Mark Novak

Affiliation:  St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta

Abstract Title: A Further Sign of the Barbaristic Times: An Henryan Response to AI

Summary:  French philosopher Michel Henry (1922-2002) laid out a strong critique of Western culture in Barbarism (1987). He notes the decrease of liberal arts and the rise of techno-science, both of which prefigure the rise of AI today. First, I lay out Henry’s understanding of the liberal arts focus of the traditional university; next, I trace out the ways in which a techno-scientific motivation has incrementally been moving Western culture to a state of barbarism; finally, I map our current state of affairs onto Henry’s layout, and attempt to make some projections on the effects of AI in liberal arts.

Anthonia Ogbechie

Affiliation:  Tansian University, Nigeria

Abstract Title: Integrating Ecological Awareness into Christian Curricula and Its Role in Fostering Environmental Stewardship Among Young People

Summary:  This paper explores the integration of ecological awareness into Christian education as a means for nurturing environmental stewardship among youth. Drawing from Pope Francis’ call in Laudato Si’, it highlights how such integration enhances theological understanding and ethical development, equipping young individuals to address pressing environmental challenges. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the research proposes practical strategies to integrate ecological themes into Christian curricula, bridging theological teachings with scientific insights. The paper argues that fostering ecological citizenship within Christian education not only deepens faith but also cultivates a generation capable of ethical leadership in the environmental and social justice realms.

David Okwuma

Affiliation:  School of Computing, National College of Ireland, Dublin.

Abstract Title: Promoting Ethical Values for Holistic Learning in Catholic Secondary Education: From A Moral Perspective

Summary:  This research emphasizes the need for a balanced educational approach in Catholic secondary schools, integrating both academic excellence and ethical development to foster holistic growth. While contemporary education often prioritizes intellectual achievement, it neglects the cultivation of moral values, leading to a crisis in character formation. Drawing on the Vatican II document Gravissimum Educationis, the study argues that true education must form the whole person, guiding them toward their spiritual and social responsibilities. It proposes strategies such as value-driven curricula, nurturing ethical values, and promoting discipline based on respect and integrity to develop morally grounded individuals capable of sound decision-making.

Nick Olkovich

Affiliation:  St. Mark’s College

Abstract Title:  Education for Cosmopolis after the Decolonial Turn

Summary:  This paper brings together three themes: the decolonial critique of coloniality and its pedagogical project of domination; the nature of education as liberatory and, by extension, cosmopolitan; and the reform and educational mission of the church in the contemporary world. Drawing on Walter Mignolo’s analysis of modernity/coloniality and on Enrique Dussel’s work on pedagogics, the first two parts of this paper culminate in a vision of critical cosmopolitanism beyond ‘inclusion’ that emerges ‘from below.’ The third part of this paper contends that this turn has important implications for the reform of Catholic education and mission in a synodal key.

William Orbih

Affiliation:  Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, USA

Abstract Title: Christian Liturgy as Pedagogy of the Free: Reimagining Inculturation in Africa

Summary:  Using Paulo Freire’s classic, The Pedagogy of the Oppressed, as a framework, this paper invites African Christians to participate more actively in the ongoing decolonization of their continent. The second part explores ways a reimagined liturgy can contribute to a freer African continent. It argues that the goal of liturgical inculturation is not just a truly local African church but a church of hope, a gathering of people who formed to recognize and celebrate their freedom in Christ and take seriously their responsibility to transform society.

Christina Page

Affiliation:  Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Abstract Title: Recognition, Relationality, and Vocational Flourishing: St. Edith Stein’s Educational Philosophy in Dialogue with Intercultural Teaching Practice

Summary:  A student-centred vision of intercultural teaching, presented as a four-domain taxonomy of intercultural teaching practices, demonstrates the holistic nature of intercultural teaching practice. This paper places Stein’s philosophy in dialogue with four domains of intercultural teaching practice that emerge from the student voice: (1) develop an atmosphere of safety and respect; (2) facilitate connectedness; (3) provide equitable access to academic success, and (4) recognize the whole person. By putting Edith Stein’s pedagogical philosophy, with its emphasis on whole person development, in dialogue with the student-centred faculty intercultural teaching taxonomy, a rich picture of intercultural teaching practice, including the spirituality that underlies it, emerges.

Angelique Rasmussen

Affiliation:  St. Mark’s College

Abstract Title: Reflections on Synodal Listening Circles with Children

Summary:  Listening to children is always eye-opening, especially so when engaging in matters of faith. The Victoria Diocesan Permanent Pastoral Synod Team actively collects themes that arise when engaging in listening circles with children. Feedback from children is genuine, and authentic. Christ sets children as the quintessential example of faith for a reason; their lack of inhibition reveals the truths we often overlook. The listening circle experience is easily replicated, and reveals profound insight for the future Church. By validating responses from children, we model an inclusive and listening church for them as they become our future.

Gordon Reisdorf

Affiliation:  Trinity Western University

Abstract Title: Ethics and AI: Addressing Bias and Intelligence in Christian Education

Summary:  As generative AI becomes more prevalent, Christian educators bear the responsibility to address its ethical and moral implications. This presentation examines the ethical challenges and inherent biases in AI systems through a Biblical perspective, demonstrating how these biases can perpetuate societal inequalities that contradict Christian values of justice and equality. It explores the nature of human versus artificial intelligence using Scripture, providing a theological framework for evaluating AI technologies. The session highlights the crucial role of Christian educators in fostering moral integrity and balancing technology with faith, offering insights for integrating ethics into AI.

Paul Rossetti

Affiliation:  Trinity Western University

Abstract Title:  Island Catholic Schools BC Catholic Schools: The Active Front 

Summary:  In August of 2013, Pope Francis famously proclaimed “I see the church as a field hospital after battle.” It is my argument that the role of Catholic Schools in BC is particularly situated as the active front of this battle. I further assert that Catholic Education in BC claims the charism of actualizing Pope Francis’s synodal call to enlarge her tent and minister to those on the periphery. It is here, on the active front, that we engage the people of the periphery. We minister to them on a daily basis: our students, our families, and even our staffs and we do this within a framework that encourages this mission in a very particular way.

Sarah Hogarth Rossiter 

Affiliation:  Douglas College

Abstract Title: Open Inquiry and the Limits of Confessional Education

Summary:  John Henry Newman is often cited in defense of the “Great Books” programmes embraced by many Catholic institutions. But Thomas Hibbs contends that it is a mistake to interpret Newman’s work as a defense of colonial, Eurocentric curricula, and that Catholic institutions must allow for genuine encounter with cultures and assumptions radically different from our own. I argue that the conditions for achieving such genuine encounter are best realized in institutions not wedded to a particular confessional identity, and that the secular institution may therefore, in fact, offer the most truly Catholic education.

Fr. Warren Schmidt

Affiliation:  St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta

Abstract Title: The Indispensability of Liturgy in Catholic Education: Magisterial Texts and Commentary from Vatican II to Pope Francis

Summary:  Participation in liturgical celebration within Catholic schools is essential to the integral development of schoolchildren and to the Catholic identity of those schools. Liturgical participation and education correspond to one of the identifying “marks” of Catholic schools, namely that they be “imbued with a Catholic worldview throughout their curriculum.” Vatican II documents, especially Gravissimum Educationis, Gaudium et Spes, and Sacrosanctum Concilium, and post-Vatican II magisterial texts witness to this critical significance of liturgy toward distinctly Catholic education. This paper will survey the Catholic understanding of the identity and mission of Catholic schools according to these conciliar and post-conciliar magisterial documents.

Ryan Turnbull

Affiliation:  St John’s College

Abstract Title: Ethics and AI: Addressing Bias and Intelligence in Christian Education Towards a Culture of Theological Education 

Summary:  Against a culture of theological education designed to reinscribe clerical mastery over the laity, this paper argues for the creation of a “culture of theological education”. This “culture of theological education” is a life-long formation that refuses to frontload or professionalize ordained ministry. The result is a cheaper, more effective, and more inclusive approach to theological education that provides on-ramps to access for every type of learner.

John Carlo G. Villaluna, Moriah Dianne D. Villanueva, Jose Ma W. Gopez

Affiliation:  Center for Christian Formation and Praxis, Angeles University Foundation, Philippines

Abstract Title:  Effects of Religious Education in Promoting a Culture of Ecumenism among Basic Education Students at a selected university in Angeles City, Philippines

Summary:  This study examines how a Catholic university can uphold its religious mission while engaging with ecumenical challenges, especially in diverse student populations. Focusing on Angeles University Foundation Integrated School in the Philippines, it explores the impact of its Christian Formation Education Program on the spiritual growth of non-Catholic students. The research highlights how curriculum, teaching methods, extracurricular activities, and service-learning initiatives foster interfaith dialogue, empathy, and inclusion. By promoting understanding across faiths, the program cultivates an ecumenical spirit. The study offers practical strategies for religious education that supports peacebuilding and mutual respect in pluralistic educational settings.

Geoffrey Woollard

Affiliation:  Department of Computer Science (UBC)

Abstract Title:  Our Relationship with AI: Catholic Theology Facilitating Dialogue Between Contemporary Science and Technology and Wisdom Traditions

Summary:  In response to rapid technological change, the computer science community has increasingly engaged with fields like ethics, anthropology, theology, and philosophy to guide responsible tech development. Scholars argue that narrow technical education lacks the holistic perspective needed for wise decision-making. Drawing from indigenous epistemologies that emphasize relationality and the sacred, critics challenge dominant Western frameworks of rationalism and individualism. This paper proposes building bridges between the Catholic intellectual tradition and other wisdom traditions to enrich dialogue around science, technology, and AI. Rather than opposing “Western” and “indigenous,” they call for integrating communal, intergenerational values to balance technocratic individualism.

Rainbow Zheng, Hong Li

Affiliation:  St. Mark’s College

Abstract Title: Addressing Student Misconceptions through Interreligious Resources

Summary:  This paper aims to explore how Catholic educators can address misconceptions of religious superiority among students by examining the historical and theological contexts that have contributed to these biases. It highlights key scholars and Church documents, such as Nostra Aetate, that promote interfaith dialogue and respect for diverse religious traditions. The paper also seeks to guide educators in fostering empathy and inclusivity through the recognition of shared ethical values across faith traditions, helping students develop a deeper understanding of their own faith while appreciating the richness and validity of other religious perspectives in a multicultural world.