Colloquia, Symposia, and Public Events

Events

"How Catholics Encounter the Bible" | Book Review Panel with Michael Peppard at the 2025 CBA Annual Meeting

Saturday August 2, 2025 | 7–8:30pm

Lake Shore Campus

In How Catholics Encounter the Bible, award-winning biblical scholar and historian Michael Peppard explores the paradoxical role of the Bible for Catholics--a book central to their tradition, but not usually in the form of a book. Biblical ideas and beliefs are more often mediated through diverse modes of storytelling, artistic imagination, and ritual.

The Hank Center is delighted to host a panel of scholars discussing Michael Peppard's recent book, How Catholics Encounter the Bible as the first plenary session of this year's Annual Meeting of the Catholic Biblical Association at Loyola University Chicago. All are welcome to join for the discussion and the reception that follows. As a way to experience and glimpses into the varied Catholic encounters with Scripture through history, the panel will be supplemented with two opportunities to visit a display of medieval and early modern manuscripts curated and presented by Loyola's Archives and Special Collections.

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 Loyola 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.

<i>Fratelli Tutti</i>: 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.

Berrigan Week

In Fall 2018, the Hank Center's semester-long 1968 Series kicked off with Berrigan Week, a three day commemoration of the activist Jesuit priest's powerful impact on the evolution of the Church during the civil rights era.

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 Loyola: 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 Loyola 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, Loyola University Chicago 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.

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 Loyola University Chicago

In honor of the installation of the John Courtney Murray Chair in Public Service, His Eminence Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi addressed the Loyola University Chicago community and received an honorary degree from Loyola.

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

Loyola'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. Loyola'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.

Jesuit Libraries Project: Final Research Symposium

Over the course of the Fall 2013 semester, graduate students from Loyola’s Digital Humanities, History, and Public History Programs each reconstructed a segment of Loyola’s original library catalogue (c.1878) in an innovative virtual library system.

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.

Music of the Jesuit Missions I

Music of the Jesuit Missions I

Music of the Jesuit Missions II

Music of the Jesuit Missions II

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

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.

The Hank Center Presents, Live from Loyola George: Saunders Radio Hour

The Hank Center hosted 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.

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.

Faith and Neuroscience Colloquium- 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. Keynote address by Dr. William Jaworski, Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University.

G.K. Chesterton: Prophetic Voice in the Public Square

Chesterton scholar, Fr. Ian Boyd of Seton Hall University explored the contemporary resonance of G.K. Chesterton's Prophetic voice.

Ramonat Lecture: “Perceiving the Other: Visual Counterpoints in Blackfeet Country, 1846”

The lecture discussed the art work of Jesuit missionary Nicholas Point, the Blackfeet Indian artistic response, and the legacy of Jesuit missionaries in contemporary Indian country.

The Future of Catholicism in America

In-depth dialogue on the publication The Future of Catholicism in America. Editors Patricia O’Connell Killen & Mark Silk, alongside other scholars, discussed themes explored in the book

Black History Month Lecture: The Jesuit Choice: Religious Freedom before Ecumenism and Slave Emancipation

Black History Month Lecture: The Jesuit Choice: Religious Freedom before Ecumenism and Slave Emancipation

Catholicism and Vietnam

George Dutton, author of A Vietnamese Moses, will deliver a lecture followed by responses on Vietnamese Catholic life by Jesuit Scholastics, students, faculty, and Chicago community members.

Tracking the Catholic Literary Tradition in the 21st Century with Dr. Randy Boyagoda

Join the Hank Center for a colloquium, and conversation, with the Canadian writer and critic, Dr. Randy Boyagoda.

Black Lives Matter Conference: The Building Blocks of Activism: Purpose. Action. Justice.

Loyola University Chicago will host its first Black Lives Matter Conference which will bring together college students, nonprofit professionals, campus administrators, various activist organizations and members in the wider community to raise consciousness, empower people, promote healing, and form solidarity.

Black History Month Lecture: The Jesuit Choice: Religious Freedom before Ecumenism and Slave Emancipation

Black History Month Lecture: The Jesuit Choice: Religious Freedom before Ecumenism and Slave Emancipation

G.K. Chesterton: Prophetic Voice in the Public Square

In this lecture, the LUC community welcomed Fr. Ian Boyd, distinguished professor of Catholic Studies at Seton Hall University and author of The Novels of G.K. Chesterton, to offer his insights about the contemporary relevance and prophetic nature of the Chesterton's prolific writings.

Perceiving the Other: Visual Counterpoints in Blackfeet Country, 1846

Dr. Sally Thompson discussed the art work of Jesuit missionary Nicholas Point and the legacy of Jesuit missionaries in contemporary Indian country at this lecture sponsored by CCIH, the History Department, and the Ramonat Seminar.

“Teología del Pueblo”: The People of God in the Theology of Pope Francis

The John Courtney Murray, SJ Chair in Public Service and the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University Chicago will host Fr. Carlos María Galli, Professor of Theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, for a panel discussion on the Pope's ecclesiological vision.

Sixth Annual John Courtney Murray Forum: Head & Heart

April 11, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Damen Den, Damen Student Center, LSC
This 6th annual student-led forum explored the journeys of Catholic Studies students through the Minor, and their efforts to reconcile head and heart with regards to their faith. Featuring student talks, artwork, and discussion.

Confronting Poverty in the USA: Discussion, Dialogue, Action

Keynote speaker Anna Galland (Executive Director of MoveOn.org) provided remarks, discussion, and a workshop about addressing and abating poverty.
October 30, 2:30 - 5:30 PM
McCormick Lounge, Coffey Hall, LSC

John Henry Newman's Path to Sainthood

What makes a modern saint? On October 13th, Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890), English theologian, philosopher and cardinal, was officially canonized a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. This event featured presentations on the life and sanctity of John Henry Newman by leading Newman scholar of our time Fr. Ian Ker (Oxford) and Melissa Villalobos, the woman whose miraculous cure led to Newman’s canonization. The event was moderated by Kenneth Woodward, former religion editor of Newsweek and author of Making Saints.
October 30, 5:30 - 7:00 PM
Holy Name Cathedral Auditorium, 730 N Wabash Avenue, Chicago IL

Kathy Osberger Book Lecture: I Surrender: A Memoir of Chile's Dictatorship, 1975

February 5, 2024 at 4:00 pm
McCormick Lounge, Coffey Hall, LSC
Loyola welcomed Kathleen Osberger for a talk on her recently published memoir, I Surrender: A Memoir of Chile's Dictatorship, 1975. In September 1973, a CIA-assisted coup overthrew the democratically-elected president of Chile, ushering in the Pinochet dictatorship. In 1975, Kathleen Osberger, a recent graduate and lay volunteer from Notre Dame, left for Santiago to teach in a Catholic grade school. Upon arrival, she was told a secret: the religious women she would live with sheltered dissidents in the cross-hairs of Pinochet’s secret police. Soon, Osberger is handed a blindfold, a warrant, and must go on the run. This lecture is sponsored by Catholic Studies and the Hank Center. Students, arrive early to arrive early to receive a complementary copy of the book!
Event Video Coming Soon.

The Synod and Women: Which Way to the Future?

September 27 at 4pm
Damen Student Center, Sister Jean MPR North
We were pleased to cohost a talk from Phyllis Zagano, an internationally claimed Catholic scholar and lecturer on contemporary spirituality and women's issues in the church. Dr. Zagano belonged to the 2016-2018 Papal Commission for the study of the Diaconate of Women and holds a research appointment at Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York.
Free to attend for Loyola students, faculty, and staff.
Registration Required. Co-sponsored by the Women and Leadership Archives, University Libraries, and Gannon Center for Women and Leadership.