The Human Journey Colloquia series for the spring semester, as part of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition (CIT), began last month and has many more events to come.
The first event of the semester was a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration on Jan. 22 in the the Edgerton Center for Performing Arts.
Dr. Michelle Loris, Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, is the founder of the department of Catholic Studies.
Source: Daniel Passapera, Sacred Heart University
“I founded The Human Journey Colloquia to be an integral part of ‘The Human Journey Seminars: Great Books in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition’ to show students how learning extends beyond the classroom, to demonstrate how Catholic thought permeates into all disciplines, professional studies, contemporary issues, and to address any of the big questions that frame the CIT seminars,” said Loris.
According to the university website, “The seminars engage texts from the Catholic Intellectual Tradition with profound human questions as well as contemporary concerns. The seminars represent a space for students to discuss the most important issues in their lives.”
The Human Journey Colloquia gives the opportunity for students to think deeply about their role in the world and encourages them to reflect on their purpose and how their education at SHU shapes their future.
“I really enjoy that these events always have a story behind them and they’re all really meaningful and relatable to our everyday life,” said sophomore Madeline Catanese.
These events give a deeper understanding of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and encourage students to explore how faith and reason work together in addressing life’s biggest questions.
Some of the upcoming events include a Feb. 20 event hosted by Loris at 7 p.m. in the Loris Forum discussing the harms of hate speech as well as a Bergoglio Lecture hosted by Cardinal Sean O’Malley on Feb. 26 at 2 p.m., also in the Loris Forum.
On April 1 at 4:30 p.m., a panel will be held at the West Campus Theatre discussing “The True Cost,” a documentary covering the environmental harms of fast-fashion.
“It is important to me that these events intertwine with the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, not just focusing on religion itself but on a broader horizon. That’s something that is really important to me,” said Catanese.
“I feel that the Colloquia Series will become more broad and hit a different variety of life outside of Sacred Heart University that touch upon the Catholic Intellectual Tradition,” said Catanese. “In the future, they’ll have more speakers to talk about new topics that relate to uprising conversations in today’s society.”
“The spring 2025 colloquia schedule continues in that vein, with an impressive schedule of distinguished speakers from varied fields, interdisciplinary panel discussions, and opportunities for students to actively participate in conversations that connect faith, reason and contemporary society,” said Catholic Studies Prof. Kimberly Feeney.
In particular, social justice, human dignity, and the search for the truth are highlighted in this semester’s colloquia schedule.
“I believe that the colloquia series provides a unique opportunity for learning and growth for each student. In my position as a CIT professor, I am fortunate to witness how powerful some of these experiences are for my students,” said Feeney. “I have read several hundred firsthand accounts of students attending these seminars and lectures, and they are consistently more valuable and moving than students initially anticipate they will be.”
“The Human Journey Colloquia and the CIT seminars continue that ongoing 2000-year-old conversation and ask our students to join in that conversation,” said Loris.
To view the full Colloquia schedule for the spring 2025 semester, visit https://www.sacredheart.edu/ offices–departments-directory/center-for-catholicstudies/the-human-journey-colloquia-series/.
