Catholic Theological Union was pleased to confer its 2013 Blessed are the Peacemakers Award on Mary McAleese, Eighth President of Ireland, for her efforts in promoting reconciliation in the North and South of Ireland.

On April 17, over 400 guests gathered at the Hilton Chicago for the annual Blessed are the Peacemakers dinner to celebrate the esteemed 2013 recipient.

CTU also inaugurated a special recognition award for outstanding local leaders who have given exemplary service to our community. Diakonia is the Greek word for service used in the New Testament. The first recipient of the Diakonia Award was James J. O'Connor for his extraordinary leadership of the Big Shoulders Fund, which provides support to the Catholic schools in the neediest areas of inner city Chicago.

Mary McAleese spoke to CTU students during a community forum.  Click here to view her remarks.

The February 2013 Sundays at CTU Lecture featured Rev. Stephen Bevans, SVD, Louis J. Luzbetak, SVD, Professor of Mission and Culture speaking on 'A Day Without the Second Vatican Council: Why the Council Still Matters After 50 Years.'

About the lecture - What if we woke up one morning and discovered that the Second Vatican Council had never happened? We would discover that a place like CTU would not exist, that there would be little or no lay ministry in the Church, that we would have no liturgy in our own language; that there would be little or no reading of the Bible, that most people would still believe that there is no salvation outside the Church. In his talk, Fr. Bevans will offer his reflections as a kind of thought experiment.

CTU enjoys a wonderful alliance with DePaul! CTU held a Christmas reception in the Cortelyou Commons and then guests also attended the Christmas at DePaul Concert at St. Vincent de Paul Parish.

The September 2012 Sundays at CTU Lecture featured Sr. Mary Frohlich, RSCJ, Associate Professor of Spirituality speaking on 'Thérèse’s “Little Way” and Virtues for an Ecological Age.'

About the lecture - In an era when the human community is pressing dangerously upon the limits of earth’s resources, development of a spirituality of “earth citizenship” is imperative. Although Thérèse of Lisieux lived before the emergence of this awareness, her “Little Way” has a significant contribution to make to emerging models of ecological virtue. This lecture explores the roots of the “Little Way” and how it can help us in our quest for an ecologically sensitive Christian spirituality.

Thirty alums gathered at CTU on Sunday, September 30 for a reunion. Members of CTU classes from 1988 through 2012 enjoyed fellowship and lunch in the Mary-Frances and Bill Veeck Art Gallery. The event included a lecture by Rev. Stephen Bevans, SVD, the Louis J. Luzbetak, SVD, Professor of Mission and Culture, on "A Day without Vatican II: Why the Council Still Matters after Fifty Years" and the Sundays at CTU lecture and liturgy. 

To introduce new students to the CTU community, the Development  Office hosted a New Student Reception following the opening of school Mass on Wednesday, September 5. Rev. Don Senior, CP welcomed students and founding CTU professors Rev. Gil Ostdiek, OFM and Rev. John Pawlikowski, OMI spoke about the early years of the school.

CTU celebrated the graduating class of 2012 at the 44th Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 17.  The ceremony was held at K.A.M Isaiah Israel Congregation.  Honorees were: Rev. Bryan N. Massingale, Honorary Doctorate in Theology; Friar Louis John Vitale, OFM, Honorary Doctorate in Ministry; Terry G. Hillard, Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters.  Rawaa Momeka, OP, pictured below, spoke as the representative of the graduates.

Catholic Theological Union was pleased to confer its 2012 Blessed are the Peacemakers Award on Renée and Lester Crown, and Shirley and Patrick Ryan, for their efforts in promoting mutual respect and understanding among the Abrahamic faiths. In 2003, the Crown and Ryan families, longtime friends of CTU, endowed a Chair in Jewish Studies at CTU to further the work of reconciliation and dialogue.

On June 20, nearly 400 guests gathered for the annual Blessed Are The Peacemakers dinner to celebrate the esteemed 2012 award recipients. In addition to being business and civic leaders, Renée and Lester Crown, and Shirley and Patrick Ryan, have actively promoted interfaith understanding, a hallmark of CTU's mission.

"This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and one of its most groundbreaking actions, the decree Nostra Aetate, which initiated a new path of reconciliation between the Catholic Church, Judaism and other non-Christian religions," said Fr. Donald Senior, CP, President of Catholic Theological Union. "Therefore we felt that this was an ideal time for CTU to give the Blessed are the Peacemakers Award to our esteemed partners in mission who have done so much locally and globally to foster peaceful relations among the faiths."

The June 10, 2012 Sundays at CTU lecture by Br. Antonio Sison, CPPS, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology explored 'Humanity in Deep Focus: World Cinema, Theology, and the Human.'