A new series, "Embracing Truth," is being offered to explore the role of truth in our lives. These Sunday presentations will all be offered at St. Catherine Laboure Church, 3535 Thornwood Avenue in Glenview (two blocks north of Lake Street and two blocks west of Greenwood Avenue). Unless otherwise noted, each session will be conducted from 12:00 p.m. noon until 1:30 p.m. Refreshments will be provided. The schedule is as follows:
January 14 - "The Truth: Faith and Science" with Fr. Paul Stein, Pastor of St. Frances of Rome Church in Cicero. Are faith and science two conflicting world views? What place does our faith have in the development and progress of science? How can we combine and reconcile our faith with scientific beliefs? What is the relationship between the theory of evolution and Catholic teaching on creation?
February 4 - "Truth and Religions" with Fr. Pawel Komperda, Associate Pastor of Incarnation Parish in Palos Heights and spiritual director at the University of St. Mary on the Lake. How do we as Catholics respond to other religions in their varying claims of truth? What can we do to promote religious tolerance with those whose views of the truth are different from our own? How do we balance the need for religious tolerance with the Church's mission of evangelization? What can we as Catholic individuals do to promote ecumenism?
March 4 - "The Family as the School of Justice" with Fr. Paul Mankowski, S.J., Scholar in Residence at the Lumen Christi Institute of the University of Chicago. A former Professor at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Fr. Mankowski is widely published in the areas of language, theology, and Biblical text. Learn how the foundation of peace is the truth Christ teaches about marriage, family, and justice.
April 29 - "Truth, Conscience, and Your Spiritual Health" with Dr. Melanie Barrett, Ph.D., S.T.L., S.T.D., Chairperson and Professor in the Department of Moral Theology at the University of St. Mary's on the Lake. A contributor to numerous publications, she has authored several books including two books on Pope Francis. Dr. Barrett is a member of The Society of Christian Ethics and The Academy of Catholic Theology. In this presentation, Dr. Barrett will explore a variety of issues including whether there are moral absolutes, the relationship between objectively immoral situations and personal culpability, how conscience is different from opinion and other forms of personal judgment, how conscience is open to self-deception, our (and the Church's) obligation in forming our own consciences, how conscience is related to spiritual and personal health, and what to do if you disagree with the Church's teaching on a moral issue.
If you would like more information, please telephone St. Catherine's Rectory at
(847) 729-1414 for details.