The past century has seen a revival in awareness of the social dimension of the Eucharist. As Lumen Gentium, the Vatican II constitution on the Church, emphasizes, the Eucharistic mystery is not simply for individual consumption and edification; rather, "in the sacrament of the eucharistic bread, the unity of all believers who form one body in Christ is both expressed and brought about" (Lumen Gentium, 3). The Eucharist counters the scattering of sin by gathering together the Church, a "sure seed of unity, hope and salvation for the whole human race" (Lumen Gentium, 9).

This conference explored how the Eucharist is enacted in--and has an impact on--different social contexts worldwide. How is the celebration of the Eucharist affected in situations of poverty, affluence, violence, and interreligious confrontation? How does the Eucharist inspire and inform social action, peacemaking and community-building, both within and without the visible borders of the Church? Under what circumstances is a true celebration of the Eucharist impeded? In exploring the resources of Eucharistic theology and practice for social action, this conference hopes to bring together the social teaching of the Church with the central mystery of Christ's real presence among us.

Monday, April 16

Opening Plenary--The World Reconciled: Eucharist & Politics

William Cavanaugh, Senior Research Fellow, Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology (CWCIT), DePaul University 

Respondents: 
Maria Clara Bingemer, Associate Professor of Theology, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Emmanuel Katongole, Co-Founder & Senior Strategist, Center for Reconciliation, Duke Divinity School
Francis Cardinal George, OMI, Archbishop of Chicago 

Tuesday, April 17

Eucharist & Society

Susan K. Wood, SCL, Professor & Chair of Theology, Marquette University
Michael Budde, Senior Research Fellow, Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology, DePaul University

Recent Papal Teaching on Eucharist as Communion & Solidarity

Thomas Dalzell, SM, Head of Theological Studies, All Hallows College (Dublin, Ireland)
Edward J. Oakes, SJ, Chester & Margaret Paluch Professor of Theology, University of St. Mary of the Lake

Eucharist in Asia & Latin America

Diego Irarrázaval, CSC, President, Chilean Society of Theology
Antony Kalliath, CMI, President, Indian Theological Association

Eucharistic Ecclesiology in East Africa

Jay Carney, Assistant Professor of Theology, Creighton University
Philomena Mwaura, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy & Religious Studies, Kenyatta University (Nairobi, Kenya)

A Church at the Border?

Farrell O'Gorman, Associate Professor of Catholic Studies and Literature, DePaul University
Daniel G. Groody, CSC, Associate Professor of Theology & Director of Center for Latino Spirituality & Culture, University of Notre Dame

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Eucharist & Martyria in the Present Age

Lawrence S. Cunningham, John A. O'Brien Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame
Julian Filochowski, Chair, Archbishop Romero Trust (London, England)

Intercultural Reflections on Human Suffering & Eucharistic Promise

A. Maria Arul Raja, SJ, Director, Studies in the Theologate, Vidyajyoti College's Arul Kadal Centre (Chennai, India)
Daniel Pilario, CM, Dean, St. Vincent School of Theology, Adamson University (Manila, Philippines)

Theology of Food: Eucharist & Body Politics

Angel Méndez Montoya, OP, author of The Theology of Food: Eating & the Eucharist
Neomi DeAnda, Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies and Peace, Justice & Conflict Studies, DePaul University

Closing Plenary

Ite Missa Est: Going Forth Into the World

Virgilio Elizondo, Notre Dame Professor of Pastoral & Hispanic Theology & Fellow at Kellogg Institute for International Studies, University of Notre Dame

Thomas Rosica, CSB
CEO of Salt + Light Television

2nd Annual Rev. Peter V. Byrne, CM, Lecture

José Morales Orozco, SJ
President of Universidad Iberoamericana
Mexico City

Dennis H. Holtschneider, CM
President of DePaul University
Chicago

Michael J. Baxter
Visiting Associate Professor, Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology
DePaul University

Maria Clara Lucchetti Bingemer
Associate Professor, Theology
Vice Dean, Center of Theology and Human Sciences
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

Sr. Patricia Bombard, BVM
Director, Vincent on Leadership: The Hay Project
Adjunct Faculty, School of Public Service
DePaul University

Michael Budde
Senior Research Fellow, Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology
DePaul University

Jay Carney
Assistant Professor, Theology
Creighton University

Peter Casarella
Professor, Catholic Studies Program
Director, Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology
DePaul University

William Cavanaugh
Professor, Catholic Studies
Senior Research Fellow, Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology
DePaul University

Lawrence S. Cunningham
John A. O'Brien Professor (Emeritus) of Theology
University of Notre Dame

Rev. Thomas Dalzell, SM
European province of the Marist Fathers

Neomi DeAnda
Adjunct Professor of Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies
Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies
DePaul University

Rev. Virgilio Elizondo
Professor of Pastoral & Hispanic Theology
University of Notre Dame

Brother Emile
The Taizé Community (Taizé, Burgundy, France)

Julian Filochowski
Chair
Archbishop Romero Trust (London, England)

Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Archbishop of Chicago

Rev. Daniel G. Groody, CSC
Associate Professor, Theology
Director, Center for Latino Spirituality and Culture
University of Notre Dame

Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, CM
President
DePaul University

Rev. Diego Irarrázaval, CSC
President, Chilean Society of Theology
Professor of Theology, Universidad Católica Silva Henriquez (Santiago, Chile)

Rev. Antony Kalliath, CMI
President, Indian Theological Association (Bangalore, India)
Director, Divyodaya, Inter-Religious Centre (Coimbatore, India)

Emmanuel Katongole
Associate Professor, Theology & World Christianity
Co-Founder & Senior Strategist, Center of Reconciliation
Duke Divinity School

Br. Angel Méndez Montoya, OP
Author of The Theology of Food: Eating and the Eucharist
Professor of Theology, Philosophy, & Cultural Studies (various universities in Mexico City, Mexico)

Rev. José Morales Orozco, SJ
President
Universidad Iberoamericana (Mexico City, Mexico)

Philomena Njeri Mwaura
Senior Lecturer, Philosophy & Religious Studies Department
Director, Gender & Affirmative Action Implementation Center
Kenyatta University (Nairobi, Kenya)

Rev. Edward T. Oakes, SJ
Chester & Margaret Paluch Professor of Theology
University of St. Mary of the Lake

Farrell O'Gorman
Associate Professor, Catholic Studies and Literature
DePaul University

Chris Payne
Project Architect
Sullivan Goulette & Wilson, Ltd.

Bishop Joseph N. Perry
Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago
Archdiocese of Chicago

Rev. Daniel F. Pilario, CM
Dean, St. Vincent School of Theology
Adamson University (Manila, Philippines)

Rev. A. Maria Arul Raja, SJ
Director, Studies in the Theologate, Vidyajyoti College's Arul Kadal Centre (Chennai, India)
Supervisor, Doctoral Studies, Loyola College's Institute of Dialogue with Cultures & Religions (Chennai, India)

Rev. Thomas Rosica, CSB
CEO, Salt and Light Television (Toronto, Canada)

Sr. Frances Ryan, DC
Professor Emerita, College of Education & Catholic Studies
DePaul University

Br. Antonio D. Sison, C.PP.S.
Assistant Professor, Systematic Theology
Director, MA Program
Catholic Theological Union

Ellen Skerrett
Author & Chicago historian
Researcher for Duke University's Jane Addams Papers Project

Mark Sullivan
Partner & Founding Member
Sullivan Goulette & Wilson, Ltd.

Sr. Susan K. Wood, SCL
Professor & Chair, Theology
Marquette University