Centre for Catholic Studies Podcast

In this Catholic Theology Research Seminar, Prof Clare Watkins of the University of Durham gives a talk on 'The challenge of ‘clericalism': looking beyond clergy for a liveable theology of ordained ministry in the Catholic Church'. This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

For the third CTRS seminar of 2025, Dr Eilish Gregory, the Little Company of Mary Fellow in the History of Catholicism at Durham University, gave a talk on 'The Global Nursing Mission of the Little Company of Mary, 1877-1941'. You can view the slides that accompany Dr Gregory's talk at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/dos0md62tyvyofvpz8236/CTRS-Paper-The-Global-Mission-of-the-Little-Company-of-Mary-March-2025.pdf?rlkey=q87krtfsg2sl9gn61phx3mzcf&st=rftx1qdi&dl=0 This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

For the second CTRS seminar of 2025, we were joined by Dr Antonia Pizzey, the Postdoctoral Researcher at the Research Centre for Studies of the Second Vatican Council at the Australian Catholic University, who gave a paper entitled: Imagining Church: Mystery, Imagination, and Metaphor. This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

For the first CTRS seminar of 2025, we were joined by Dr Liam Temple, the Capuchin Fellow in the History of Catholicism at Durham University, who gave a paper entitled: “This Poverty of Spirit”: The Capuchins on the margins of Catholicism in England and Wales, 1850-1873. This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

For the second CTRS seminar of 2024-25, we were joined by Dr Emma Percy, the Senior Lecturer in Feminist Theology and Ministry Studies at the University of Aberdeen, who gave a paper entitled: 'Can Aquinas offer some hope to trauma theology?' This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

Bishop Dunn Memorial Lecture 2025. Fr Hyacinthe Destivelle is introduced by Fr Anthony Currer, with Fr Andrew Louth (Emeritus Durham University) and Prof. Anna Rowlands (Durham University) as respondents.

For the first CTRS seminar of 2024-25, we were joined by Dr Nomi Pritz-Bennett, the Career Development Fellow at Durham University, who gave a paper entitled: 'The Natural Mortification of Finitude: Loss and the Construction of Real Persons' This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

For March's CTRS seminar, Tina Beattie (Professor Emerita of Catholic Studies, University of Roehampton), gives a paper on Language, desire, and creation in the context of Laudato Si'. This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

For April's CTRS seminar, we were joined by Dr Alana Harris, Reader in Modern British Social, Cultural and Gender History, King's College London, who will give a paper entitled: ‘Student Power in Christ': the Young Christian Students, Race Relations and Liberation Theology in Britain after 1968. This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

Mary Beth Ingham: Reading Scotus today: Franciscan foundations for a renewed Christian humanism by Centre for Catholic Studies

Giuseppe Buffon: A rule that saves? The Capuchin response to the institutional crisis by Centre for Catholic Studies

Please note that the volume on this track fluctuates throughout the recording.

For this CTRS seminar, we were joined by Franciscan Theologian Br Stefan Walser, who gave a paper entitled: 'So what… Religious Indifference as a Fundamental Theological Challenge'. This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

Marc Roscoe Loustau is an anthropologist and scholar of religion, specialising in studying religion and nationalism in Eastern Europe. Having spent three years in Hungary and Romania researching the history of Catholic pilgrimage, he now works at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, as Managing Editor of the Journal of Global Catholicism. His paper for this seminar is entitled: "Studying Theology Ethnographically: Reflections on Fieldwork with Hungarian Catholic Intellectuals in Contemporary Romania". This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

In this CTRS seminar, Billy Crozier of Durham University gives a talk on 'The Quince Made Sweet: Love and Suffering in St Bonaventure's Tree of Life'. This seminar forms part of the Catholic Theology Research Seminar Series (CTRS). The CTRS is a regular forum for scholarly discussion of pertinent issues in the Catholic traditions of theology and Church. The seminar series ranges across the traditional theological disciplines (scriptural, historical, philosophical, systematic, liturgical, ethical and practical/pastoral), Catholic social thought and practice, and social-scientific approaches to Catholicism.

This is Episode 10 of The Church's Radical Reform, the second podcast series on synodality. The series is presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is the Vatican Correspondent for The Tablet and is a doctoral researcher in synodality at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. The series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in partnership with The Tablet. After the Vatican synod: what happens now? The 2023 synod summit in the Vatican ended with a series of openings for reform, including on the role of women, training of priests and a re-think of the church's sexual teaching. For those in the hall, a vast majority agreed that the synod process and style — which saw cardinals and lay people gathered around tables listening to each other — is how church business should be done in the future. But what happens next? Synod 2023 is the first of two assemblies, with another due in October 2024. In this episode, I talk again to Myriam Wijlens, who took part in the synod as an expert adviser. Professor Wijlens, a theologian and canon lawyer who has been closely involved in the synod process, stressed a general agreement that women need an enlarged role in the church but a “struggle” over how this should happen in practice. The question of women deacons is to be further studied, and Wijlens said a “conclusion” to the discussion over the possibility of women deacons could take place at the synod next year. Professor Wijlens teaches at the University of Erfurt in Germany. She said that the new synod process marks a “tremendous shift”, which gave everyone the same amount of time to speak, whether they were an Asian woman or a European cardinal. “There was a general agreement: we have to attend to this question [of women]”, she said. “And there was a great agreement that women do make up the larger portion of active participants in the life of the Church. And then there comes a struggle because we all come from different cultures and from different backgrounds. How does that unfold in real life, on the ground?” Professor Wijlens points out that a critical challenge is implementing synodality at the local level. But it can no longer be a question of waiting for the authorities in Rome about what to do. “How can Rome say what you have to do in the inner city of London and in the inner city of Manila or the countryside of Alaska at the same time,” she said. It is up to bishops and local leaders to “take up your own responsibility” and implement synodal reforms in their local areas. Producer: Silvia Sacco Editor: Jamie Weston

The Centre for Catholic Studies and the Michael Ramsey Centre for Anglican Studies welcomed Fr Hans Boersma to give the Richardson Lecture for 2023, with a talk entitled "Creation as Love". Fr. Hans Boersma holds the St. Benedict Servants of Christ Chair in Ascetical Theology at Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin. His latest book is entitled Pierced by Love: Divine Reading with the Christian Tradition (Lexham Press, 2023). His other books include Five Things Theologians Wish Biblical Scholars Knew (IVP Academic, 2021); Seeing God (Eerdmans, 2018); and Heavenly Participation (Eerdmans, 2011). His main theological interest is the retrieval of the sacramental ontology of the Great Tradition of the church. Fr. Boersma is an ordained priest within the Anglican Church in North America. *Please note that the audio drops out for about a minute at 4.35 and 7.59. The rest of the track is not affected.*

A conversation with the “spiritual father” of the synod: Fr Timothy Radcliffe The reflections of Fr Timothy Radcliffe have been one of the highlights of the October 2023 synod assembly in the Vatican. The English Dominican friar led the synod participants on a retreat before the synod gathering and offered wise reflections and spiritual guidance. Some have called him the “spiritual father” of the synod. In this episode, I sat down with Fr Timothy to discuss the synod process and how to navigate disagreement in an increasingly polarised world and church. Fr Timothy led the worldwide Dominican Order from 1992-2001, the first English friar to do so. He knows the universal Church and the workings of the Vatican and has attended several synods. “I think to see Roman Curial cardinals sitting with young women from Latin America and Asia and listening, really listening. I think that's what is most transformative,” he told me. The process of listening, he says, is the “foundation for any subsequent things to happen” and that both individuals and the Church collectively need to be “changed” before they know which changes need to be made. On one occasion in the synod, he referred to a story that had been told to participants about a bisexual woman who had taken her own life as she did not feel welcomed by the Church. “The question always put is: is the Church's teaching going to change? That's not the issue. The issue is, will we love and welcome our fellow human beings?” he says. “If we love them, and listen to them and make them part of our lives, if there are evolutions to happen, they will happen. But you don't start by asking what changes have to be made.” He stressed that the synod is counter-cultural because it demands people listen to those with whom they disagree. “We inherit a tradition, Catholicism, which does actually believe in reason,” he pointed out. “We see a lot of irrationality in our society because people don't believe in reason anymore, but the Church does, and this should act in a healthy way to open not just our hearts but our minds, so we listen attentively with all our intelligence to what the other person is saying, and try to see how even if we disagree it bears some tiny seed of truth that we need. So I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't turn out, when we look back, that one of the great roles of the Church will be to carry on believing in reason.” Talking about indifference or scepticism of the synod among the clergy, Fr Timothy said there needs to be a “positive, affirmative vision of the priesthood” to ensure more priests get on board with the synod process. Finally, he talked about his recent health struggles and how Pope Francis took him by surprise and phoned him while he was in hospital. Producer: Silvia Sacco Editor: Jamie Weston This is Episode 9 of The Church's Radical Reform, the second podcast series on synodality. The series is presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is the Vatican Correspondent for The Tablet and is a doctoral researcher in synodality at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. The series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in partnership with The Tablet.

In this Catholic Theology Research Seminar on the 11th October 2023, Thomas Weinandy gives a talk on 'Does God Suffer?'.

How does the new synod process work? An interview with Austen Ivereigh The October 2023 synod assembly in the Vatican is adopting a very different process to the one used by previous gatherings, which is demonstrated by the arrangement of round tables in the Pope Paul VI audience hall. The sight of bishops and cardinals seated around tables with lay delegates is deliberate and designed to foster what Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, the synod co-ordinator, described as “genuine sharing and authentic discernment”. Significantly, the seating is not “hierarchical”, symbolising the vision of the Church as primarily the “People of God”, which is at the heart of the synod process. So, how does it all work? Austen Ivereigh, the journalist and papal biographer, is one of the expert theologians working inside the hall and in this episode he talks about the nuts and bolts of the process. We spoke as the synod was getting underway. Previous synods, he explained, took place in a theatre-style assembly where some of the work was done in small groups of 10-12 people. The participants were primarily bishops, and they sat according to hierarchal rank. The “big shift”, Dr Ivereigh says, is that most of the work for this synod is being done in small groups in a method called “conversations in the spirit”, which he pointed out is not about having a small-group debate but instead listening and responding to points that are raised. Each group gathered around a table seeks to respond to questions raised by the working document for the synod with the end goal of producing a document that brings together all the reflections. The new process adopted by the Vatican synod assembly also reflects the methods adopted by local synod gatherings that have taken place during the process, which began in October 2021. Dr Ivereigh points out that everyone can speak within their small group and to the whole assembly; they can also submit written submissions on any given topic to the synod secretariat. “The object of this whole exercise is synodality itself,” he says. “It's a new way of proceeding, of operating, of thinking within the Church which centres on communion, participation and mission, that is to say the involvement of people in processes of discernment prior to decision taking in the Church.” While the synod is likely to raise major points of disagreement, Dr Ivereigh points out that the synod aims to find a way to “contain those tensions” rather than fall into “sterile polarisations” and to find harmony or “reconciled diversity” between people with different positions. The “synthesis document” produced by the October synod assembly, he said, will aim to “capture the result of these deliberations”, and then the whole Church will be asked to reflect on that text ahead of the October 2024 synod. “It [the synthesis document] may say, ‘these are the questions that need answering', ‘these are the things that need further exploration', ‘here there is great agreement, or here there is great disagreement', it's literally capturing what's happened,” Dr Ivereigh explains. He added that there will likely be “various commissions set up to study the proposals”, including “canonical commissions, theological commissions, pastoral commissions,” following the synod assembly's conclusion. Dr Ivereigh said that while the synod assembly will be aware of opposition to the process, it was unlikely to affect the internal proceedings. The Church's Radical Reform podcast is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at the University of Durham in partnership with The Tablet. Producer: Silvia Sacco Editor: Jamie Weston

First Anglican to be appointed prior of Taizé talks about the synod and Christian unity The synod process has the potential to bring about greater unity among Christians, the incoming leader of Taizé has said ahead of ecumenical prayer vigil ahead of the synod meeting in Rome. Brother Matthew (Andrew Thorpe) is the first Anglican to be appointed Prior of the Ecumenical Christian monastic fraternity in France, which has been organising a prayer vigil in St Peter's Square on 30 September. This event will be the starting point for the synod and a three-day retreat, which participants will participate in before the synod's formal opening on 4 October. Talking to “The Church's Radical Reform” podcast, Br Matthew spoke about how “synodality and ecumenism go hand in hand” and that while Christians have got used to walking on “parallel paths”, he hopes that the synod will find “creative ways” to bring different Christian traditions closer together. “If the Catholic Church [through the synod] can recognise and cherish the diversity that is already within itself, is there a hope as well for a greater communion with Christians who are at this moment not part of the Roman Catholic Church? Can their diversity also be welcomed?” he said. Br Matthew, 58, explained that the 30 September gathering, “Together”, was the initiative of the current prior, Brother Alois, who conceived the idea at the launch of the synod process in October 2021. The event will be attended by young people and the leaders of 20 different churches and Christian traditions, including the Archbishop of Canterbury. “It's true that when you speak about a synod on synodality, it's not very easy for many people, especially young people, to understand what that's about,” he said. “That is one of the reasons we called this ecumenical prayer vigil ‘together,' because that's a word which is easily understandable and which also expresses something of what the synod is.” The new prior, who will take up his position on 3 December 2023, explains the history of Taizè and his journey to joining the community at the age of 21, having grown up in Yorkshire, in the north of England. Br Matthew has been involved in the synod process, taking part in the European assembly in Prague earlier this year and the importance of “conversations in the Spirit”, which is the method of listening and consensus building that the synod assembly will use in the Vatican from 4-29 October. “It wasn't arguing with each other or trying to put across your point of view, but it was listening to the Spirit, and listening to each other, in order to find a common path,” he says. “That is something that which can also help us on our ecumenical journey towards unity.” Br Matthew said that at a time of “uncertainty, we look for clear identity”, with young people coming to Taizé sometimes attached to “traditional forms of worship,” movements associated with the climate crisis or tackling poverty. “It's a question of listening to what they are experiencing and giving them a place,” he said. But he also insisted that the Church cannot stand still, and the synod underlines that “the tradition is something constantly evolving, it's not something locked up in a box somewhere.” Rather than “museum keepers,” he said, Christians should see themselves as “cultivators of a beautiful garden. For more details about the prayer vigil: ⁠www.together23.net⁠

Pentecostal church minister speaks about synodal renewal and why Pope Francis is a leader to charismatic Christians The synod process in the Catholic Church is attracting interest from other Christian denominations, including from unexpected quarters. In this episode, I interviewed Neil Hudson, a Pentecostal pastor for 30 years. He is a senior leader at the Elim church in Salford, the northwest of England, and has worked at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. Neil recently took part in a significant synod gathering of Christian thinkers and leaders at Durham University to discuss the synodal process and admits that a generation ago, a Pentecostal minister would never have participated in a Catholic-led event. Nevertheless, he says that “what is happening in the Catholic Church has to be, to my mind at least, reflective of the Gospel” and that Pope Francis has connected with Christians from the Charismatic and Pentecostal traditions. “This Pope seems to speak the language that would not be out of place in a Pentecostal setting,” he says. Neal warns that the synod process should avoid becoming a series of “committee meetings” and needs to connect with ordinary believers and build up people's faith. He insists that the decline of the church is not inevitable and finishes our discussion with an instructive — and very synodal — story about accompanying those searching for God. Producer: Silvia Sacco Editor: Jamie Weston

In this CTRS seminar, Dr Jacob Phillips of St Mary's University, gives a talk titled Criticising Newman's 'Apologia'.

The Archbishop of Liverpool, Malcolm McMahon, took charge of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle following the resignation of Bishop Robert Byrne who stepped down due to serious failures of leadership in child protection. In this podcast, the archbishop speaks for the first time about the problems in the diocese, the changes he has sought to introduce and the importance of the synod process or better church governance. Among the questions for discussion at the synod summit in the Vatican in October is how bishops can exercise their ministry in a way that includes more voices, including women. Bishop Byrne was accused of failing to listen to the advice of his (female) safeguarding adviser, along with multiple failures of governance. “I think there was a fundamental problem about governance within the diocese. The authority within the diocese was really centred on a few priests who had several roles. There was no real distribution of authority within the church structures,” the archbishop told me. The archbishop apologised to all those affected by the problems in Hexham and Newcastle — which was the subject of numerous inquiries — saying the events in the diocese had been “very hurtful and painful for people.” He stressed, however, that measures had been taken to help heal the damage, including ensuring that the charitable trust which governs the diocese as a civil entity has an equal number of lay and clergy trustees. The diocese in the north of England, home to the northern saints that converted people to Christianity in the seventh and eighth centuries, is seeking to open a new chapter with the appointment of Stephen Wright as its new bishop. In a powerful and prophetic symbol, the installation ceremony saw Bishop Wright receive prayer ribbons from abuse survivors that were tied to his episcopal chair. One of them, Maggie Matthews, then spoke about abuse in the Church including the “structures” that lead to it. Archbishop McMahon said he believed the Church's synod process points the “way forward” and spoke about the synod that had taken place in Liverpool diocese. He said it led him to introduce a new advisory council of lay people and priests strongly emphasising social action. He said a “revolution” in the Church would come about when the structures in the Church are populated with people who have become “synodal”, meaning they can listen, discern and encourage greater participation among Catholics. During the interview, the Dominican archbishop said the synod could open the door to the ordination of married men, female deacons and greater inclusion of same-sex couples. “We have to be open to change in the future, whether it's in ministry or whether it's in the way people live their lives together,” he said. “We are working out of different frameworks of morality to the ones which are current now.” The challenge, he said, is “not to keep saying ‘we are right, and we've got this correct', but we need to listen and discern more deeply about so many aspects of people's everyday lives.” He saw no “theological impediment” to changing the discipline of ordaining married men as priests, and neither are there “too many obstacles” to female deacons. On same-sex couples, he said he had “always included gay people in the life of the parish” as a priest and that “personal actions or morality” should be left to “the spiritual adviser, confessor.” The archbishop also suggested that lay people be given a stronger voice in appointing bishops, and there “should be a method of gathering together the people's thoughts within a diocese when a vacancy becomes apparent.” The appointment of bishops, including more “participatory selection procedures”, is on the agenda for the October assembly. The Church's Radical Reform podcast series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at the University of Durham in partnership with The Tablet. Producer: Silvia Sacco Editor: Jamie Weston

In this online CTRS seminar, Tia Noelle Pratt, Assistance Vice-President for Mission Engagement and Strategic Engagements at Villaonva University, gives a presentation on "Do the Work: Anti-racism and the Catholic Church". Please note that there is no Q&A session included at the end of this recording. Photo of Tia Noelle Pratt by Allen Harris.

In this CTRS seminar, Professor Greg Hillis of Bellarmine University talks about 'Opposing the “Heresy of Individualism”: Thomas Merton and Interreligious Dialogue'.

In this CTRS seminar, Professor Chris Insole of the University of Durham, speaks about 'Pantheism: A Word for the World'.

In this CTRS lunchtime research seminar, Professor Nicholas Lombardo OP of the Catholic University of America, gives a talk on 'The Grammar of Divinity: A genealogy of confused thinking about the divine essence in Western Trinitarian Theology'.

Professor Myriam Wijlens is a theologian and church lawyer who is playing a pivotal role in advising the global synod process. She understands church reform: how it happens, what is possible, and what isn't possible and was one of the first women called to be involved in the synod organising committee. In this episode, she takes me through what has happened in the synod so far, including the groundbreaking reforms Pope Francis made to allow women to vote in the forthcoming October assembly. Myriam, a Dutch theologian who teaches in Germany, explains that this change did not come about in a vacuum but is a natural next step given the involvement of women in the synod so far. The significant shifts in the synod, she says, are taking place in the way the church is making decisions and in reforms to its internal culture, moving away from a top-down model, to a bottom-up approach. A novelty of the synod, Myriam stressed, is that it started at the grassroots, of “where people live their faith.” During our discussions, she also addressed the questions of the German synod and the possibility of female deacons but emphasised that reforms had to take place in a gradual, step-by-step manner. “A change is coming about, and it's a change in mentality,” she says. “Did anyone expect in October 2021 that 18 months later that women could vote in the next synod? It's quite something.” Finally, addressing some of the fears and scepticism about the synod, particularly from those in the hierarchy, Myriam stressed that the “bishops who have stepped into the process, and walked with the people, now feel that this has been an enrichment for the way they exercise their episcopal ministry.” She offers some great insights throughout our discussion. Producer: Silvia Sacco Editor: Jamie Weston

In our annual Teilhard seminar, Dr Carmody Grey explores ‘Life' in the Human and the Nonhuman: Theology and Phenomenology. Links Transcript: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ixaskp4ll4oxbvsd8105z/Teilhard-Lecture-Carmody-Grey-26th-May-2023.docx?dl=0&rlkey=cjfpipiiiqhjjgvm90se7uvow Slides: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tfcgjkqj1l9q8hv/Plessner%20and%20Scheler.pdf?dl=0 Supported by the British Teilhard Network, held in partnership with Durham University's Catholic Chaplaincy

This is Season 2, Episode 3 of The Church's Radical Reform, a podcast on the synodal movement presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is Vatican Correspondent for The Tablet and a PhD student at the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University. The podcast is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies and The Tablet. The synod discussions, whether in Asia, Latin America or Europe, have repeatedly called for the greater involvement of women in church decision-making. Across the world, women are the bedrock of parishes and communities, but the message from the synod is that they often feel invisible. As a result, the synod assembly in the Vatican in Rome in October 2023 will include women as voting members for the first time. But what does synodal, female leadership look like in the Church? In this episode, I talk to Christine Allen the Director of Cafod, the Catholic aid agency for the Church in England and Wales. It was founded by a group of Catholic women in 1960 and has since grown into an organisation which helps some of the most vulnerable communities worldwide. Christine is Cafod's first female director. In this discussion, I talk to Christine about the synod process and the need to “trumpet the leadership of women” in the church that is already going on. She suggests the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales pull together a round table of women to discuss female leadership as part of the ongoing synod process. She talks about breaking down clericalism, women deacons and how Cafod is an example of synodality being put into action. Producer: Silvia Sacco Editor: Jamie Weston

Credible leadership is a critical feature of the synodal journey with Catholics across the globe calling for lay women and men to be more involved in decision-making. The synod is pointing to a renewed model, away from the top-down, command and-control style of the past to one which includes diverse voices and charisms in forging the future mission of the Church. In this episode, I talk to Lord McDonald, who was in charge of the British Diplomatic Service from 2015-2022, about his new book Leadership: Lessons from a Life in Diplomacy. Lord McDonald looks at what makes for a successful leader today and how to navigate the unprecedented scrutiny and pressures experienced by those in senior roles. Pope Francis has stressed that the synod listening process must “pass beyond the 3 or 4 per cent that are closest to us” and “broaden” its range. The interview with Lord McDonald took place in that spirit, with the former ambassador talking about how he grew up as a Catholic, although he is no longer an active member of the Church. Nevertheless, he offers some fascinating insights into the reform process that Francis has begun, reflecting on the complexities of reforming a historic institution and his experiences in seeking a fairer representation of women in the Foreign Office. When it comes to leading, however, some things remain the same. Lord McDondald points out that good leaders have the courage to make bold decisions, stay humble, operate with a clear authority structure and have a strong team around them. This podcast series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at the University of Durham. Executive Producer: Silvia Sacco Editor: Jamie Weston

Climate, Covid, Conflict: Can Catholic Social Teaching show us the way through the storm?

This is Season 2, Episode 1 of The Church's Radical Reform, a podcast on the synodal movement presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is Vatican Correspondent for The Tablet and a PhD student at the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University. The podcast is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies and The Tablet. In this episode, we hear from Timothy Costelloe, Archbishop of Perth, who is President of the Australian Bishops' Conference and part of the team preparing the global synod summit. As a senior figure in the Australian Catholic Church, he has been deeply involved in synodality, and what it means for the Church. An expert listener, he is an example of a bishop who adopts and lives the synod style of the Church. Archbishop Tim explains how the synod process can revitalise the Church globally and in Australia, but that it is not something that is going to happen overnight. In the face of a decline in religious practice in the West, Archbishop Tim wants a Church that can re-connect with a younger generation and consider adopting a “preferential option of the young.” But he also addresses the claim from the late Australian Cardinal George Pell that the synod is a “nightmare” and reflects on ten years of the Francis papacy. Archbishop Tim says that this Pope is reminding the Church that Jesus wasn't someone who just taught the truth; he also showed the way in his interactions with the people. He pointed out that the only people Jesus strongly criticised were the religious authorities of the day — and it's the same group of people trying to undermine Francis. Executive Producer: Silvia Saccco Producer: Jamie Weston

Polarisation presents one of the biggest challenges to the unity of the Church, which is far from immune to the political divisions that have become writ large across our political culture. Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the papal household, has pointed out that fraternity among Catholics has been “wounded” by “political options that grow into ideologies.” In this episode, Christopher Lamb explores whether the synod process can become a counterweight to polarisation. Proponents argue that synods offer a safe space for disagreements to be aired and a way for believers to deepen the faith that binds them together. David McCallum, a Jesuit working in Rome and who runs a leadership programme in the Church, says the synod offers a model for exercising authority in an entirely different way from what we see among some populist political leaders. Synodality, he says, can ensure that harmony emerges from a radical diversity of opinions expressed within a set of parameters that maintain the Church's unity. Not everyone agrees. Dr Gavin Ashenden, a former Church of England priest and Catholic commentator, is worried that the synod is being used to pursue a progressive agenda. He believes the cultural crisis the world is living in demands the Church interrogate the zeitgeist; otherwise, it risks following the “spirit of the age” and diluting its prophetic voice. Dr Ashenden stresses he's not opposed to synodality as a concept. However, he relates his experience from his ministry in the Church of England as a warning to the Catholic Church, which he joined because it offers a “profound, worked out wisdom” in responding to the challenges of the age. The Church, he adds, must offer stability. Finally, Gerry O'Hanlon, an ecclesiologist, synod expert and former superior of the Jesuits in Ireland, argues that the synod process has been a hopeful experience for the Church in Ireland. Despite the disagreements that it has unleashed, O'Hanlon says that this period of history demands that institutions engage in “open speech” and not hide away from contested areas of disagreement. He also offers a powerful example of how the synod model can be utilised to heal the wounds caused by the scourge of the clerical sexual abuse crisis. This is the eighth episode of The Church's Radical Reform, a podcast on the synodal movement presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is Vatican Correspondent for The Tablet and a PhD student at the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University. The podcast is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies and The Tablet. Producers: Silvia Sacco Jamie Weston

Dr Suzanna Ivanič speaks on the topic of "Iconoclasm at Christmas: Catholic Visual Culture in the Heart of Europe, c. 1600" for the Ushaw Lecture Series.

A commonly held fear about the synod process is that it will allow division and disagreement to veer out of control. Several bishops and priests don't wish to engage with synodality as they worry it will disrupt the peace. Is this fear justified? In this episode, I go inside a synod gathering in Sydney, Australia, where an explosive moment of disagreement almost derailed the whole process. Halfway through the Catholic Church in Australia's plenary council assembly, a vote on the equal dignity of men and women in the Church failed to pass. There was a protest among some of the members and the threat of a walkout. But then something remarkable took place. The gathering re-grouped, and a new motion on the role of women was formulated and later agreed upon. The moment of crisis became the turning point for renewal, and the plenary council ended up passing a series of motions that opens a new chapter for the Church in Australia. This episode features interviews with several of those involved in the synod, including women leaders and Archbishop Mark Coleridge, who helped spearhead the process. The experience in Australia offers a valuable lesson for the rest of the Church: don't be afraid. This is Episode 7 of The Church's Radical Reform, the first podcast series on "synodality", which is telling the story of the reform process. The series is presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is the Vatican Correspondent for The Tablet and is a doctoral researcher in synodality at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. The series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in partnership with The Tablet. Producers: Silvia Sacco and Jamie Weston

If you read some of the commentaries about the German synodal pathway, you might be forgiven for believing that the Church in Germany is planning a second Reformation. Der Synodale Weg, “the synodal path”, has faced heavy criticism for the way it is approaching the question of reform. The Germans have decided to focus on the use of power, women in ministry, priestly existence and Catholic sexual teaching. A majority of the assembly has indicated they are in favour of changes such as female ordination, married priests, same-sex partnerships and giving the laity more of a say in choosing bishops. All of this has led to charges that the Germans are causing a schism in the Church. But is this true? In this episode, I spoke to two people involved in the process. One of them Lukas Nusser is aged 21 and a student, who is one of the youngest members of the synodal path. The other Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck leads the Diocese of Essen, a community of around 1 million Catholics in the Ruhr region of Germany. Both of them talked about how the German synodal path sought to tackle a crisis in the Church caused by sex abuse and rapid secularisation. Der Synodale Weg, they argued, is an attempt to help the Church become a more credible witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And they both insisted it's not about causing a schism. This is Episode 6 of The Church's Radical Reform, the first podcast series on "synodality", which is telling the story of the reform process. The series is presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is the Vatican Correspondent for The Tablet and is a doctoral researcher in synodality at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. The series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in partnership with The Tablet. Producers: Silvia Sacco and Jamie Weston

A Lived Catholicism seminar by Dr Gregory Ryan (Durham University) 13 June 2022

A 'Lived Catholicism' Catholic Theology Research Seminar by Dr John O'Brien, Associate Professor (Research) in Transforming Church at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. Presented on 13 January 2022.

Cardinal Mario Grech is the man Pope Francis has placed in charge of the worldwide synod and in this episode, I talked to him about the tensions that had been unleashed by the process. The synod was never going to be plain sailing and disagreement among bishops about the direction of the Church has now spilt out into the open in ways not seen for centuries. A German synodal process, which is focussing on Catholic sexual teaching, the use of power and the role of women, has been the target of heavy criticism by a number of bishops who believe it is on the path to schism. On the other hand, synod reflections in Catholic communities across the world have seen repeated calls for the Church to re-imagine its pastoral priorities and tackle these contested issues. But the Maltese cardinal was remarkably calm and upbeat when we spoke. He sees the synod as offering a space for disagreements to be aired, where nothing is swept under the carpet and no one is excluded. The task of the Church, he stressed, is to listen to what the Holy Spirit is trying to say at this moment in history. “Nothing really worries me in so far that we respect the fundamental principles of the Catholic Church,” he tells me. “Synodality offers that space where we can share our fears and our joys, our certainties and our doubts, our dreams. Obviously, there are dreams that can be realised, others that cannot. There are dreams that can be realised tomorrow, others need more time.” What really hurts him, however, is those who see this as simply a project of the Francis pontificate which can soon be forgotten. No, Cardinal Grech insists, the synod is “laying the foundations of the Church for tomorrow.” This is Episode 5 of The Church's Radical Reform, the first podcast series on "synodality", which is telling the story of the reform process. The series is presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is the Vatican Correspondent for The Tablet and is a doctoral researcher in synodality at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. The series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in partnership with The Tablet.

Much of the media focus on the synod has been on western churches with the underlining question centred on how the process can reverse declining congregations and respond to the abuse crisis. But what does it all mean for Africa, a part of the Catholic world where churches are overflowing and vocations booming? Is the synod having any impact? In this episode, these questions are put to two leading Catholic figures: Fr Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, the President of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar, and Dominique Yon, a youth ministry co-ordinator in the Cape Town archdiocese and a Vatican adviser. Both of them make a strong case for why a synodal Church is needed in Africa, how it can help implement the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and include marginalised voices such as those from the LGBTQ community. We also hear about how synodality gives the tools for the Church to become a peacemaker in a continent often scarred by civil war and conflict. Prepare to be surprised by their answers. Producers: Silvia Sacco and Jamie Weston This is Episode 4 of the podcast entitled The Church's Radical Reform. The podcast explores the "synodal" process, by which the Pope is asking Catholics to help re-imagine the future of the Church, and grapple with questions such as the role of women, evangelisation, priesthood, serving the marginalised, and global governance. It has the potential to reshape the Church forever. The series is presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is the Vatican Correspondent for The Tablet and is a doctoral researcher in synodality at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. The series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in partnership with The Tablet.

In Episode 3 of the Church's Radical Reform, Christopher Lamb speaks to Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, the Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras and a member of Pope Francis' council of cardinal advisers. The Church in Latin and Central America has been at the forefront of reform in Catholicism and Cardinal Oscar explains how the synodal process is something “totally new”. He discusses how synodal reforms are being implemented, while also talking about Pope Francis' plans to reform the Vatican. A keen saxophonist and musician, he says the Church must aim to create a symphony out of a cacophony of different voices. The series is presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is the Rome Correspondent for The Tablet and is a doctoral researcher in synodality at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. The series is supported by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in partnership with The Tablet. Producers: Silvia Sacco and Jamie Weston

Bishop Dunn Memorial Lecture 2022, presented as part of the Ushaw Lecture Series. Archbishop Wilson is introduced by Prof. Paul D. Murray, Dean-Director of the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University. The recording is produced by Premier Christian Radio, www.premierchristianradio.com

Pope Francis has launched the most ambitious Catholic renewal project for 60 years with a listening exercise that aims to give every member of the 1.3 billion Church a stake in its future. Through a “synodal” process, the Pope is asking Catholics to help re-imagine the future of the Church, and grapple with questions such as the role of women, evangelisation, priesthood, serving the marginalised and global governance. It has the potential to reshape the Church forever. This is the first podcast series on synodality and will tell the story of the reform process. The synod process is opening up discussion about the role of female leadership in the Church. In this episode, Christopher Lamb discusses what shape these roles could take, the position of women in early Christianity and why a “synodal” Church is a more inclusive one. To find out more, he speaks to Professor Phyllis Zagano, who served on Pope Francis' commission looking at female deacons, Nicola Brady, who has been tasked by the Irish bishops to lead their national synod, and Susan Pascoe, an adviser to the Vatican and expert in church governance. The executive producer is Silvia Sacco and the producer is Renardo Schlegelmilch. The series is presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is the Rome Correspondent for The Tablet and is a doctoral researcher in synodality at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. The series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in partnership with The Tablet.

Pope Francis has launched the most ambitious Catholic renewal project for 60 years with a listening exercise that aims to give every member of the 1.3 billion Church a stake in its future. Through a “synodal” process, the Pope is asking Catholics to help re-imagine the future of the Church, and grapple with questions such as the role of women, evangelisation, priesthood, serving the marginalised and global governance. It has the potential to reshape the Church forever. This is the first podcast series on synodality and will tell the story of the reform process. Episode 1 focuses on why a global synodal process is needed, what it might achieve and the opposition it is already facing. Among those interviewed for this episode are Sr Nathalie Becquart, from the synod office in Rome, Fr Hans Zollner, the Church's leading expert child protection, and Fr Jan Nowotnik, Director of Mission for the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. The series is presented by Christopher Lamb. Christopher is the Rome Correspondent for The Tablet and is a doctoral researcher in synodality at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. The series is sponsored by the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in partnership with The Tablet. The producers are Silvia Sacco and Jamie Weston.

1569 refers to the Northern Rebellion (or Rising of the Northern Earls), an event tied to the excommunication of Queen Elizabeth I by Pope Pius V in 1570, and arguably the decisive rupture between the Church of England and the Catholic Church in communion with the Bishop of Rome. The city, cathedral and county of Durham was at the centre of the uprising of 1569. This presentation is by Prof. Eamon Duffy (University of Cambridge, Emeritus).

The Revd Prof. Paul Fiddes (Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford): Between Rome and Reformation: Theology and Spirituality in Shakespeare’s Drama

This lecture is presented by the Revd Prof. Paul Avis (Durham University and University of Exeter), and is followed by a response by Dr Theodora Hawksley, CJ.

Sr Prof. Susan Wood, SCL (Marquette University): Learning to Walk the Way Together: Anglican-Catholic Relations in Light of ARCIC III Response: The Revd Canon Dr Peter Sedgwick (ARCIC III)

The Revd Prof. Oliver O’Donovan (Emeritus, University of Edinburgh): Moral Disagreement in Anglican-Catholic Relations Response: Dr Julie Clague (University of Glasgow)