2024 Educational Forums & Events
Previous (2019–2023) Educational Forums
Friday, October 25, 2024 1pm
Fr. Dave Buersmeyer: "Catholic Social Teaching As Guidance for Voting"
Fr. Dave Buersmeyer is a priest of our Archdiocese, recently retired after 44 years of very active ministry. Presently, he sits on the State Council of Pax Christi MI and the Advisory Board of Strangers No Longer. He recently gave the reflection he will share with us on a webinar sponsored by Strangers No Longer. In our present polarized and uncertain climate, we welcome his willingness to personally come and share them with us.
Forum Presentation available as:
- Father Dave's slides may be downloaded / viewed / printed as a .pdf by clicking here
- This Forum is now available as a full video on our YouTube channel; click here to view it.
- A complete transcript of this Forum will soon be available—check back here for a link
Our Annual Dues
Our President, Fr. Tom Lumpkin writes:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Body of Christ:
It is hard to believe that a year has passed, and we are about to begin another seasonhunting elephants. Since our last season, another session of the Synod is about tobegin. We are approaching another presidential election, still awaiting theannouncement of a new archbishop, and are mourning the passing of our belovedbrother Tom Gumbleton.
This coming year, we hope to address these and other relevant issues. Among ouranticipated speakers are Fr. David Buersmeyer, NCR’s Christopher White, BridgetDeegan-Krause, on women as deacons. For a real “Hail Mary,” we hope to invite Sr.Joan Chittister.
While we wish free offerings at Forums will cover our expenses, sadly this is not the case; and so, we look for your support in the form of annual dues. In the past, your generosity hasallowed us to bring speakers of remarkable quality. We hope to continue our mission ofmutual information and edification. May we all continue to grow in Christ.
Click here to download a copy of the Letter and Dues form that you can print and send to our Treasurer.
Fr. Ricardo da Silva, sj "Laudate Deum":
Pope Francis' Call for Climate Action
Thursday, June 13, 1pm
Gesu Auditorium 17180 Oak St. Detroit
The transcript of Fr. da Silva's presentation is available here for viewing, printing or download.
Pope Francis issued the Apostolic Exhortation "Laudate Deum"this past October. Eight years earlier, his Encyclical "Laudato Si" captured the world’s attention to the necessity for prioritizing ecological conversion. Laudate Deum is a ‘follow up” that expresses his deep concern that we are still not doing near enough to care for the God-given ‘garden” that is planet earth.
Fr. Ricardo da Silva is an associate editor of America Media, a multiple Jesuit platform for “conversation about faith and culture in our world.” America Magazine is its oldest and best-known project. Shortly after Laudate Deum’s release, Fr. Ricardo wrote a very perceptive article for America. We are most grateful for his willingness to come to Detroit to share his insights with us.
Thurs., Mar. 21, 1pm
Ellie Hidalgo: "Restoring Catholic Women to the Permanent Diaconate"
The Transcript from the Mar. 21 Forum (Ellie Hidalgo: "Restoring Catholic Women to the Permanent Diaconate") is available here for viewing, printing or downloading. A video of the entire Hildago Forum may be viewed on or YouTube channel—click here.
Ellie Hidalgo served for 12 years as the pastoral associate and previously as a pastoral assistant for Dolores Mission Catholic Church and School, a Jesuit parish in the Latin American immigrant community of Boyle Heights, just east of downtown Los Angeles, California.
This small church with a giant heart is known for its restorative justice ministries and faith-based community organizing, and for being the home parish of Homeboy Industries.
Ellie holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Pastoral Theology from Loyola Marymount University. She was commissioned as a pastoral associate for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2013.
Inspired by the prophetic role of grandmothers, mothers, women and girls in bringing forth God's dream for God's people on earth, she has preached "For Catholic Women preach" 2018 and 20220. In 2023 she received the St. John XXIII Award for keeping alive the vision of Vatican II from the Association of U.S. Catholic priests. She now lives in Miami, Florida.
