News & Media
We are saddened to share that Fr. John W. O’Malley, S.J. went to the house of the Father on September 11, 2022.
A scholar, professor and priest, Fr. O’Malley was nationally-known for his expertise on Renaissance European and early modern Catholic history. An academic heavy-weight, he was also remembered for his humility.
Fr. O’Malley was University Professor Emeritus of Theology at Georgetown University. Before that, he taught generations of lay students and clergy as the Distinguished Professor of Church History at the Weston Jesuit School of Theology, from 1979 until 2006.
Over the years, he shared his expertise through lectures at the Lumen Christi Institute and through masters classes which he taught our students. Check out some of our recorded lectures, symposia and master classes featuring the expertise of Fr. O’Malley:
-
“The Open Question of Church Polity and Governance: Trent, Vatican I, Vatican II” Discussion with John W. O’Malley, Russell Hittinger and Jennifer Newsome Martin, Dec. 4, 2019
-
“Humanism as an Educational Ideal” Webinar with John W. O’Malley, Feb. 6, 2021
-
“Venerating the Saints: An Ancient Tradition Actual Today” Lecture with John W. O’Malley, Nov. 1, 2020
-
“Vatican I: Loss and Gain with Papal Governance of the Catholic Church” Oct. 13, 2018 Symposium with John W. O’Malley, Russell Hittinger and Joseph G. Mueller, Oct. 13, 2018
-
“Councils and Popes: Who’s in Charge?” Masterclass with John W. O’Malley, Oct. 12, 2018
-
“Comparing Trent, Vatican I, and Vatican II” with John W. O’Malley, Oct. 11, 2018
The Lumen Christi Institute’s writer-in-residence, Kenneth Woodward, shared his personal tribute of their friendship. Read the article featured in Commonweal Magazine here.
More about Fr. John W. O’Malley’s life | A member of the Midwest Jesuit Province, Fr. O’Malley received his PhD in History from Harvard University in 1965. He also received many academic honors, including twenty honorary degrees, eight best-book prizes, and in 2016, the Centennial Medal from Harvard University. In 1995, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Science, and in 1997 to the American Philosophical Society. His best-known book is The First Jesuits, Harvard University Press, 1993, now in twelve languages. His most recent books with Harvard Press are: What Happened at Vatican II, 2008; Trent: What Happened at the Council, 2013; Vatican I: The Council and the Making of the Ultramontane Church, 2018; and When Bishops Meet: An Essay Comparing Trent, Vatican I, and Vatican II, 2019.
He had an impact on countless students and laypersons. He will be greatly missed. Please join us in prayer in gratitude for Fr. O’Malley’s life and service to the greater glory of God.
This online symposium series is being organized by the American Cusanus Society, Nova Forum and the Lumen Christi Institute. Additional Cosponsors include Commonweal, Harvard Catholic Forum, America Media, the St. Anselm Institute for Catholic Thought and the Collegium Institute.
Participation and Registration | All are invited to participate. To attend, please register online. Registration links are provided by each session and date below. Each session will be a dialogue with a moderator hosting a conversation between two scholars.
About the Series | In light of Pope Francis’ call for global Catholic communities to enter into a two-year process on synodality, this six-part series will examine both the history of synods and the current dialogue around the future of synodality in the Church. This series is an opportunity to learn more about the topic in advance of the October 2023 Rome summit, “For a Synodal Church.” Pope Francis is inviting the entire Church to reflect on “this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium,” an important part of the Church’s own process to achieving participation and living out mission.
Some of the questions in this online series include:
-
What was the history of synods in the early church?
-
What should Catholics expect from the Synod itself next year?
-
What synodality models emerged from the Second Vatican Council?
-
What are the roots of Pope Francis’ appeal to synodality?
-
What can Roman Catholics learn from Eastern Catholic traditions?
SCHEDULE
Session 1. Synodality in the Ancient Church
Tuesday, September 6, 7:00 PM CST / Registration link here
Moderator: Nathan Tilley, Dumbarton Oaks
-
Robin Darling Young, Catholic University of America
-
Christopher Bellitto, Kean University
Session 2. Synodality and Medieval Reform
Thursday, September 15, 5:00 PM CST / Registration link here
Moderator: Christopher Bellitto, Kean University
-
Margaret Meserve, Notre Dame
-
Rick Serina, Concordia Seminary
Session 3. Synodality and the Roots of Vatican II
Monday, September 19, 5:00 PM CST / Registration link here
Moderator: Kathy Sprows Cummings, Notre Dame
-
Shaun Blanchard, National Institute for Newman Studies
-
Kristin Colberg, St. John’s School of Theology
Session 4. Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Christians: Contexts and Dialogue
Tuesday, October 4, 7:00 PM CST / Registration link here
Moderator: Aristotle Papanikolaou, Fordham University
-
Jaisy Joseph, Villanova University
-
Cyril Hovorun, Sankt Ignatius Theological Academy
Session 5. Pope Francis’ Vision of a Synodal Church: CELAM and Ignatian tradition
Tuesday, October 18, 4:00 PM CST / Registration link here
Moderator: Peter Casarella, Duke Divinity School
-
Maria Clara Bingemer, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
-
Austen Ivereigh, Campion Hall, Oxford University
Session 6. The Synod of 2023: Process and Prospects
Tuesday, October 25, 12:00 PM CST / Registration link here
Moderator: Peter Casarella, Duke Divinity School
-
Bishop Oscar Cantú (San Jose, CA)
-
Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ, Under-Secretary, General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops
CHICAGO, IL (June 28, 2022) — Daniel Wasserman-Soler, PhD, has been appointed the new Executive Director of the Lumen Christi Institute (LCI), an independent Catholic educational institute serving academic communities at the University of Chicago, across the nation, and throughout the world. Dr. Wasserman-Soler will begin his new duties August 15th, 2022, succeeding long-time Executive Director Thomas Levergood who passed away in August of 2021. The selection was made after an extensive national search.
Dr. Wasserman-Soler comes to the Lumen Christi Institute with a BA from the University of Chicago and his MA and PhD from the University of Virginia. At Alma College, which he joined in 2013, Dr. Wasserman-Soler is a tenured associate professor of history and serves as chair of the history department and director of the first year seminar program. He is the author of the book, Truth in Many Tongues: Religious Conversion and the Languages of the Early Spanish Empire, published in 2020.
Dr. Wasserman-Soler won multiple faculty and teaching awards at Alma College, successfully led several campus-wide initiatives, and is highly regarded for his ability to collaborate. As director of the first-year seminar program at Alma College, he worked effectively with the provost, faculty, and staff to implement a unified vision for twenty academic courses anchored in the humanities.
“Daniel’s impressive ability to find common ground across beliefs and disciplines combined with his ongoing dedication to the Catholic intellectual tradition in both his personal and professional life will ensure that the mission of the Institute is in good hands,” said Lumen Christi Board Chair Alietia Caughron.
“The Lumen Christi Institute and Calvert House introduced me to the Catholic intellectual tradition when I was an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago years ago,” said Dr. Wasserman-Soler. “I learned that one could be both a Catholic and a scholar, that my faith tradition boasted a vibrant life of the mind. It is an honor to continue the legacy of Thomas Levergood and to develop the Institute’s strategic direction for the future. What excites me about this position is the opportunity to expand the impact of the Catholic intellectual tradition at my alma mater and collaborate with the wider university community nationally.”
He is a native Spanish speaker and the son of Latin American and Jewish immigrants. Daniel and his family will be relocating to Chicago for the position.
Please join the Board of Directors in welcoming Daniel to this exciting new chapter in Lumen Christi’s history. With the arrival of our new executive director, the Lumen Christi Institute is delighted to continue affirming our mission.
Media Relations Contact:
Leah Bromberg, Communications Director
Email: lbromberg@lumenchristi.org
Telephone: 773-955-5887