Pope Francis’ election in 2013 marked a new stage of post-conciliar reflection on the nature of the church and its mediation of God’s love for the world. Informed by his programmatic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Francis has set in motion a reform that challenges Catholics to rethink what it means to be the Church in the 21st century. The broad contours of this renewal are significant, and they require theological analysis and assessment.
Hosted by St. Mark’s College and the Center for Christian Engagement, Pope Francis and the Future of the Church responds to this call for reflection on a wide range of themes central to Francis’ pontificate and his vision of the church, including the legacy of Vatican II; synodality; accompaniment; reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in Canada and the US; integral ecology; and justice and concern for the poor and marginalized. This spring’s conference will include over 40 paper presentations given by scholars and practitioners – lay, cleric, and religious – from across North America. It is the first conference dedicated to exploring Francis’ pontificate in a Canadian context.
The conference is being held and hosted at St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada from May 4 through May 6, 2023.
Please consider supporting the Pope Francis Conference by designating your gift to the “Laudato Si’ Endowment” using the link below:
Registration Opens
3 – 5 PM
Opening
7 PM
Opening Remarks
Plenary Session #1
7:30 – 9 PM
Laudato Si’ in a Time of Global Disruption. Francis and Politics
Massimo Faggioli, Villanova University
Wine & Cheese Reception to follow
Registration Table Open
8:30 – 9 AM
Coffee and Continental Breakfast
Concurrent Sessions #1
9 – 10:30 AM
Coffee Break
10:30 – 11 AM
Concurrent Sessions #2
11 AM – 12:30 PM
Lunch
12:30 – 1:30 PM
Concurrent Sessions #3
1:30 – 3 PM
Coffee Break
3 – 3:30 PM
Plenary Session #2
3:30 – 5:00 PM
The Reform of the Church is not a Change but a Commitment
Emilce Cuda, Secretary, Pontifical Commission for Latin America/Loyola University Chicago
Evening Prayer
5:30 – 6 PM
Location: St. Mark’s Chapel
Private Reception & Dinner for Supporters and Conference Presenters
6:30 – 9 PM
Acknowledgements
Private Dinner Address
Dr. Michael W. Higgins, Basilian Distinguished Fellow of Contemporary Catholic Thought at St. Michael’s College. “John XXIII Redux: Francis as the Pope of Continuity and Disruption”
Coffee and Continental Breakfast
8:30 -9 AM
Concurrent Sessions #4
9 -10:30 AM
Coffee Break
10:30 – 10:45 AM
Concurrent Sessions #5
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM
Lunch
12:15-12:45pm
Plenary Session #3
12:45 – 2 PM
Leaning into the Distant Goal of Vatican II: Pope Francis and Christian Unity
Catherine Clifford, St. Paul University
Closing Remarks
2 PM
Special Post-Conference Concert
6 – 7:30 PM
Sam Rocha Trio
Location: St. Mark’s College Chapel
This event is sponsored by the Laudato Si’ Endowment Fund.
The Centre for Christian Engagement finds its mission in the creation of a “culture of encounter,” for the Church to become “a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcome, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel.”
Our Vision emphasizes the importance of listening, reflecting, learning, discussing, and praying, St. Mark’s Centre for Christian Engagement seeks to enable dialogue by creating opportunities to address the challenges associated with the disengagement of Christians from the Church and the life of faith, including:
None of the conference sessions will be recorded or live-streamed.
However, the keynote speakers (plenary sessions) will be posted to the St. Mark’s College YouTube page after the conference.
Yes. All the event spaces are accessible, including washrooms.
Please contact the UBC Welcome Centre: HERE
There is no cost for attending the keynote (plenary) addresses, but registration is necessary.
Registration is open for the general public for the whole conference ($40.00) or for daily attendance ($20.00) featuring our 45 speakers.
If you would like to register a group for the conference please email the organizing team:[email protected].
Accommodations are not included in registration costs for presenters or attendees. Conference presenters can access our special accommodation rate ($155.00 CAD per night) at Gage Signature Studios:
GAGE SIGNATURE STUDIOS
Accommodation on the UBC campus is also available for non-presenters at:
Carey Theological College | Across the street from St. Mark’s College (cheaper rates)
CAREY SHORT STAY
Suites on the UBC Campus (more expensive rates)
Suites at UBC
There are numerous hotels available in Vancouver, but it would be necessary to travel to campus from these hotels by bus, taxi, or Uber.
Restaurants + Eateries:
There are numerous restaurants, cafes, and lounges on the UBC campus, please check them out at this helpful link below or via Google Maps and Yelp App.
EAT ON UBC CAMPUS
Once you land at Vancouver Airport (YVR), you will need to travel to the UBC campus, which is located in Point Grey, the westernmost point in Vancouver. You can travel to campus easily by taxi or by Uber. There are also public transit options from the airport.
For specific information, please see:
TRIPS AT BCThree basic routes are available.
The conference will be held at St. Mark’s College at UBC, located at 5935 Iona Drive, Vancouver. For those who wish to drive to the College, please note that there is no public parking at the College. There are various options for paid parking at UBC, as well as at Carey Theological College.
UBC PARKING MAP AND LINKSA large conference such as Pope Francis and the Future of the Church requires the assistances of many people.
If you are interested in helping to support the conference financially, please contact us at [email protected]. We would be happy to discuss with you the range of sponsorship options available. If you would like to support the conference as a volunteer please let us know about your interest at [email protected]. We would be happy to find you a role at the conference and would be pleased to offer you admission to all conference sessions free of charge.
John Martens, Lynda Robitaille, Nick Olkovich, Paul Allen, Nick Meisl, Grace Green.
Event Planner: Justine Fafard
Marketing & Communications at St. Mark’s- Corpus Christi College
This conference is made possible by the generosity of these donors and sponsors.
Platinum Sponsor
The Cullen Family
Gold Sponsor
Peter Bull, Angus Reid, and Andy Szocs for Centre for Christian Engagement
Silver Sponsors
Marie Anne Blondin Chair in Catholic Theology
Archdiocese of Vancouver
Sponsors
Novalis
America Media
The opening keynote presentation is the
Inaugural Laudato Si’ Endowment Lecture.
This endowment has been established through generous sponsorship and giving of
Dr. Felix Durity, Dr. Michael Higgins, Rabbi Yosef Wosk, and City in Focus
Please consider supporting the Pope Francis Conference by designating your gift to the “Laudato Si’ Endowment” using the link below:
St. Mark’s-Corpus Christi College and other locations
on the beautiful campus of the
University of British Columbia
