University Chaplaincies: Key centres of the New Evangelisation

With Fr Raymond De Souza, Archdiocese of Kingston, Ontario, Priest, Professor, Commentator

Tuesday 7 February 2023 @ 6:00pm-8:30pm

Pope St John Paul II described the university chaplaincy as a training ground for Christian virtues, a place of the spirit, where believers in Christ, involved in different ways in academic study, can pause for prayer and find nourishment and direction. This modern day saint also saw university chaplaincies as vital centres for promoting the Christian renewal of contemporary society. The late George Cardinal Pell AC put this vision firmly into action in the Archdiocese of Sydney, fostering a holistic approach to university chaplaincies, ensuring they continue over two decades later to provide in depth religious, cultural, human and academic formation to students. Under the leadership of Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, the chaplaincies have grown their influence on university campuses across Sydney. Described by papal biographer, George Weigel as “Canada’s finest Catholic commentator” Fr Raymond De Souza is a Senior Fellow at Cardus, Canada’s leading Christian think tank and continues to lecture at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. For over a decade he has been Editor-in-Chief of Convivium, an online Canadian magazine about faith in our common life and he has served as a consultant to the religious liberty committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.