Massingale Lecture: Catholic Social Teaching and Racial Justice
Theologian Rev. Bryan Massingale examines beliefs in wake of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown deaths
MILWAUKEE (November 3, 2014) - Mount Mary University's Theology Department, in conjunction with the Black Catholic Ministry Commission of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, will host a lecture presented by Rev. Bryan N. Massingale, S.T.D. on Wednesday, November 19 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Rev. Massingale, a renowned theologian specializing in social ethics, will present "Unconscious Racial Bias and the Challenge of Solidarity: Catholic Social Justice Post Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and . . ." to examine what racism means today in the wake of recent deaths of young African American men, and how religious beliefs can serve as catalysts for social change.
Rev. Massingale (right) regularly presents at colleges and universities, religious education symposiums, and theology and ethics conferences across the U.S. and the world on theological subjects including racial justice and the Catholic Church, gun violence, and health care ethics. His lecture at Mount Mary is made possible with funding support from the Black and Indian Mission Grant.
The event on campus concludes several weeks of student activities developed to explore the impact of gun violence. Mount Mary's Shalom Club, a student organization, will host "Let's Talk: Conversations on Gun Violence," for students who have been personally impacted by gun violence in their communities. A candlelight memorial ceremony hosted by Campus Ministry will honor victims of gun violence and offer prayers for healing, peace and racial justice.
About the Black Catholic Ministry Commission
The Black Catholic Ministry Commission (BCMC) of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is a representative body composed of laity, religious and clergy dedicated to fostering the spiritual, educational, economic and cultural lives of persons of African descent in the archdiocese, reaching out to Catholics and non-Catholics, those who are active in the church as well as the un-churched. The Commission works in collaboration with the Director for Intercultural Ministries for the archdiocese to articulate the mission, clarify the vision, develop and implement plans to address the needs and hopes of Black Catholics in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and advance the implementation of the National Black Catholic Pastoral Plan. For more information on the BCMC visit archmil.org.
About Rev. Bryan N. Massingale, S.T.D.
Rev. Massingale specializes in social ethics and teaches courses on Catholic Social Thought, African American religious ethics, liberation theologies, and racial justice. He is the author of Racial Justice and the Catholic Church, which received a First Place book award from the Catholic Press Association. Currently a theology professor at Marquette University, he also frequently presents at theological symposiums throughout the U.S. He has authored over eighty articles, book chapters, and book reviews which have appeared in numerous scholarly and pastoral journals. He received his doctorate in moral theology from the Academia Alphonsianum (Rome). For more information on Rev. Massingale visit marquette.edu.