Contact: Tom Sofio, Asst. Director of Public Relations, Franciscan University, 740-284-5893
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio, Feb. 28 /Christian Newswire/ -- What is the purpose of Catholic higher education and what distinguishes it from its secular counterpart? What is the proper relationship between the Catholic university and the Catholic Church? And what is the Catholic university's responsibility to the culture at large?
University and college presidents, senior administrators, and faculty members from Catholic institutions are invited to gather and discuss these pressing questions at "A City on a Hill," a symposium on the purpose and identity of Catholic higher education, taking place from Thursday, April 19, to Sunday, April 22.
Hosted by Franciscan University of Steubenville, the symposium will be an opportunity for dialogue. Those involved in Catholic higher education will share their understanding of their mission, assess the potential impact of Catholic colleges and universities on today's world, and reflect upon the tradition and future of the Catholic intellectual tradition.
"For nearly a thousand years, Catholic universities have been at the intellectual center of the Western world, producing the ideas and thinkers that shape the paths of history," says Dr. Max Bonilla, vice president for Academic Affairs at Franciscan University. "The unique challenges and opportunities of the last century, however, changed the way many Catholic institutions understand their mission and identity. Today, there are almost as many different visions of Catholic higher education as there are Catholic colleges and universities."
Through a series of paper presentations and panel discussions, attendees will examine the merits of these different visions and look for what, if any, common thread runs through them. The conference will also feature four keynote addresses by internationally recognized leaders in Catholic higher education: Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education at the Vatican and former president of the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas; the Honorable Mario Mauro, vice president of the European Parliament and former director of schools and universities for the Italian Government; Father Michael J. Garanzini, SJ, president of Loyola University Chicago; and Father John Jenkins, CSC, president of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.
The cost of attending the four-day conference is $495 (including meals) if postmarked before March 8, 2007. After March 8, the cost is $550. To register or for more information, call 800-437-8368 or visit www.franciscan.edu/cityonahill.
