Doing Theology from The Existential Peripheries: Report of the Rome Conference

Published on: 04 November 2022

On 12 October 2022 at the Pontifical Urban University, Rome, a conference was held at which the results of a 12-month research exercise in listening to the sensus fidei fidelium in the existential peripheries of the six global regions (Oceania, Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, Latin America) were presented by the six Regional Coordinators.

It was the response of Pope Francis “[to encounter] faces, meeting eyes, sharing each individual’s history” (Homily, 10 October 2021), making ourselves a Church that “immerses herself in today’s problems and needs, bandaging wounds and healing broken hearts” (Address, 9 October 2021).
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The conference was live-streamed and archived on the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD) website.
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Adele Howard rsm at the "Doing Theology From the Existential Peripheries" Conference, Pontifical Urban University, John Paul 11 Auditorium
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L-R; Don Sergio Massironi, Cardinal Czerny, Cardinal Tagle, Sr Natalie Becquart - setting the scene for the Coordinators'presentations
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Fr Fabbio Baggio cs, Undersecretary, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, welcoming participants to the conference
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L-r: Don Sergio Massironi, Project Director, with Regional Coordinators Prof. Toussaint Kafarhire sj (Africa), Prof. Lorena Basualto (Latin America) and Prof. Adele Howard rsm (Oceania) during Adele's presentation
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Adele Howard rsm presenting on the Oceania Region - from the video of Indigenous Voices
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A view of some of the audience
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The 10 Themes addressed in the project. The Oceania assigned theme was "Ecological Conscience"
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L-r: Don Sergio Massironi with Coordinators Prof. Stan Chu (North America), Prof. Agnes Brazal (Asia), Prof. Teresa Forcades osb (Europe)
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Feedback session. L-r: Don Sergio Massironi with Emilce Cuda, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and University consultants from Paris and Austria
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Sr Alessandra Smarelli, Secretary, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, giving vote of thanks.

About the Conference​

Three speakers set the scene for the presentations given by the Regional Coordinators:

  • Cardinal Louis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization, spoke on “The Poor as our Evangelizers”.
  • Sr Natalie Becquart XMCJ, Undersecretary, General Secretariat, Synod of Bishops addressed “Walking Together: a Church Reborn on the Margins”.
  • Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, talked about “Integral Human Development and Theology: an Ancient Relationship with New Expectations”.

Don Sergio Massironi, Research Director, introduced the project under the title “A Change of Perspective in the Sign of the Council: Themes and Method”.

The six Regional Coordinators in turn then presented the details of the listening exercises they had conducted in their regions and the learnings that resulted. Each Region had been assigned a particular theme  by the Dicastery to highlight in their report.

  • Prof. Toussaint Kafarhire SJ (Kinshasa). Region: Africa. Theme: “Vulnerability and Tenderness”
  • Prof. Adele Howard RSM (Melbourne). Region: Oceania. Theme: “Ecological Conscience’
  • Prof.  Lorena Basualto (Santiago). Region: Latin America. Theme: “Revelation and Joy”
  • Prof. Stan Chu Ilo (Chicago). Region: North America. Theme: “Welcoming the Stranger”
  • Prof. Agnes Brazal (Manila). Region: Asia. Theme: “Hope and Trust’
  • Prof. Teresa Forcades OSB (Barcelona). Region: Europe. Theme: “Wisdom from the Margins”

Watch Adele’s Presentation (14:32):

Following the presentations, Mons. Armand Matteo, Secretary, Doctrinal Section, Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith responded, giving “A First Rereading of the Research. What kind of theology do we need?”
Planned interventions were also given.
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The conference concluded with the presentation of the web pages, Food for Thought materials and details of regional events.

The vote of thanks was given by Sr Alessandra Smarelli FMA, Secretary, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

Watch the Conference (3:43:01):

Find out More:
The website for the project is: https://migrants-refugees.va/ choose ‘Themes’ then ‘Theology from the Existential Peripheries’. Then there is a dropdown menu:
About: https://migrants-refugees.va/theology-from-the-peripheries/
Bibliography: https://migrants-refugees.va/bibliography/ This is where you will find each region’s literature review
Food for Thought: https://migrants-refugees.va/resource-center/food-for-thought/ This is where you will find the videos and guidebooks.
Publications: https://migrants-refugees.va/resource-center/publications/ This is where you will find each region’s Final Report
​- Read the Final Report for the Oceania Region which can be downloaded here
Project Team and Collaborators: https://migrants-refugees.va/project-team-collaborators/
Contact: https://migrants-refugees.va/contact-new/  How to contact the Project Director

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