Wednesday the 12th of September, 2018: The last day in San Salvador of the PAVCSS Pilgrimage 2018 to Central and South America. 

On the las day of the PAVCSS Pilgrimage in El Salvador, participants paid a final visit to the Church of Divine Providence where the recently canonised Oscar Romero had been assassinated while celebrating Mass on March 24th, 1980. Towards the end of his homily, the Archbishop had been shot by a lone gunman. Mark Sheehan took the opportunity to remind pilgrims of hte great interest in, and devotion to, Oscar Romero that had been so central to Tony Chirico's faith life. Several former colleagues of Tony's were present while Mark paid tribute to Tony, including John Kennedy, Tony's former Principal, and Paul Ryan, Tony's former Deputy Principal. 

Dr Carmody Grey is Assistant Professor of Catholic Theology at the Centre for Catholic Studies, University of Durham, UK. Dr Grey has degrees in theology from Trinity College Oxford, King's College Cambridge and the University of Nottingham. She has completed her doctoral studies in theology at the University of Bristol, focusing on a theological account of life and nature. Before starting her doctorate she was Head of Philosophy, Religion and Ethics at Bedales School in Hampshire, UK, as well as pursuing her ongoing interest in ecology and the life sciences through a postgraduate degree from Edinburgh. She has been involved in theological formation of priests, deacons and catechists, and is a columnist for "The Tablet".

Dr Grey offers to present to Principals and staff in Victorian Catholic Secondary Schools on the following themes:

1. God as Communion: the Meaning of Personhood.
2. Christianity, Humans, and Other Living Beings.
3. God's Dream: the Gospel of Mercy.
4. Measuring 'Success'.
5. "She who is more spacious than the heavens": Mary and the meaning of human life.

Principals to choose any two of the above for a full day session: 9:00am (approx.) to 3:00pm (approx.). Dr Grey will present 50 minute keynotes on each of the selected topics leaving ample time for discussion and processing.

Tour dates: Monday July 15 to Monday August 5, 2019 inclusive : (excluding Wednesdays 17/7, 24/7 and 31/7).

Costs:

i. 160 or above: $30.00 per person full day. This does not include catering costs.

ii. Fewer than 160: Flat full day rate: $4,890.00. This does not include catering costs.

Bookings: Contact Paul Ryan PAVCSS Executive Officer : ryanp@loyola.vic.edu.au

Accreditation: These activities will attract approved hours towards Accreditation Categories A or C to Teach in a Catholic School under CECV policy 1.6.

Dr Anna Rowlands, St Hilda Associate Professor of Catholic Social Thought and Practice, Lecturer in Contemporary Catholic Theology and Deputy Director the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University will be Principal Presenter at the 2019 PAVCS conference: Tuesday May 21 to Friday May 24, 2019.

Prior to her appointment at Durham University, Dr Rowlands was Lecturer in Theology and Ministry at King's College, London, where she taught Political and Moral Theology. Before King's Dr Rowlands worked for seven years in ministerial theological education at the Cambridge Theological Federation, where she was also an Affiliated Lecturer of the Divinity Faculty, University of Cambridge.

She teaches and writes on Political Theology, Moral Theology and Practical Theology and has a specialist interest in Catholic Social Thought. Her doctoral research offered the first doctoral level theological engagement with the work of Jewish social philosopher Gillian Rose, and she maintains and interest in the work of Rose, Hannah Arendt and Simone Weil.

She is currently writing a book for theologians and policy makers on Catholic Social Teaching. Dr Rowlands has a particular interest in multi-contextual research and is Founding Chair of an innovative practitioner-academic Centre for Catholic Social Thought and Practice and works closely with a number of leading Faith-Based Organizations including, Citizens UK, CAFOD and the Caritas Social Action Network.
 

In 2020, Dr Groome will be undertaking a tour of our Catholic Secondary Colleges, both in the Archdiocese of Melbourne and in the three coutnry dioceses. The tour will be of 7 days duration, 4 days in the Archdiocese (one day in each of the northern, southern, eastern and western suburbs) along with 1 day in each of the country dioceses. The timing of the tour will be late July or early August 2020. 

Dr Groome is Chair of the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry at Boston College. Dr Groome's theme will be "Education From and For Faith" and his keynotes will cover: "Catholic Education: From a Faith Perspective" and "Catholic Education: For a Faith Perspective."