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Thursday, April 21, 2016

Panel Discussion



Yesterday was crazy.  Here's my schedule:

Prose Poetry Memoir Workshop--9:30-12:30
Lunch
Drive friend home
Writer's Group--1:00-3:00 but I left early to go to colloquium
Go Home, wait for ride at 3:00
5:00 at Boston College for colloquium
7:00 eat supper at Panera's
10:00 come home and crash

It's the colloquium that I want to tell you about.  The subject to be discussed was The Theology of Pope Francis: Real Reform or Window Dressing? The speakers were:

James T. Bretzke, sj -- prof. moral theology at BC, media spokesperson
Susannah Heschel -- prof. Dartmouth, prof. Jewish studies
Kristin E. Heyer -- prof. theology at BC
M. Cathleen Kaveny -- lawyer, scholar focused on law and morality
Thomas J. Reese, sj -- reporter for National Catholic Reporter
Michael Sean Winters -- reporter for Tablet and National Catholic Reporter

The answer to whether the theology of Pope Francis was real reform or window dressing was both.  The most interesting part of the night was  the questions from the audience.  People wrote down their questions on index cards and the panel answered them.  That was where most of the time was spent.  Each participant took a minute or two to answer the question on reform or window dressing, the rest of the time was answering questions from the audience.  How easy is that!  I was thinking of how to use this easy model of a panel and then audience questions in my groups--RCIA, adult faith formations, writers' groups, etc.

Of course, the subject and discussion were good.  But that is expected.  But my mind is occupied with the method of how they delivered the message.  I'm having fun planning.

Today's schedule:

Morning -- hiking group
Afternoon -- RCIA
Night -- Women's Club


Pray for me.

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