The Challenge of Intercultural Liturgy in the Era of Pope Francis

The ACU Centre for Liturgy will host the President of the Catholic Theological Union, Rev Prof Mark R Francis CSV, in a free online public lecture broadcast live from Chicago, USA on Monday 20 July via Zoom: The Challenge of Intercultural Liturgy in the Era of Pope Francis.

The ACU Centre for Liturgy has mobilised during this time of global pandemic to offer this free public lecture via a live virtual platform, connecting those interested in liturgy to the worldwide scholarly conversation in this time when face-to-face gatherings are impossible. The online platform opens up the lecture to a national audience.

Professor Francis is world-renowned for his scholarship on the relationship between liturgy and culture. Interest in this area has been revived under the pontificate of Pope Francis and, in his lecture, Professor Francis will bring unique insights to the latest developments in this area of Church life. He is the author of Local Worship Global Church: Popular Religion and the Liturgy and Shape a Circle Ever Wider: Inculturating the Liturgy in the United States.

In July, Professor Francis will also teach an online, one-time-only special studies unit in Liturgical Inculturation through the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy in collaboration with the ACU Centre for Liturgy on 6, 7, 9 and 10 July.

The unit is offered at postgraduate level for Masters and Graduate Certificate students in theology and religious education. Professor Francis’s live lectures will also be available as a Professional Learning Seminar for liturgists, clergy, pastoral associates and Catholic school teachers. Professional learners will participate in lectures and discussions but will not undertake assessment tasks.

Teachers who participate can apply for professional development hours at the Proficient level in most states and territories, making this Professional Learning Seminar one of the most widely accredited ACU offerings ever.

Please email the ACU Centre for Liturgy with any questions or for further information.

Free online public lecture

The Challenge of Intercultural Liturgy in the Era of Pope Francis

Monday July 20 at 10-11.30am (AEST) via Zoom.

Registration is essential by 15 July.

Mark Francis, MDiv, MA, SLD was ordained in 1982 and served for three years as chaplain and formation director in Bogotá Colombia. He served on the revision/translation subcommittee of ICEL from 1992–2000, and from 2000–2012 he served as international superior of the Viatorians. He is the current President of Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, a position he has held since 2013. He has published extensively on liturgical topics with a special focus on the relationship between liturgy and culture.

Professor Francis was to visit Australia to lead these learning opportunities in person. While the COVID-19 pandemic has made this visit impossible, Fr Francis has kindly consented to visit us virtually.