Jesuit School of Theology to Commemorate 50th Anniversary of Vatican II

October 11, 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. To celebrate this anniversary, the theological faculties of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University (JST), the Department of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University and the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology present “Vatican II: Recalling Our Past, Looking to Our Future,” which will include a number of events.

Planned to run for the next three years, the commemoration will provide opportunities to learn more about this important council and to celebrate the significance of its work for the life of the church today.

In the current academic year, the commemoration will begin with a year-long series of public lectures by speakers from across the country, including Jesuit Father T. Howland Sanks, who will discuss “Collegiality and Synodal Governance.” Each lecture will invite listeners to consider the implications of Vatican II for the church today.

The JST is also providing a Vatican II Speakers Bureau for parishes, schools and communities that want to explore the meaning of Vatican II with an informative speaker. Members of the JST Speakers Bureau are knowledgeable and experienced in a variety of the issues addressed by the council and can be requested through an online Speaker Request Survey.

For more information about commemoration events, the public lecture series and the speakers bureau, visit the JST’s Vatican II website. The site also provides resources related to the council, as well as the official council documents.