Fr Stephen Wang | Keynote

Rector, Venerable English College, Rome

Fr Stephen Wang is a priest of the Diocese of Westminster and rector of the Venerable English College, Rome. He has a PhD from Cambridge having written on the subject of human happiness. Fr Wang was Dean of Studies at Allen Hall where he also taught Philosophy and Theology. He has been Senior University Chaplain within the Diocese of Westminster, chaplain to the London School of Economics, and Vocations Director. Fr Wang is well known for his work in catechetics including published works for the Catholic Truth Society and notably the very popular film series ‘Sycamore’. 

Fr Wang will present three lectures and will also be invited to preach during the celebration of Conference Liturgies.

“Faith comes from what is heard”: Confronting the evangelical silence of many Catholic communities.” We have had two thousand years of Christian mission, and decades of prophetic teaching about evangelisation from Pope St Paul VI to Pope Francis. But many Catholic communities are still completely stuck when it comes to proclaiming the Gospel, sharing their faith, and inviting others to know the Lord and his Church. What are the real sticking points? What can actually make a difference?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled”: Antidotes to priestly discouragement.” Many priests today are weary, discouraged, and tempted to lose heart. The external pressures on them are enormous, and the interior challenges are equally significant. What are the causes and consequences of these struggles? What light can the Scriptures and Catholic history shed on them? What could a renewal of priestly life look like today?

“Behold, I am doing a new thing”: The theological implications of artificial intelligence.” Many people believe we are on the cusp of a completely new era for humankind. Artificial intelligence is bringing a radical transformation of how we live and work, how we think and communicate. How will this affect our Christian faith? What are the implications for how we understand human identity, consciousness, freedom, relationships, family, morality, bioethics, authority, social justice, immortality, and much else besides? What contributions can Catholic theology make to questions that are provoked by advances in artificial intelligence?

Prof. Renée Köhler-Ryan | Presenter

Notre Dame University, Sydney

Professor Renée Köhler-Ryan has been with Notre Dame University since 2011 and has a PhD in Philosophy. She teaches courses on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Aesthetics, Philosophy of the Human Person, and Political Philosophy, and is a published author. Professor Köhler-Ryan is a delegate at the Synod on Synodality. Drawing upon her studies in philosophy and of Ratzinger, she will deliver two lectures. The first of her presentations, “Does Modernity ever End?”, will look at the main ideas that come from modern philosophy, including individualism, autonomy, progress, and revolution. The second, “True Beauty is Ancient and New”, will work with the ideas of St. Augustine and Pope Benedict XVI, to discuss how the “way of beauty” will always be a powerful way to respond to God’s call.

Bishop Richard Umbers | Presenter

Bishops’ Delegate for the International Eucharistic Congress

Bishop Richard Umbers is an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney. He is currently the Bishops’ delegate for the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) and he is instrumental in the Archdiocese of Sydney’s bid to host the IEC in 2028. This would mark the 100th Anniversary of the previous IEC in Sydney in 1928. The main reasons  for holding the IEC are to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the Eucharist among Catholics, to re-discover the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and to invite the faithful to come back to Sunday worship. In August he will be freshly returned from the US National Eucharistic Congress marking the conclusion of their three-year Eucharistic revival and he will be preparing for the IEC in Ecuador in September. Bishop Umbers will present on the plans to host the IEC in Sydney and will be well placed to speak about efforts to restore Eucharistic faith and devotion.