The Fellowship of Catholic Scholars invites paper proposals for the disciplinary breakout sessions of the upcoming annual convention. The convention theme this year is Eucharist, Society, and Culture. While we welcome papers on any topic, those related to this conference theme will receive special consideration.
“The Eucharist,” St. John Damascene wrote, “is a fire that inflames us.” Yet, recent surveys of Catholics suggest that a diminishing number of the faithful understand why the Eucharist is a fire or how it should inflame the Church. The 2025 convention of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars will address how we might ponder this fire anew. Can faith in the Eucharist withstand the challenges of modern science? Are Eucharistic miracles believable? In what way is the Eucharist the source and summit not only of the Christian life in general, but also of a Catholic university in particular? Is there a psychology or sociology of Eucharistic faith? What kind of music and architecture provide the best setting for Eucharistic celebration? How might canon law help us to understand and to live our faith in the Eucharist more fully? How might we make sense of the liturgical disputes of our time? The 2025 convention on the Eucharist will bring together distinguished scholars from a variety of disciplines to help us more fully understand this central mystery of our faith.
Among the invited speakers are Father Robert Spitzer, SJ, Paul Vitz, and Margarita Mooney Clayton. Proposals may be submitted within any one of the disciplines listed below and may cover any theme within that discipline. Proposals should make evident how the presentation relates the Catholic faith to the respective professional discipline. Papers may be considered for peer-reviewed publication in the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Quarterly.
• Canon Law
• History
• Literature & the Arts
• Natural Science, Medicine & Engineering
• Philosophy
• Social Science & Psychology
• Theology
• Business and Economics
Proposals comprising the following elements should be submitted to Fr. John Gavin by July 31, 2025:
1. Title
2. 300-word abstract
3. Author’s name, title, affiliation, and contact information
Notification of acceptance will be made by August 31, 2025.
• Each speaker is allowed 20 minutes to present in order to leave time for discussion.
• Presentations should not exceed 2,500 words in length.
• The Fellowship is not able to cover travel, lodging, or the convention registration fee.
*** Please direct questions ONLY about your proposal to Fr. John Gavin, SJ: jgavin@holycross.edu
*** For questions about registration, etc., please email Rose Marie Wong: convention@catholicscholars.org