“The significance of this year’s theme is like the rich man in the Gospel, it is so easy to not notice and ignore the poor who are right at our doorstep,” said Fr. Ron Rolheiser. “Fr. Greg Boyle, who works with gangs and destitute individuals in Los Angeles, will invite us to not ignore the poor who are at our own doorstep.”
SAN ANTONIO, TX, June 11, 2024 – Oblate School of Theology (OST) will hold their 20th annual Summer Institute from Monday, June 17 through Wednesday, June 19 at the Whitley Event Center located on the OST campus. The Summer Institute addresses critical issues shaping the discourse of contemporary theology and spirituality and draws hundreds of participants, both in person and virtually, including faculty and facilitators from local, national, and international institutions. Organized around a relevant topic that applies theological context to societal concerns, this year’s Summer Institute theme is Lazarus Outside Our Door - Being Good News for the Poor.
The major keynote speaker will be Fr. Gregory Boyle, S.J., a 2024 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient and founder of Homeboy Industries. Additional keynote speakers will include Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, O.M.I., an award-winning author and renowned speaker of contemporary spirituality; Brother Don Bisson, an internationally recognized spiritual director; Donald H. Morrison, Chairman of the Board at Laconic Global Inc. and Chairman of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT; and Dr. Stephen Breck Reid, Vice Provost for faculty diversity and professor of Christian scriptures at George W. Truett Seminary.
“The significance of this year’s theme is like the rich man in the Gospel, it is so easy to not notice and ignore the poor who are right at our doorstep,” said Fr. Ron Rolheiser. “Fr. Greg Boyle, who works with gangs and destitute individuals in Los Angeles, will invite us to not ignore the poor who are at our own doorstep.”
Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a city government panel discussion with Councilwomen Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia and Teri Castillo along with Rev. Ann Helmke, Faith Liaison for the City of San Antonio, to address local issues in relation to the Summer Institute’s theme.
