CATECHETICAL WORKSHOP

The Catholic Faith and Science, Austin, Spring 2024

Name: The Catholic Faith and Science, Austin, Spring 2024
Start: 2024-04-30T09:00:00-04:00
End: 2024-04-30T16:30:00-04:00
Location: St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Round Rock

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St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Round Rock

3201 Sunrise Road
Round Rock, TX 78665 United States

April 30, 2024

9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Workshop Overview

Join our Workshop staff and Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. for a one-day program on the connections between faith and science. Explore ways to help students confront today’s biases towards atheism, relativism, and scientism. Deepen your faith by examining what science shows about the Shroud of Turin, Eucharistic miracles, the age of the universe, and more.

This Workshop blends scholar presentations with interactive pedagogical sessions, giving you a chance to explore content with a respected scholar, as well as explore and simulate practical teaching strategies with ready-to-use classroom materials. Share best practices with your fellow teachers, enjoy catered breakfast and lunch, and engage in both formal and informal discussions.

Schedule

9:00-9:30am

Breakfast and Check-In
9:30-9:45am

Program Introduction
9:45-10:15am

Wonders of Nature

Spend time reflecting on various visual images of creation to explore how faith and reason go together.
10:15-11:15am

What Students Need to Know to Maintain their Faith in College and Beyond: Scientific Evidence for God, Jesus, and the Eucharist Part 1

Enjoy the first talk by Fr. Spitzer, followed by Q & A.
11:15-11:30am

Break
11:30am-12:15pm

Scientific Evidence for an Intelligent Creator

Engage in interactive activities that will show your students how scientific evidence—from the expansion of the universe, to entropy, to the fine-tuning of physical laws—make belief in God completely reasonable.
12:15-12:45pm

Holy Mass
12:45-1:15pm

Lunch
1:15-2:15pm

What Students Need to Know to Maintain their Faith in College and Beyond: Scientific Evidence for God, Jesus, and the Eucharist Part 2

Enjoy the second talk by Fr. Spitzer followed by Q&A
2:15-2:25pm

Break
2:25-3:20pm

Exploring Eucharistic Miracles

Participate in memorable hands-on activities so your students will not only be familiar with Eucharistic miracles, but know how science consistently confirms their authenticity.
3:20-3:30pm

Additional Resources, Evaluation

Join us, and you'll receive…

Catechetical Formation

Engaging sessions by a catechetical scholar provide background knowledge.

Practical Application

Research-based teaching strategies, and concrete tools to apply this knowledge in the classroom.

Spiritual Formation

You'll explore your vocation as a teacher, and your calling as a witness to Christ.

Ready-to-Use Materials

Receive a free supplemental guide featuring 10-12 lessons with activities and sacred art.

Presenters

Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ, Ph.D.

Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. is President of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith and the Napa Institute. He was President of Gonzaga University from 1998 to 2009, where he increased the student body by 75%, oversaw the construction of 20 new facilities, and raised $200+ million for scholarships and buildings. He is the author of nineteen books, including the award-winning books New Proofs for the Existence of God and Science, Reason, and Faith: Discovering the Bible. He has also authored many scholarly articles on faith and science, metaphysics, and happiness and ethics. Father Spitzer has his own weekly EWTN television show, Fr. Spitzer’s Universe. He has appeared on the Larry King Show (in discussion with Stephen Hawking and Deepak Chopra), the History Channel, the Today Show, and a PBS series. He started seven institutes dedicated to faith and reason and happiness/purpose in life. He was a professor at Georgetown University, Seattle University, and Gonzaga University and was awarded the teaching medal at both Georgetown University and Seattle University. He has held two major academic chairs—the Frank Shrontz Endowed Chair in Professional Ethics (Seattle University) and the John L. Aram Chair of Business Ethics (Gonzaga University) and has won multiple academic and professional awards, including honorary doctorates, the De Smet Medal (Gonzaga University’s highest award) and the Aquinas Medal (for Catholic philosophical scholarship).

Jose Gonzalez

Jose Gonzalez joined the team at Sophia Teachers in 2014 after more than 10 years as a Catholic high school teacher. In addition to teaching, Jose has experience working in parish and diocesan ministry. Jose has been leading Workshops in over 70 dioceses for more than 11 years, and contributes regularly to our teacher’s guides and digital instructional resources. He has a BA in theology with a concentration in religious education from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and an MA in evangelization and catechesis from the Augustine Institute. Jose and his wife, Mary Beth, have five children.

Donna Maus

Donna Maus teaches Biology at St. Mary’s-Colgan High School in the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas. She has over 30 years of teaching experience, having taught at the middle school, high school, and college levels. She is passionate about sharing the revelation of God through His creation with her students and incorporating our Catholic faith into class topics such as biotechnology, medicine, and evolution. She has been a contributing author for Sophia Institute for Teachers since 2014. Donna has a BS and MS degree in Biology and is a certified Natural Family Planning instructor. She lives in Arma, Kansas with her husband Henry, they have four children and four grandchildren.

The Catholic Faith and Science, Austin, Spring 2024

Workshop Overview

Schedule

Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ, Ph.D.

Jose Gonzalez

Donna Maus

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The Catholic Faith and Science, Austin, Spring 2024

Workshop Overview

Schedule

Join us, and you'll receive…

Catechetical Formation

Practical Application

Spiritual Formation

Ready-to-Use Materials

Presenters

Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ, Ph.D.

Jose Gonzalez

Donna Maus