The University of Saint Francis, in cooperation with Our Sunday Visitor, will be hosting a one-day conference about Pope Francis’s recent encyclical, “Sharing the Gospel of Creation: Integral Ecology and Catholic Theology in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si.” The conference will be held during the afternoon of October 3 in the USF North Campus, 2702 Spring Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The conference will begin at 12:30 p.m. and end at 5 p.m. Four plenary speakers will address the Pope’s encyclical on the preservation of the planet from multiple perspectives:

· Mr. John Carr, Director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, Georgetown University – “Pope Francis’ Faithful Call to Care for Creation and the Poor”

· Dr. J. Matthew Ashley, Chair, Department of Theology, University of Notre Dame – “Science, Faith and Ethics: Climate Science, the Precautionary Principle, and Catholic Teachings on the Environment in Laudato Si”

· Dr. Maryanne Cusimano Love, Associate Professor of International Relations, The Catholic University of America – “The Pope, Poverty, the Planet and Policy”

· Dr. Adam DeVille, Chair, Department of Philosophy and Theology, USF – “Ecumenical Ecology: Pope Francis, Patriarch Bartholomew, and Caring for Creation”

Each speaker will present a lecture and participate in a panel discussion at the end of the event. A networking break during the conference will provide attendees a chance to gather and discuss as light refreshments are served.

This conference is open to the public and there is no charge to attend, but attendees are asked to register in advance. More information and a link to register can be found at sf.edu/laudato-si.