Starting next month, St. Mary Cathedral Parish again offers Tuesdays at Cathedral, an adult faith formation series that brings some of Oregon’s Catholic thinkers to the main church of the Archdiocese of Portland.
Held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings from September through April, in the Cathedral School library, the thought-provoking sessions explore praying with scriptures, contemporary issues and literature of Catholicism.
Motto of the series comes from Psalm 119: “A lamp to my feet is your Word, a light to my path.”
Here is the schedule:
• Sept. 9 — “The Acts of the Apostles. The Jubilee Year of St. Paul.” Elaine Park, scripture professor at Mount Angel Seminary, helps tell the story of the Christian movement from the resurrection to the time when Paul was in Rome.
• Sept. 16 — “The Oldest Oppression.” A video discussion presentation on human trafficking. Presenter and discussion leader is Holy Names Sister Janet Ryan, a parish social justice minister and vocations director.
• Sept. 23 — “Reading and Praying with the Poets.” Deacon Owen Cummings, a theologian at Mount Angel Seminary, takes listeners on a trek into poetry.
• Oct. 7 — “The Acts of the Apostles. The Jubilee Year of St. Paul” part two.
• Oct. 14 — “Ecological Degradation and the Common Good: a question of imagination.” Presenter is Mercy Sister Ray Maria McNamara of the University of Portland faculty. A veteran science instructor, she obtained a doctorate from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley in 2005. Her aim has been to integrate theology and science.
• Oct. 21 — Holy the Firm by Pulitzer-prize winner Annie Dillard is the first book in the series on literary Catholicism and spiritual authors. The book is about the natural world, its beauty and its cruelty. Presenter and discussion leader is Holy Cross Father Charles Gordon of University of Portland.
• Nov. 11 — “The Acts of the Apostles. The Jubilee Year of St. Paul” part three.
• Nov. 18 — “Healthcare Reform: A Catholic Perspective.” Father John Tuohey, ethicist for Providence Health and Services, explores themes developed and presented at Oregon’s Statewide Conference on Healthcare.
• Nov. 25 — The 27th Kingdom by Alice Thomas Ellis. A dark, surreal comedy about secrecy and self-deception, the book is set in London’s Chelsea district circa 1954. Presenter and discussion leader is Holy Cross Father Charles Gordon.
• Feb. 3 — “The Psalms: the hymnal of ancient Israel.” Elaine Park explores the notion that the living spirit of any religion shines through most clearly in the hymns through which people bring God their troubles, fears, hopes, aspirations and reasons for confidence.
• Feb. 10 — “Skills for Becoming a More Compassionate Person.” Father Ray Carey, a clinical psychologist and a priest of the Archdiocese of Portland, is a sought-after speaker and counselor.
• Feb. 17 — In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis delves into moral questions about good versus evil, temptation, repentance and grace. Presenter and discussion leader is Holy Cross Father Charles Gordon.
• March 3 — “The Psalms: the hymnal of ancient Israel” part two.
• March 10 — “Prayer for Everyday Living.” Diarmuid Rooney is director of regional mission formation for Providence Health and Services. He helps employees embrace the mission and trains managers. A former monk from Ireland, he helped found a counseling and psychotherapy center. He has a passion for the interplay of spirituality and the workplace.
• March 17 — The Golden Key by George Macdonald is an ideal fairy tale revealing an atmosphere of spiritual peace. Presenter and discussion leader is Holy Cross Father Charles Gordon.
• April 14 — “The Psalms: the hymnal of ancient Israel” part three.
• April 21 — “Real-Absence.” Many Catholics seem to no longer be practicing their faith. What is this all about? Deacon Owen Cummings, a theologian at Mount Angel Seminary, examines the trend.
• April 28 — In Letters to a Young Poet, German lyric poet Rainier Maria Rilke offers a delicate depiction of the workings of the human heart. Presenter and discussion leader is Holy Cross Father Charles Gordon.
