Vatican II and Religious Mavericks at Café Galt

Topics related to upcoming exhibit “Religion in the Bible Belt”

Lethbridge – A panel discussion on the meaning, relevance and purpose of Vatican II and a look at religious mavericks who have had a significant impact on the history of Alberta, are on the Café Galt menu at the Galt Museum & Archives, September 19 and October 17 respectively. Each begins at 7:00 pm, and the cost of admission includes Discovery Hall access where the exhibit “Religion in the Bible Belt” runs September 21-January 12, 2014.

Thu SEP 19 Vatican II: How are we to make sense of it 50 years later? Roman Catholics around the world are marking the 50th anniversary of Vatican II held from 1962-1965 at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Some have called it the Church’s most important Council since Nicea in 325AD. Others have been less laudatory. 

Join us for a panel discussion including Dr. Michael Pollard (Order of Permanent Deaon, Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary assigned to St. Martha's parish in Lethbridge), Dr.  Lance Grigg (University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education), and Dr. Heidi Macdonald (U of L, Department of History) who will provide a historical context of the Council along with a conversation about its meaning, relevance and purpose.

All ages program | tsg programs anor those who but we know there are adults and senrios ys * Monsignor Richard Liddy (Professor of Religious Studies, Seton Hall University, South Orange New Jersey), originally scheduled to lead the panel, is unable to travel for this lecture.

Thu OCT 17 Alberta's Religious Mavericks Dr. Norman Knowles, professor of history at St. Mary’s University College in Calgary, examines a number of 'religious mavericks' who have had a significant impact on the history of Alberta: early missionaries such as John and George McDougall, Albert Lacombe, and Henry Bird Steinhauer who helped to define the relationship with the First Nations; founders of utopian communities such as Charles Ora Card, the Revs. Issac Barr and George Exton Lloyd, and Paul de Beaudrop; religious rebels Louis Riel and William Irvine; preacher politicians William Aberhart and Ernest Manning; moral reform crusaders Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Nellie McLung; and educators Mother Mary Greene, Leslie Maxwell and William Kirby.

Admission fees for each program are $6 adults, $5 seniors, and $3 students; Annual Pass holders receive free admission. Registration is not required. The Archives, Discovery Hall and Museum Store are open Thursdays from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, with a cash bar open from 5:00 – 8:00 pm. The special exhibit “Religion in the Bible Belt” created by the Galt Museum with community input, opens to the public Saturday, September 21.

For details on these and other programs and exhibits visit www.galtmuseum.com, call 403.320-3954, or email info@galtmuseum.com

Speaker Biographies

VATICAN II

Lance Grigg, PhD, is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Lethbridge.  He has advanced degrees in philosophy and theology.  His doctorate applies the thought of Canadian philosopher and economist, Bernard Lonergan SJ to problems in critical thinking and critical thinking pedagogy. His work has appeared in scholarly journals, including Method, International Journal of Learning and Journal of Educational Thought.  He is currently the University of Lethbridge Board of Governors Teaching Chair. 

Heidi MacDonald, PhD, is an associate professor of History at the University of Lethbridge.  She has studied women religious (commonly called nuns) for two decades and is past president of the Canadian Catholic Historical Association.  Her work has appeared in several scholarly journals, including Acadiensis, Atlantis, and Histoire Sociale/Social History.  She is currently writing a book on Women Religious in Atlantic Canada since Vatican II.

Michael Pollard, PhD Born and raised in Montreal, Michael is retired from a 43 year career in Education as teacher (5 years), curriculum consultant (5 years) and University Professor (33 years), the last 28 years with the Faculty of Education at the University of Lethbridge. His educational interests included children’s and young adult literature, writing, the role of story in the learning process, learning styles and holistic approaches to education. More recently, he was ordained to the Order of Permanent Deacon in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary in October 2010 and is currently assigned to St. Martha’s parish, Lethbridge. He also serves as a certified roster mediator for Alberta Justice, Civil Court in Lethbridge and is an avid golfer.

RELIGIOUS MAVERICKS

The Rev. Dr. Norman Knowlesis a Professor of History at St. Mary’s University College in Calgary and an honorary assistant at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Calgary. He holds a PhD History from York University, an MA History from Queen's University, and a BA (Honours), History/Political Science, Huron College, University of Western Ontario. He specializes in 19th and 20th century North American social, cultural and religious history; religion and the working class in Canada and religion in Alberta. He is currently working on a monograph with David Marshall titled “Prophetic Voices:A History of Religion in Alberta” in the Alberta Reflections Series published by University of Alberta Press. For more information please see his faculty website: http://www.stmu.ab.ca/facultyStaff/normanKnowles.html