Dr. Philip Blosser, professor of philosophy, published a review of The Teachings of Modern Christianity on Law, Politics and Human Nature, Vol. II, in the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Quarterly (forthcoming), and "Retouching the Egregious Distortions of the Crusades," a review of God's War: A New History of the Crusades, by Christopher Tyerman (Harvard University Press, Belknap Press, 2006), in New Oxford Review, November 2007. He presented "Rethinking Aesthetic Judgments in Light of Research in Synesthesia and Metaphor," Siena Heights University, Adrian, MI, November 1, and "Did Jesus Claim to Be God?" University of Windsor, the Eighteenth Canadian Catholic Radio Conference and Ninth Annual Canada Call to Holiness Conference, September 22, Windsor, Ontario.

Fr. Richard J. Cassidy, professor of Sacred Scripture, presented three early-Advent lectures on Matthew's Gospel, Christ the King Parish, Detroit. At the beginning of Advent, book signings for his new book, Four Times Peter, St. Mary of Redford Parish and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Detroit. Reviews of this book have appeared in The Bible Today and Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society.

Dr. Eduardo Echeverria, professor of philosophy, presented "An Exercise in Polemic Theology," SHMS Faculty Lunch Colloquium, November 7. He gave a radio interview about Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical letter, Spe Salvi, on "Kresta in the Afternoon," Ave Maria Radio, December 4, and a radio interview about "Doctrinal Note Regarding Some Aspects of Evangelization" by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on Teresa Tomeo's "Catholic Connection," Ave Maria Radio, December 19.

Dr. Robert Fastiggi, professor of systematic theology, published "The Contribution of Antonio Rosmini (1797-1855) to Catholic Social Thought," The Catholic Social Science Review (Volume 12, 2007), and fourteen entries for Catholic Social Thought, Social Science and Social Policy: An Encyclopedia, (Scarecrow Press, 2007). He gave these presentations: "The Eucharistic Ecclesiology of Benedict XVI," annual conference of the Society for Catholic Liturgy, Pontifical College Josephinum, Columbus, OH, September 20-23; "The Goods, Purposes and Ends of Catholic Marriage," Fifteenth Annual Meeting of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists, St. John's University School of Law, Queens, NY, October 26-27; a guest lecture on the Catholic theology of marriage, Ave Maria School of Law, Ann Arbor, MI, November 8; "The Catholic Church and Homosexuality" as part of a panel of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies held in conjunction with the meeting of the American Academy of Religion, San Diego, CA, November 16; an overview of Catholic moral teachings for an in-service luncheon of the social workers of Eastwood Clinics of St. John Health, Livonia, MI, November 28.

Fr. Marc Gawronski, adjunct instructor, presented "Finding Time for Christ: Kairos and Liturgical Time in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults," meeting of the Region VI Diocesan Coordinators of Christian Initiation in Michigan and Ohio, St. John Center, Plymouth, MI, November 5-6, and taught the graduate level course on the Eucharist, Sts. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake, MI, fall 2007.

Dr. Patricia Cooney Hathaway, associate professor of spirituality and systematic theology, gave these presentations: a morning of reflection for administration and teachers of Shrine Catholic Grade School, Manresa Retreat Center, Bloomfield Hills, MI, September 28; major address, "The Role of Friendship in our Relationship with God and with Others," Catholic Conference for Women, October 27; the spirituality of Teresa of Avila, St. Hugo of the Hills Parish, Bloomfield Hills, November 7; day of retreat for Catholic Lawyers of Lansing, "Noisy Contemplation: Reconciling Martha and Mary in Our Lives," November 10, St. Francis Retreat Center, Lansing, MI. 

Mrs. Jane Jeffrey, assistant dean of studies, attended the 2007 Assessment Institute, Indianapolis, IN, November 3-5. The conference focus was assessment of student learning outcomes in higher education.

Fr. Daniel Jones, assistant professor of theology, attended the Fifteenth International Conference on Patristic Studies, Oxford, England, August 6-10, where he presented "Relating Christus Sacerdos and Christus Mediator in St. Augustine's S. Dolbeau 26." August 24, interviewed by Channel 4 TV on a newly released book about Mother Teresa; September 12, spoke to the Order of the Knights of Malta about Mother Teresa's spirituality; September 15, presented "Celibacy and Priesthood" to the second-year theologians of SHMS; September 18, spoke about Mother Teresa on Cardinal Maida's "Dialogue" television program; September 23-26, attended the biennial Convocation of Priests for the Archdiocese of Detroit; October 2, interviewed by Teresa Tomeo for Ave Maria EWTN Radio on the recently released book Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light; November 17, presented "The Evangelical Counsels and Celibacy in the Priesthood" and "Strategies for Living Celibacy" to the first-year theologians of SHMS.

Dr. Daniel Keating, associate professor of theology, attended the International Patristics Conference, Oxford England, August 6-10, and presented "Christology in Cyril and Leo: Unnoticed Parallels and Ironies." He hosted a lecture by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon, "Esau: the Post-Cultural Man," St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, August 24; led a Bible study for University Christian Outreach at the University of Michigan on the Feeding of the 5,000, September 11; gave a two-lecture series at the priests' convocation for the Diocese of Green Bay on "Creedal Statements in the Bible" and "Creeds in the Early Church," September 25; attended the "Letter and Spirit" conference of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology in Pittsburgh, PA, and presented "Baptism, Sonship and Salvation: Is Deification a Christian Doctrine?" October 27; led a formation session for SHMS graduate theology seminarians, "On Being Effective Evangelists," November 17; gave a lecture course, "Introduction to Sacred Scripture," to the novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, September–November.

Fr. Todd Lajiness, dean of studies, was elected to the Executive Committee of the Midwest Association of Theological Schools (MATS) in September. He gave an address at the MATS Conference in Chicago, September 2007, on "Learning Taxonomies and Pastoral Formation in Roman Catholic Seminaries," and gave an address to the Family of Faith Apostolate, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Plymouth, MI, "What is Truth? Reflections on Fides et Ratio."

Mr. Ralph Martin, assistant professor of theology, gave these presentations: On holiness and evangelization, Scranton, PA, Batesville, IN, Newport, NH, Keene, NH, Manchester, NH, Albany, NY, Orlando, FL, Bloomfield Hills, MI, Flushing, MI, Grosse Pointe, MI, Ann Arbor, MI; keynote speaker on "Faith and Evangelization in the Modern City," Citywide Congress on the New Evangelization, Budapest, Hungary, September 14-19; four lectures at a conference in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Colombia, on exploring the themes of his book, The Fulfillment of All Desire, September 28-30; a retreat for deacons and wives in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Diocese of Allentown, November 2-4. He produced thirty new programs for "The Choices We Face" weekly Catholic television program for EWTN; appeared on "Bookmark" on EWTN to discuss The Fulfillment of All Desire; appeared on "The Journey Home" on EWTN to discuss new edition of Hungry for God: Practical Help in Personal Prayer; participated in Board of Directors meeting for Renewal Ministries, Ann Arbor, October 7-8, and participated in the Institute for Priestly Formation, Mission Council, Omaha, NE, October 30-31; wrote a review of Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the 'Saint of Calcutta,' for The Catholic Standard and Times, Archdiocese of Philadelphia, October 11.

Dr. Michael J. McCallion, Fr. William Cunningham Chair of Catholic Social Analysis, presented "The New Evangelization in the Archdiocese of Detroit and Changing Religious Connections," annual meeting of the Religious Research Association, Tampa, FL, October 15. November 13-15, delivered a series of lectures to the Catholic College Campus Ministers Association at their annual meeting in Baltimore, MD, "Religion and Young Adults: A Sociological View"; in the November issue of Antiphon: A Journal of Liturgical Renewal, he published "Anointing and Penance: A Sociological Appraisal"; September 22-25, assisted in coordinating and attended the Society for Catholic Liturgy's annual conference; August, he co-wrote a grant to Our Sunday Visitor on studying the New Evangelization, which was approved for $10,000; November, co-wrote a grant to the Louisville Institute concerning funding for their research on the New Evangelization; November 20, was interviewed for a column written on church growth and decline in Macomb county in the paper Spinal Column.

Fr. John McDermott, sj, professor of theology, published "Lumen Gentium: The Once and Future Constitution," After Forty Years: Vatican II's Diverse Legacy, ed. Kenneth Whitehead (St. Augustine's, 2007), and "Karl Rahner in Tradition: The One and the Many," Fides Quaerens Intellectum 3/2 (2007). He reviewed M. Morey and J. Piderit, Catholic Higher Education: A Culture in Crisis, First Things (November 2007).

Fr. Earl Muller, sj, Bishop Kevin M. Britt Chair of Christology, attendee the ITEST (Institute for Theology's Encounter with Science and Technology) conference in St. Louis, September 21–23, and the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars conference in Washington, D.C., September 28–30.

Dr. Edward Peters, Edmund Cardinal Szoka Chair of Faculty Development, served as an outside examiner for a canon law doctoral dissertation at the University of St. Paul, Ottawa, Canada. His article on negligent homicide under pre-codified canon law was accepted for publication by Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses, and he continues his work with the National Catholic Office for the Deaf toward developing a uniform translation of the Mass into American Sign Language.

Sr. Mary L. Putrow, op, assistant professor of religious education, continues to serve on the Archdiocesan Faith Formation/Catechesis committee for the revision of Catechist Formation Topics, and was a catechist in December for RCIA, St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, St. Clair Shores, MI. She attended these workshops: "Holy Rage," Siena Heights College, Adrian, MI, October 13; "Catechesis and Multiculturalism" with Bishop Flores, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Detroit, October 18; "Rite of Scrutinies," sponsored by Archdiocese of Detroit at St. Paul of Taursus Parish, Clinton Township, MI, November 15. She presented "Relationship between Catechesis and Evangelization" to SHMS faculty, October 24, and "Let's Talk about the Sacraments," Holy Family Parish, Novi, MI, November 19.

Dr. Victor Salas, assistant professor of philosophy, co-presented with his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Salas, "Phenomenology and Metaphysics: A Study of Intentionality and Causality in Dietrich von Hildebrand," at the conference "Philosophical Legacy of Dietrich von Hildebrand," Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH, October 13.

Fr. Daniel Trapp, graduate spiritual director and associate professor of theology, participated in the Federation of Seminary Spiritual Directors Meeting, San Antonio, TX, October 25-28, on "Spiritual Direction in Hispanic and Asian Contexts." He was elected president of the federation at the meeting, for a three-year term.

Dr. Janet E. Smith, Fr. Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Ethics, published Life Issues and Medical Choices: Questions and Answers for Catholics, co-authored with Christopher Kaczor (Servant Press, 2007), and "The Contraceptive Choice," National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly (Autumn 2007). She gave the presentations "Why Premarital Sex is Stupid," Thomas the Apostle Parish, Ann Arbor, MI, Nov. 13, and "When the Saints Go Marching In," Forty Days for Life, Transfiguration Parish, Ypsilanti, MI, Oct. 20. She also gave: two talks for Theology of the Body Conference, TOBIA, Oct. 26-7; University of Dallas, Oct. 25; three talks, Diocese of St. Paul, St. Paul, MN, Oct. 11-12; Ave Maria Law School, Our Lady of Victory, Detroit, MI, Sept. 29; three talks, Hillsdale College, Sept. 22; Franciscan Brothers of the Renewal St. Gabriel Parish, Philadelphia, PA, Aug. 5. She gave these interviews for radio: Catholic Answers with Jerry Archer, Nov. 16; Kris McGregor, Omaha, NE, Nov. 2; Teresa Tomeo, WDEO, Oct. 31; US Bishops Radio program, Oct. 4; Al Kresta, WDEO, Sept. 25; Kelly Luttinen, Michigan Catholic Radio, WCAR, Aug. 15. She filmed a TV show for "The Choices We Face" with Ralph Martin, Oct. 10, and two shows with Johnette Benkovic, ETWN, Oct. 5 and 6.

Dr. Peter S. Williamson, associate professor of Sacred Scripture, facilitated a continuing seminar on "Biblical Scholarship with a Pastoral Purpose," annual meeting of the Catholic Biblical Association, presenting on that topic and on "Pope Benedict's Pastoral Hermeneutic in Jesus of Nazareth," Santa Clara, CA, August 5-7; submitted the first two volumes of The Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (he is one of two general editors) to the publisher, Baker Academic, November 16; gave a day-long retreat to the Assembly of the Detroit Catholic Charismatic Renewal, November 30; published "How to Apply Scripture to Your Life," November-December issue of The Catholic Answer. Dr. Williamson is on sabbatical doing writing and research in Rome during the winter 2008 semester.