Saint Mary’s will host the Benedict XVI Centenary Conference Nov. 2-3 at the Minneapolis Campus.
This international celebration commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pope Benedict XVI. Gather with scholars, educators, students, and Church leaders from around the world to explore the enduring relevance of Benedict’s thought and his vision for a culture renewed by beauty, faith, reason, and hope.
Benedict XVI believed that beauty is more than something we admire — it is a path toward truth, goodness, and hope. Through sacred music, liturgy, scholarship, and community, this conference invites participants to explore how beauty continues to shape faith, education, and culture today.
His Eminence Kurt Cardinal Koch, a close collaborator of Pope Benedict XVI and one of the Church’s foremost theological leaders, will deliver the keynote address, “Rebuilding a Culture of Hope.”
Panelists will include:
- The Most Rev. Robert Barron, STL, STD, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Saint Mary’s Trustee, and founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries
- Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., Saint Mary’s University president
- John C. Cavadini, Ph.D., professor of theology, and second founder of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, University of Notre Dame
- Father Roberto Regoli, Ph.D., president, The Joseph Ratzinger-Benedit XVI Vatican Foundation
- Pierluca Azzaro, Ph.D., Benedict XVI chair, Saint Mary’s University
- Michael Hahn, Ph.D., associate professor and associate dean, School of Education, Saint Mary’s University
- Tracey Rowland, Ph.D., St. John Paul II chair of theology, professor, University of Notre Dame, Australia
- Father Maurice Agbaw-Ebai, Ph.D., assistant professor, Catholic Theology, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
- Dean Beckman, associate professor, chair, Business and Communication, Saint Mary’s University
- Sister Mary Miceala Hoffman, RSM, SSL, co-associate director, Hendrickson Institute for Ethical Leadership, Saint Mary’s University
- Sister Mary Ignatius Heil, RSM, Ph.D., faculty, Theology and Philosophy, Saint Mary’s University
- Brother Robert Smith, FSC, Ph.D., senior vice president, Saint Mary’s University
- Jason Paone, Ph.D., director Word on Fire Academic
The Benedict XVI Centenary Conference is more than an academic gathering. It is also an opportunity for prayer, reflection, and celebration through two special liturgical events honoring the life and legacy of Pope Benedict XVI. Everyone is invited to join two Masses, which are open to the public. The first is a Solemn Requiem Mass at the Church of Saint Agnes in Saint Paul on Monday evening, Nov. 2., and the second is on Tuesday morning, Nov. 3, at the Cathedral of Saint Paul.
On Nov. 3, doors will open, registration for the day begins, and a continental breakfast will be available at 8 a.m. The conference begins at 9:30 a.m., and a reception will be held at 5:30 p.m.
This is the first of several events over the course of the next year marking the 100th anniversary of Benedict XVI’s birth. The global conference series is titled: Building a Culture of Hope: Education, Community, and Leadership in the 21st Century.
For a full schedule, more information, and details on how to register, go to smumn.edu/benedict-xvi-conference.
