Reflections after the Conference on Catholic Legal Thought

Now that it is been a few weeks since a number of us gathered in Seattle for the Conference on Catholic Legal Thought, I have had some time to reflect on the experience.  Most of the programming looked like any other academic conference.  We spent the first day with Fr. Frank Sullivan, S.J. considering Church authority and its implications for us as law professors and Catholics.  This discussion became a backdrop for subsequent conversations regarding pedagogy, legal theory and scholarship.  What made this conference different for me was the sense of solidarity.  It was clear that each of us struggled to engage Church teaching with meekness and respect.  Although, we represented a diversity of cultural and policy perspectives, we agreed on the importance of the Gospel message and the Magisterium's role in our community.  This was clearest to me in our times of prayer, worship and reflection.  It gave me hope that meaningful understanding, solidarity and unity are still possible in this fragmented world.  I would like to offer warm thanks to all those who attended or participated in the conference.  I hope that many more of you will be able to join us next year when we will meet back on the East Coast.