A pair of high-ranking officials from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange were featured speakers during a recent conference at the University of Notre Dame examining social progress, the role of morality in law and politics, and the dynamics of liberty, dignity and self-sacrifice.
The university’s Center of Ethics and Culture Fall Conference was held in early November and featured speakers from across the globe discussing a broad range of fields ranging from theology, philosophy and political theory to law, history, economics, social science, literature and the arts.
Dr. Pia de Solenni, SThD, chancellor of the Diocese of Orange, delivered a presentation titled: “Leading to the Divine: the Privileged Role of Women.”
“When we talk about the role of women in the Church, we frequently do so without an examination of the past,” Solenni said. “In my research, I’ve consistently found that there was a unique appreciation for women which we seem to have lost. Specifically, women have long witnessed how to respond to the call of God. In fact, Cardinal Ratzinger (later Benedict XVI) wrote that the vocation of women is to model to the Church – both women and men – how to be bride, how to respond to Christ.”
In her role as chancellor, de Solenni serves as the highest-ranking lay official for the Diocese of Orange.
Rev. Scott Borgman, JCD, Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Orange, spoke about “Sacramental Signposts and Conversion.”
As Judicial Vicar, Rev. Borgman oversees the Diocese of Orange Office of Canonical Services.
In his remarks, Rev. Borgman addressed the nature of suffering and existence.
“If we are to believe the significance of the life and ignominious death of Christ, then we must consider that a life completely devoid of suffering would deprive us of a significant purpose within life,” Rev. Borgman said. “Precisely because we are to turn these challenges into holiness, God specifically gives us the means necessary for sanctification in the Cross.”
The Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture’s Fall Conference was held November 1-3. It is considered an influential academic forum for academic and theological discourse among leading Catholic thinkers and those from other faiths.
Learn more at ethicscenter.nd.edu/programs/fall-conference/.