This summer, Professor Ahida E. Pilarski, Ph.D., of the Theology Department, successfully led the Colloquium of the Academy of the Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACTHUS). The event marked the beginning of her tenure as president of this Catholic learned society and was highlighted by a special message from Pope Francis.
From June 9 - 12 at Boston College’s Connors Center in Boston, Mass., theologians discussed the colloquium’s theme “Synodality En Conjunto: The People of God, the Bible, and Theology,” and explored questions on diversity and globality in the Church. The ACTHUS is one of only eight societies in the United States.
Pope Francis’s message to ACTHUS was in regards to their works and roles they play in the Church today. In his message, the Pope highlights the need to reflect on migration and the conditions Hispanic migrants face and how their heritage plays a role.
“In being a Hispanic theologian, you are theologians of the people of God, and also, theologians of the peoples of the Americas. And, you all, biblical scholars and makers of theology, are Hispanic Theologians of the United States who do not forget your roots,” he said.
“For this reason, you can make theology with your heads, with your hearts, and with your hands [...] I want to appeal to the theological side of migration, that you do not neglect in your synodal reflections the condition of Hispanic families who arrive in this land. Not only the need to survive moves migrant families, but also the theological virtue of faith as they believe in the Latin American people living in the U.S.”
Professor Pilarski had many takeaways from the Pope’s Message and the colloquium and how it will apply in her work at the College. “It made us feel that we were part of the process and bringing what is a major contribution to the reflection, which is bringing our theological minds to this opportunity to reflect on those realities. And, I think that will help others do the same. Looking at what those hopes are and what are those concerns?” she said.
“The benefit of that major takeaway is going through that process for me, which is bringing that into my teaching, which then also benefits the students who are listening to how the Bible still speaks today and paying attention to the realities of the people.”
The Colloquium connects to the Synod on Synodality, which is a discussion about the issues and experiences that have affected the global Church as a whole. This synod started at the local levels of the Church and will be ending on the international level.
As the Synod concluded in October, Pilarski said, “The colloquium was dedicated to looking closely at the United States document and pointing to the themes that emerged at the national level. That document came out with five priorities and the colloquium was split between five panels. What are these themes and why did they emerge? And, what do these realities say about the United States?”
This was all in preparation for the final phase of the Synod, which is the international level that took place in Rome.
Pilarski also invited Saint Anselm students Keegan Zelko ’25 and Kirsten Coleman ’26, both theology majors, to attend the colloquium as ambassadors of Benedictine Hospitality. "I had both of our theology students in a [biblical interpretation in the 21st century] seminar in the spring,” said Pilarski.
“As part of the class, we learned about the different perspectives developed in the last decades. One of them was LatinX biblical interpretation. So, they had the background this perspective brings into the theological reflection and that is in the foreground in culture and the realities of the people as part of this theological reflection.”
A book based on her research and the colloquium will be published next year. Saint Anselm College and Saint Anselm Abbey sponsored the June event.