The SVD Australia Province is set to host an engaging new online lecture series this year, exploring the theme, ‘Integral Human Development in a Fragmented World’.
The series, from the Province’s Mission, Education and Research (MER) team, will commence on May 16 with a foundational session on ‘Biblical and Mission Perspectives’, featuring distinguished scholars Roger Schroeder SVD and Vien V. Nguyen SCJ.
Other lectures this year will explore Integral Human Development from the perspectives of: Magisterial and Interreligious Perspectives (July 2026); Contemporary Concerns (September 2026); and Formation of Youth and Religious (November 2026).
“The MER’s purpose is to promote education and research for mission,” said the Chair of the MER team, Fr Anthony Le Duc SVD.
“The team envisions this lecture series as a vital platform for exploring ‘Integral Human Development in a Fragmented World’, specifically aiming to apply this fundamental Catholic social thought principle to the complexities of contemporary real-world realities.
“We hope that these sessions will demonstrate how the Catholic tradition, with its profound and multifaceted approaches, continues to speak to modern concerns across both socio-cultural and spiritual dimensions, offering meaningful ways to address global challenges.”
Fr Anthony said that the first lecture of the series, on May 16 was designed to ground the series in scriptural and missiological roots, with Fr Schroeder discussing IHD from a mission perspective and Fr Nguyen providing a biblical analysis.
“By providing these foundational insights for free and without registration, the MER team intends to foster an inclusive environment for public dialogue that bridges academic research with practical ministry,” he said.
“Ultimately, the value for participants lies in gaining a holistic understanding of human flourishing that will be further expanded in subsequent sessions, covering interreligious dialogue, digital technology, and creation care, all of which will eventually be preserved in a scholarly edited volume scheduled for 2027.”
Fr Roger Schroeder, SVD, worked as a missionary in Papua New Guinea for six years. He earned a Doctorate degree in missiology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1990, Since then, he has taught at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago (CTU), where he now holds the Louis J. Luzbetak, SVD, Chair of Mission and Culture, and is Professor of Intercultural Studies and Ministry. His recent publications include Christian Tradition in Global Perspective (2021), Engaging Our Diversity: Interculturality and Consecrated Life Today (2020), co-edited with Maria Cimperman, RSCJ, and Prophetic Dialogue: Reflections on Christian Mission Today (2011), co-authored with Stephen Bevans, SVD.
Fr Vien V. Nguyen, SCJ, is a priest and provincial superior of the Priests of the Sacred Heart in the United States. Following his first profession of vows in 1997 and his ordination in 2004, he earned a doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. Prior to his election to provincial leadership in 2022, Fr Vien served as vice rector and assistant professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. His research interests include spatiality, ethnicity, masculinity in antiquity, and the Hebrew prophets. Originally from Vietnam, Fr Vien immigrated to the United States as a teenager.
“The lecture will offer valuable insights for scholars, missionaries, and anyone interested in faith, culture, and global challenges,” said Fr Anthony. “All are warmly invited to join us.”
The details for the first MER online lecture for 2026 are below:
Date: May 16, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM (Bangkok) | 11:00 AM (Manila) | 1:00 PM (Sydney)
Platform: Zoom
Zoom ID: 387 534 4942 - Passcode: MER.AUS26
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3875344942?pwd=ZrUyi9JAK68f8AQdNsUKDJgsShb6oc.1&omn=83743901341
All are invited. No registration is required — simply join us via Zoom at the scheduled time.