As part of the Sister Mary Schmidt Lecture Series, Sister Anne Clifford, Ph.D., C.S.J., will present “Widening the Circle of Compassion to Encompass the Earth, a Call to Eco-Justice,” on Thursday, April 22, at 7 p.m. in Cecilian Hall, which is located in the Administration Building on Seton Hill University’s hilltop campus. This event is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill and Seton Hill University. The event is open to the public and free to attend. For more information, contact 724-836-0406, ext. 613.

Sister Anne will present Catholic eco-justice teachings, including that of Pope Benedict XVI in his most recent encyclical, “Caritas in Veritate,” with attention to its roots in creation theology and its call to responsibility for the earth.

“On the fortieth anniversary of the first Earth Day, a question poses itself. Does Catholicism offer any wisdom and guidance concerning responsibility to the earth, especially its ecological health?” said Sister Anne. “I plan to address this question through my presentation.”

Sister Anne Clifford, Ph.D., C.S.J., is the Monsignor James Supple chairperson of Catholic Studies in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Iowa State University. She served as a consultant for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Environmental Justice Program from 1994-1996. Her numerous publications include: “An Ecological Theology of Creaturely Kinship” in the Journal of Religion and Society (2008), “From Ecological Lament to Sustainable Oikos,” in Environmental Stewardship (2006), and “Introducing Feminist Theology” (2001; ninth printing 2009) and “Christology: Memory, Inquiry and Practice” (co-editor, 2003). Sister Anne earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in history education from Carlow University and her Master of Arts degree in theology from the Catholic Theological Union. She obtained her Doctor of Philosophy degree in theology from the Catholic University of America.

The Sister Mary Schmidt Lecture Series is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in collaboration with Seton Hill University. Its purpose is to support the Catholic identity of the University; to engage both communities in learning and dialogue on timely topics of social and environmental justice with global impact; and to develop an understanding of Catholic Social Teachings and how they pertain to this dialogue.

The Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill is an international, apostolic congregation of 435 women religious who serve in four countries, 14 U.S. dioceses and four U.S. archdioceses. Sisters of Charity minister primarily in the areas of education, health care, pastoral care and social services. In 2009, the Sisters of Charity celebrated the bicentennial of their founding in the U.S. by Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. For additional information about the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill and their ministries, visit www.scsh.org.