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Monday, December 12, 2022, 6:30 PMADVENT SPEAKER SERIES
Monday Dec. 5th 6:30-7:30pm: What is Love?
Speaker: Michael Lavigne
Michael Lavigne serves as the Assistant Cabinet Secretary for Evangelization and Discipleship at the Archdiocese of Boston, which includes his work as Director of the Office of Lifelong Faith Formation & Parish Support. Additionally, Michael is the Chief of Learning of The Institute for the New Evangelization.
For the past 30 years he has served in the Catholic Church in a variety of leadership roles for evangelization and faith formation in diocesan, parish, and Catholic school settings. Michael has earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in psychology and communications from Rhode Island College, as well as a Master of Arts degree in theology from Providence College.
Most importantly, Michael is married to Lori and they are the blessed parents of Michael Jr., Mariana, John Paul, Therese, Julia, Chiara, Celeste, and Timothy. Michael and Lori host a podcast on Catholic parenting called Raising 8: A Couple of Sinners Trying to Raise Saints (raising8.net). The Lavigne’s reside in North Dighton, MA.
Monday Dec. 12th 6:30-7:30pm: Finding Meaning in Suffering
Speaker: Dr. Peter Colosi
Peter J. Colosi, PhD is associate professor of philosophy at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, where he has been teaching since 2015. From 2009 – 2015 he taught moral theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia and from 1999 – 2007 he taught philosophy for Franciscan University of Steubenville at their program in Gaming, Austria. He earned his BS in mathematics from Franciscan University, an MA in Franciscan Studies from St. Bonaventure University, and his MPhil and PhD from the International Academy of Philosophy in the Principality of Liechtenstein. Dr. Colosi has published numerous academic articles in the areas of Catholic medical ethics, Franciscan studies, and contemporary philosophical personalism in: Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, The Catholic Social Science Review, Life and Learning, Fellowship of Catholic Scholars Quarterly, Franciscan Studies and others. He has also published in Our Sunday Visitor, Crisis, Catholic Exchange and The Imaginative Conservative. As an associate member of the Catholic Medical Association, every summer Dr. Colosi presents on topics of medical ethics from a Catholic perspective at the CMA’s annual summer program for medical students and residents. He also publishes in the official journal of the CMA, The Linacre Quarterly, and is a member of its editorial board. His book chapters include, “A Catholic Anthropology and Medical Ethics” in Catholic Witness in Health Care (CUA Press, 2017) and “The United States Bishops vs. the HHS Contraception Mandate: A Question of Religious Freedom, Moral Truth or Both?” in Why Humanae Vitae is Still Right? (Ignatius Press, 2018). He is the main organizer of the Theology of the Body International Symposia. There have been 5 Symposia thus far, in Austria, Ireland, England, Portugal and Holland, and the Symposia talks can be viewed at tobinternationalsymposia.com. His personal website is peterjcolosi.com.
Monday Dec. 19th 6:30-7:30pm: How Can Sinners Raise Saints?
Speaker: Liz Pfunder
Liz Cotrupi Pfunder is a Catholic musician, songwriter, and speaker who has been travelling nationally to spread the love of Christ for the past 10+ years. With a Master's Degree in Theology, music from her original album "Unglued," and a passion for worship, she seeks to see lives changed and hearts transformed by Jesus. She has ministered at numerous Steubenville Youth Conferences, LifeTeen Camps, Diocesan Faith Rallies, and retreats for a wide variety of ages. Being married to her husband Bob for almost 10 years now, Liz feels incredibly blessed to follow her number one vocation at home in Rumford, RI as a wife and mother. Together they share daughter Gracie-Anne, 7, who also loves to sing and dance-particularly in the kitchen to very loud music! They hope to be a family of Saints one day, though they admit the journey is quite messy and filled with dirty dishes. Come Holy Spirit!