Rerum Novarum 130 Years on The Future of the World of Work

Hosted by the Cluster for Catholic Public Initiatives and Global Service and supported by the Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain, the Centre for Catholic Social Thought and Practice, The Pastoral Review and The Tablet

In May 1891 Pope Leo XIII published an encyclical with the Latin title Rerum Novarum, the first papal document to address the issue of the plight of industrial workers. The letter was a key stage in the development of Catholic Social Teaching. This international conference will look at the theology and historical background of what Pope Leo wrote and assess its continuing importance. The letter shows the Catholic community beginning to engage with the ‘world of work’, and this tradition has developed so much in the last 130 years; the conference will also look at these changes.

The conference began to be planned in December 2019, but the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our understanding of work and leisure have been enormous. Whilst we are only beginning to assess them, the conference will also look at these effects, and the future of work from both local and worldwide perspectives.

St Mary’s University runs the only full Masters degree in Catholic Social Teaching in western Europe and this conference will contribute to the life of the degree programme. The conference participants include academics, practitioners in the field of social justice, figures in public life, writers and also academics from Notre Dame University Australia, the Institute Catholique de Paris, the Catholic University of Leuven, the Catholic University of Portugal, Notre Dame University in Indiana, the St Philip Institute in Texas and Los Andes University in Chile. The conference is also supported by the Centre for Catholic Social Thought and Practice and the Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain.

When this conference was first planned in December 2019, it was expected to be a full-scale residential event on the University campus. Sadly, because of COVID-19 restrictions, this is not possible and the conference will be conducted online through lectures, webinars and panel discussions. The conference is open to all and there will be no charge for registration or participation. It is hoped that proceedings will be published in due course.

To register in advance please contact the Revd Dr Ashley Beck: ashley.beck@stmarys.ac.uk.