Enriching. Informative.
Explore the depth and breadth
of the Catholic faith at
St. Mary's One Topic One Night evenings.
What is One Topic One Night?
The One Topic One Night speaker series aims to provide our parish with a platform to foster dialogue, cultivate enriching ideas, and continue an appreciation of learning as an active and lifelong process.
The name says it all: in one night, usually in under an hour, we dig deep into one specific topic. Previous topics included subjects such as,
- Celibacy and the Priesthood
- Relativism
- Forming a Catholic Conscience
- What the Church Teaches: End of Life Issues
These evenings explore issues and topics of our faith in a more in-depth manner than can be covered in a homily, and provides time for follow-up questions and answers.
one holy catholic apostolic church
Recent One Topic One Night
The recent One Topic One Night discussed the compatibility of Science and Faith.
The recent ONE topic ONE night discussed the question, Are Faith and Science Compatible? To which Father Shaun answered with a resounding Yes!
He then explained how Scripture, along with the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), shed light on the relationship between faith and science.
If you missed this dynamic discussion, here are some highlights.
By the LORD’s word the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host. Psalm 33:6
Beginning with the consideration of the origins of the universe, three positions exist:
- Specialist - the universe was created instantaneously
- Developmental theorist - the universe developed, or evolved, over time
- Atheistic position - created as a random, chance event
The Church allows for the specialist or developmental position, as both reflect the impetus and guidance of God. Genesis also describes the creation mankind, and the Fall, from which we know that the “whole of human history is marked by the original fault freely committed by our first parents” (CCC 390). The Church insists the soul is individually created by God at the moment of conception (CCC 366).
Truth cannot contradict truth. “And, not only can faith and reason never be at variance with one another, but they also bring mutual help to each other, since right reasoning demonstrates the basis of faith and, illumined by its light, perfects the knowledge of divine things, while faith frees and protects reason from errors and provides it with manifold knowledge” (CCC 159). Science can assist nature, but not overtake nature.
The Vatican Pontifical Academy of Sciences looks to promote the progress of science, in accord with God’s plan. In today’s culture it’s important to remember that all is a gift from God, including intellect and free will.