Our speaker will be Robert B. Shelledy, J.D., Ph.D.. Mr. Shelledy, is Director of Social Justice Ministry in the Dignity of the Human Person Office at the John Paul II Center, Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Rob’s responsibilities include promoting formation on Catholic Social Teaching, representing the Archdiocese in various local, state, and national organizations, encouraging the Archdiocesan Respect Life efforts, and advocating for social justice in the community. In addition, Rob is the Diocesan Director for Catholic Relief Services and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
He has a B. A. in political science from Marquette University and law degree from Northwestern University School of Law. He practiced law in Milwaukee until 1996. Leaving the practice of law, Rob earned a PhD in Political Science from Wisconsin, writing his dissertation on the role of the Vatican in Global Politics. He taught political science at Marquette in 2003/2004 before joining the Archdiocese in the fall of 2004. He has been an adjunct professor at Marquette over several of the past semesters.
He and his wife, Terese, live in Milwaukee and are members of St. Sebastian Parish. They have three children, two daughters ages 22 and 20, and a son age 16.
The title of Rob’s presentation on August 7th will be, "Religious Freedom: Coercion, Beliefs, and Due Limits" – He will discuss the Vatican II’s Declaration on Religious Freedom (Dignitatis Humanae):
"This Vatican Council declares that the human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits."Mass will be celebrated at 7:30 A.M. in the Chapel of St. Edmund Campion, located on the 4th floor of Eckstein Hall (Marquette University Law School). Mass will be followed by our meeting and discussion from 8:00-9:00 A.M., which includes a continental breakfast (suggested donation $4.00). Parking is available in the Eckstein Hall underground parking structure. (Enter the lot, pull a ticket, and find an open parking space. Once parked, take the elevator to main floor, which opens to the foyer, and go to the welcome desk to get your parking ticket validated.)
