On Wednesday, April 24, 2019, Dr. Elizabeth Sung, Paluch Professor of Theology, gave a master class “Seminarians and Pastors Reflect on Race-Consciousness and Intercultural Intelligence as Navigational Aids in Ministry.” Working with the students from her seminar on racism, Dr. Sung and a panel let the audience in a series of case studies drawn from their own experience, which illustrate the relevance and value of developing race awareness and intercultural intelligence as practical resources and tools for ministry in diverse congregations, parochial schools and civic communities.
Dr. Sung presented findings from several books, especially the national best-selling classic written by developmental psychologist Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum: “Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?
Through innovative teaching like this master class, Mundelein seminarians and graduate students are engaging the real life issues faced by priests and professional lay ministers. Ministers must be able to communicate across racial and ethnic divides. As the national debate becomes more acrimonious, the pastoral dialogue is one of the hopeful places for healing.
