Paluch Lecture – Fall 2025

1,700-Year-Old Decisions Still Shape Today’s Church: Dr. Horell Explores the Legacy of the Council of Nicaea

Marking the upcoming anniversary of the pivotal 325 AD ecumenical council, Dr. Harold D. Horell, the Margaret and Chester Paluch Chair of Theology at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML), delivered the Paluch Lecture on October 23, 2025. His presentation, titled “The Council of Nicaea 1,700 Years Later,” explored the Council’s enduring theological and political relevance.

Dr. Horell, whose academic background includes degrees from Boston College, Harvard Divinity School, and the University of Dayton, invited the capacity audience to “imagine what it was like to attend” the historic gathering. He then seamlessly transitioned to exploring how the Council of Nicaea continues to shape the Church’s core Christian convictions and, perhaps more surprisingly, how its historical context provides guidance for believers engaging with social and political issues today.

About the Paluch Lecture
Established in 1990, the Paluch Lecture is a prestigious event that fosters theological studies at Mundelein Seminary. It brings together scholars, theologians, and the faithful to explore the depths of Catholic theology. The Paluch Lecture continues to be a significant event in the Catholic intellectual landscape, fostering dialogue, scholarly exchange, and a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith.

About USML
USML educates and forms lay leaders and priests to serve the Church and its people. It has over 1,000 lay students and 100 seminarians from 30 dioceses. USML’s faculty are recognized as leaders in their fields, sought-after speakers, and members of pontifical academies, councils, and the International Theological Commission.

Video of the Lecture

Photos of the Lecture