Boston College's Church in the 21st Century program (C21), a high-profile series of events established two years ago to explore issues affecting the Catholic faith will soon become a permanent fixture of the University. Created in the aftermath of the priest abuse scandal, the initiative was originally temporary, but has proved beneficial to BC and the Church.
BC officials saw the need for the continued expansion of the initiative because of the success of past C21 events and the surfacing of new issues affecting the faith, said University President Rev. William P. Leahy, SJ.
"The need is still there," he said. "We've had all kinds of issues surface, issues that are very much on the minds of Catholics right now."
Leahy will begin conducting a search for C21's first director and staff this fall in order to give the initiative the feel of a more deeply rooted, "concrete initiative," he said.
BC will soon initiate a pair of online courses about what it means to be a Catholic and has been in contact with other universities around the country about the program.
Although C21 events have often had disappointing student turnouts, the program has struck a chord with many local residents. In two years, 25,000 people have attended C21 lectures and other events, and 160,000 have subscribed to its publications.
Leahy attributed interest in the series to a desire among Catholics to move past the grieving period toward a sense of renewal after a dark period in the Church's history. The program will continue to find ways to address three main issues: the role of women in the clergy, the contrast between Catholic teachings on sexuality, and the actual sexual practices of modern Catholics, and the most appropriate methods for passing down the faith to future generations, Leahy said.
Clergy members outside of BC seem to be listening to the initiative's message. Archbishop of Boston Sean O'Malley has appeared at numerous events in recent months, including C21's kickoff event last weekend, titled "Handing Down the Faith."
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