Saint Louis University Establishes New Center for Research on Global Catholicism
ST. LOUIS – A new center at Saint Louis University has been established to support research in global Catholicism.
The Center for Research on Global Catholicism (CRGC) supports scholarship on how Catholicism migrated across time and space to become a global religion. World-class researchers and area archivists will study the nexus of Catholicism and culture.
The executive team for the CRGC includes SLU faculty including, from left, Charles Parker, Ph.D., Mary Dunn, Ph.D., Kate Moran, Ph.D. and Cathleen Fleck, Ph.D. Photo by Robert Grant.
“Our ambition is to make SLU a destination for research on global Catholicism,” said Mary Dunn, Ph.D., director of the CRGC and professor of theological studies at SLU. “We are building a center here at SLU that will be a hub for scholarship, connecting our own faculty and students with local archivists, national research centers, and the rich network of scholars around the world who work within the growing field of global Catholicism.”
An interdisciplinary collective of researchers and scholars, the executive board of the CRGC also includes Cathleen Fleck, Ph.D., associate professor of art history and chair of Fine and Performing Arts; Kate Moran, Ph.D., associate professor of American Studies; and Charles Parker, Ph.D., professor of history.
The executive board has worked over the past three years bringing together scholars for research discussions and conversations that cross-disciplinary, even professional, boundaries.
“Already, the diverse community of scholars, archivists, and others that has coalesced around the CRGC is moving the field of global Catholicism in new directions,” said Dunn. “Given the energy around the study of global Catholicism and the work we’ve done over these past few years, we feel like SLU is really well-positioned to become a leader in this area.”
The Center for Research on Global Catholicism will:
- Capitalizing on scholarly expertise at SLU and in St. Louis to advance knowledge and understanding of global Catholicism
- Facilitating connections between local archives and research scholars
- Supporting scholars working in the field of global Catholicism by providing resources, community, and opportunities for collaboration.
The CRGC has a robust slate of programming planned for the upcoming academic year, building on last year’s initiatives.
On October 20-21, the CRGC will host a conference at SLU on the theme of global Catholicism and material culture. “Translations, Transgressions, and Transformations: the Global Movement of Objects in Catholic Cultures,” brings together scholars from around the world to examine the cultural mobility of Catholicism through the physical movement of objects like refined artworks, textiles, books, and mundane, everyday items.
Other events this year include the third in a series of biannual book symposia, the launch of a seminar fellows program, and the development of a robust digital humanities project in collaboration with regional archives belonging to women religious.
The origins of this new Center lie in an internal Big Ideas competition to define university-wide strategic research priorities. The first Big Idea grounded in the Humanities, the CRGC brings together key components of SLU’s Jesuit history and mission: a legacy of global engagement, a commitment to rigorous academic inquiry and a focus on social justice.
For more information on the CRGC, visit the Center’s website.
Saint Louis University
Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 13,500 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.
Latest Newslink
- Saint Louis University Launches Tuition Promise Covering Full Undergraduate Tuition for Eligible StudentsStarting in fall 2026, eligible first-time freshmen will be able to attend the University without paying undergraduate tuition through a new initiative aimed at expanding college access and affordability. The SLU Tuition Promise is for students from families with a combined Adjusted Gross Income of $60,000 or less and limited assets.
- SLU Chess Qualifies for Collegiate Chess ChampionshipSaint Louis University chess teams are heading to the Collegiate Chess Championship. The Billikens recently competed in the 2026 Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship in Oak Brook, IL. SLU’s A Team finished fourth and secured a spot Collegiate Chess Championship finals, known as the President's Cup or colloquially as the “Final Four.” Additionally, the SLU B-Team was the top women’s squad at the tournament and will advance to the inaugural Women's President’s Cup.
- Building Connection and Collaboration: SLU President, Local Leaders Headline Leadership Speaker SeriesSaint Louis University’s Emerson Leadership Institute and Edward Jones Speaker Series will feature SLU President Edward Feser, Ph.D., as part of a joint speaker series on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Feser will speak on the theme, “Great Cities, Great Universities: Leading With Hope to Strengthen Our Shared Community,” sharing his vision for how SLU can lead boldly, collaborate meaningfully, and serve as an anchor of opportunity in St. Louis.
- SLU Hosting Journalists for 'Candid Conversations in Turbulent Times'The Saint Louis University American Studies Department will host award-winning ABC News anchor Linsey Davis and SLU alum John Krull (American Studies, '84) for the program "Candid Conversations in Turbulent Times." The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in the Anheuser Busch Auditorium in Cook Hall.
- Kathryn Mitchell Pierce, Ph.D.: 1955-2025Kathryn Mitchell Pierce, Ph.D., associate professor of educational studies, died Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. She was 70 years old. Pierce joined Saint Louis University in 2015 as an assistant professor in the School of Education. Initially a literacy specialist in the undergraduate program, she eventually taught and mentored across all levels at the School of Education. She became an associate professor in 2022.
- Saint Louis University Student Speaks About Leadership and Disability at Ignatian Family Teach-In for JusticeSaint Louis University senior Grace LoPiccolo shared her personal leadership journey at the 2025 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. The event, held annually in Washington, D.C., is the nation’s largest Catholic social justice advocacy day.
