President's Welcome

Welcome to the web page of Catholic Institute of Sydney.  I hope you enjoy exploring the page and discovering the scope of our theological work along with the possibilities we offer for study and research.

This year we are celebrating our Golden Jubilee as a theological faculty.  Since 1954 we have been awarding degrees in theology that are recognised by all Catholic universities and faculties around the world.  It began with the STB degree, and soon afterwards the STL and the STD were being awarded.  Official recognition of awards by the education authorities in the Catholic Church was an acknowledgement of our tradition of theological and seminary education going back to the latter decades of the nineteenth century.

CIS was a foundation member of the Sydney College of Divinity, which from 1983 began to offer accredited awards in theology.  This ensured that our students were able to undertake awards that were recognised by the civil authorities.  The place of theology within the Australian higher education sector was now more visible. 

In more recent years the number of awards has increased, reflecting the contemporary need of students to focus their theological studies in specialised areas.  These CIS/ACU-MA(Lit) have led to a greater diversification among our student body.

At CIS we are conscious that theology should always be in dialogue with culture.  In this sense we endeavour to reflect the methodology used at the Second Vatican Council, namely a study of the sources (ressourcement) and an openness to the modern world (aggiornamento).  This two-fold dimension of our work is reflected in the scope of our course offerings and the research interests of the faculty.  Details of our course offerings are found in other sections of our web page.

I invite you to take some time to visit the web pages of our academic staff.  You will notice, I’m sure, the variety of educational backgrounds, and scholarly interests.  As well as being engaged with regular teaching we are also committed to making a contribution to the life of the church in the world through our research and writing.  Most of us also contribute to other bodies by way of offering professional advice when it is sought and participating on specialised boards and committees.  Our ecumenical commitment, reflected in our membership of the Sydney College of Divinity, is also reaffirmed in these various activities.

Take a moment to look at the Veech Library.  It is a collection that began with the pioneer priests in Australia, and continues to grow.  It is an invaluable resource for students and other researchers in Sydney and beyond.

Throughout the year we will be hosting a number of public lectures, book launches and other events.  Please check this site from time to time so that you can participate in those things that interest you.

Rev Dr Gerard Kelly
President