Community Invited to Ecumenical Panel Discussion Sept. 24

VALDOSTA – Valdosta State University’s Philosophy and Religious Studies Club will host A Response to Pope Francis: On Poverty, Environmental Crisis, and Immigration from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24, in the University Center Theater. Admission to the panel discussion is free of charge and open to the public.

Throughout the evening, a four-member panel — Father Brian LaBurt, pastor at St. John’s Catholic Church; Sister Nuala Mulleady, director of Catholic Social Services at St. John’s Catholic Church; Dr. Carol Stiles, vice president of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Valdosta; and Father Stan White, pastor at Christ the King Episcopal Church — will share their thoughts on the Argentinian-born Pope Francis’s first visit to the United States Sept. 22-27.

During his three-city trip through Washington, D.C., New York, N.Y., and Philadelphia, Pa., Pope Francis will hold the first-ever canonization Mass on American soil, make the first-ever address to Congress, reach out to the poor and the homeless, visit a prison and deliver his message about making a new start from a chair built by inmates studying carpentry, and more.

Contact Dr. Cristobal Serran-Pagan at cserranpagan@valdosta.edu or (229) 333-5975 for more information.

Valdosta State University’s 2013-2019 Strategic Plan represents a renewal of energy and commitment to the foundational principles for comprehensive institutions.

Implementation of the plan’s five goals, along with their accompanying objectives and strategies, supports VSU’s institutional mission and the University System of Georgia’s mission for comprehensive universities.

The story above demonstrates VSU's commitment to meeting the following goals:

Goal 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate a quality, diverse student population and prepare students for roles as leaders in a global society.

Goal 3: Promote student, employee, alumni, retiree, and community engagement in our mission.

Visit http://www.valdosta.edu/administration/planning/strategic-plan.php to learn more.