Fr. Edward Foley, Capuchin

Duns Scotus Professor of Spirituality, Professor of Liturgy and Music — Catholic Theological Union

Trained in musical performance and liturgics, Edward Foley’s teaching at CTU prodded him to develop as a practical theologian. In his understanding, practical theology is the contextual interface of experience, religious traditions and society for the transformation of church and world. He belongs to the Capuchin Franciscan Order, canonically recognized as a “mixed” community of lay and ordained friars of equal dignity. Ed believes this charism makes a distinctive contribution to a Church that is also “mixed” but sometimes struggles with the “equal dignity” part of that equation. Besides exercising practical theology as an educator at CTU and concurrently as adjunct at the University of Chicago, he preaches and presides at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago.

Ed publishes and lectures broadly on liturgy, music, preaching, as well as theological education and interfaith theological reflection. His commitment to the international students in the EDMin program have allowed him to collaborate with them in Australia, England, India, Korea, Namibia, the Philippines, and South Africa. He has lectured in over 60 Roman Catholic dioceses around the world, and in venues as diverse as the Mayo Clinic and the Houston Astrodome.

He is the recipient of over a dozen grants from such organizations as the Lilly Foundation, the Templeton Foundation, the Collegeville Institute and the Composer’s Forum. Current projects include a new handbook on Catholic Marriage with a dozen collaborators (most of whom are married), a work on Eucharistic adoration after Vatican II, a project on preaching and the sciences, and an endowed lectureship at Yale University on preaching in an age of disaffiliation. An award winner author for print and digital work, his publications appear in 9 languages. He is the recipient of multiple awards, including the lifetime achievement Berakah award (2013) from the North American Academy of Liturgy.