Rev. James D. Conley, D.D., S.T.L. | Diocese of Lincoln website

Bishop James Conley is scheduled to deliver an online lecture for the Institute of Catholic Culture on September 29. The lecture, titled “The Church’s best-kept secret – Catholic social teaching from Leo XIII to Leo XIV,” will mark the beginning of the institute’s new curriculum year.

The Institute of Catholic Culture, located in Sacramento, California, provides free online educational programs for adults on a variety of subjects within the Catholic liberal arts. These include theology, philosophy, history, scripture, literature, and catechetics.

Bishop Conley’s presentation will focus on the development of Catholic social doctrine since Pope Leo XIII. The talk is inspired by the recent election of Pope Leo XIV. According to Bishop Conley, "The truths are timeless and unchanging, but the questions posed by each generation will lead to new ways of exploring these truths and applying them to modern social issues." He plans to discuss how these teachings have evolved “from Leo to Leo.”

When Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as pope on May 8 and took the name Leo XIV, he explained that his choice was meant to honor Pope Leo XIII and his influential encyclical published in 1891. This document addressed key challenges during the industrial revolution and became foundational for Catholic social teaching.

The lecture is set for Monday, September 29 at 7 p.m. CT. Registration is available at https://instituteofcatholicculture.org/member/registration.