By Sharon Soderlund
Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a scientist and theologian who will speak at St. Joseph in Hopkins Feb. 2, is an engaging and riveting speaker who communicates complex scientific and moral issues in a way that makes them easily understandable to those of us without advanced degrees.
He is director of education for the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia and directs the students currently enrolled in the National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics. He also writes a monthly column, “Making Sense Out of Bioethics.”
His background makes him a compelling speaker in defense of human life, especially on ethical issues related to embryonic stem-cell research and other beginning and end-of-life issues.
He travels extensively in the United States and Europe, participating in roundtables and giving presentations on stem cells, cloning and other biotechnologies.
I heard Father Pacholczyk lecture at a stem-cell conference at Hennepin County Medical Center and, later that night, at the University of St. Thomas. I was enthralled by his PowerPoint presentation and the ease and sincerity with which he answered questions from the audience. I am grateful that God has called him to do this important work.
Father Tad, as he prefers to be called, is uniquely suited to address complex scientific and moral issues. He earned four undergraduate degrees — in chemistry, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and philosophy — from the University of Arizona, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1988.
Before entering the priesthood at age 34, Father Tad did post-doctoral work at Harvard in neuroscience and earned a doctorate in that same subject at Yale where his focus was cloning genes for neurotransmitter transporters expressed in the brain. For several years, he also worked as a molecular biologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
His contributions to moral theology and bioethics are equally impressive. While studying in Rome for five years, Father Tad earned two degrees in advanced theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University where he did advanced work in dogmatic theology and in bioethics, examining the question of delayed ensoulment of the human embryo.
Father Tad consulted with members of Congress to create alternative legislation to the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (HR810), which was passed by the House. He was called upon to assist in the effort to overturn California’s Proposition 71 that provides $3 billion in state funds to embryonic stem-cell research, and he testified before members of the Massachusetts and Wisconsin legislatures when they were deliberating a bill to ban human cloning.
Sharon Soderlund is director of the archdiocesan Respect Life Office.
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STEM CELL UPDATE
By Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. (Father Tad)
Director of Education
The National Catholic Bioethics Center
Thursday, February 2, 2006
7:00 P.M.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
1310 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343
Father Tad will address the scientific issues and moral objections
surrounding embryonic stem cell research and human cloning.
Rev. Dr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass., earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Yale University, where he focused on cloning genes for neurotransmitter transporters which are expressed in the brain. He also worked for several years as a molecular biologist at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He testified before members of the Massachusetts and Wisconsin State Legislatures during deliberations over a bill to ban human cloning. He gives presenta-tions and participates in round tables on stem cells, cloning and other biotechnologies throughout the United States and in Europe.
This is a unique opportunity for you to find clarification with credibility on complex stem cell issues.
We invite everyone to attend!
A FREE WILL OFFERING WILL BE TAKEN TO DEFRAY EXPENSES.
Sponsored by
“The Community Caring for Life Parish Committees”
of St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist,
Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Holy Family
