The Napa Institute: 13th Annual Summer Conference

This year’s Napa Institute Summer Conference (July 24-26) focused on the theme “What we need now: Renewing God’s Presence in our Lives, in our Church, and in our Culture.” Where more than 800 people participated, including Bishops, Priests, Universities’ Presidents and Pastoral care directors from different catholic dioceses in the USA. 

According to the Napa Institute’s official website, this year’s conference was meant to focus on “recovering the presence of Jesus Christ – and his words, “my peace I give unto you” (John 14:27) – at the heart of our daily lives: i.e., in our personal discipleship; in the life of the Church; and in the affairs of our wider culture.” 

Within a series of lectures, the attendants discussed the current pastoral situation of the Church and the fitting Christian response to pastoral and cultural challenges, especially those faced by young people; as well as the activities they are committed to, in order to convey a fruitful testimony of faith in today’s world; along with the role of catholic universities in facing modern ideologies that disrespect human dignity and seek to distort the human image.

Archbishop Bashar Warda, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Erbil, participated in this conference. His grace emphasized many youth activities within his archdiocese, especially the role of youth who are formed into missionaries, and later into builders. 

H.G. also highlighted the mission of the Catholic University in Erbil (CUE) and the importance of maintaining communications with other catholic universities around the world. The Catholic University in Erbil has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU’s) with the Franciscan University of Steubenville, University of Dallas, Walsh University, Christendom College, and the Catholic University of America (Washington DC), in order to exchange academic experiences as well as providing scholarship opportunities for Mar Qardakh International School and Om al Maona School graduates, in accordance with the Universities’ requirements. 

His Grace also met with the Presidents of the University of Mary, Ave Maria University and Benedictine College, planning to sign similar MOU’s with them during April 2024.