Br. Mauricio E. Morales, O.S.A.
Workshop #1
#StopAsianHate:
Racist Violence and How to Be a Christian in the Face of It
Br. Mauricio E. Morales, O.S.A.
Given the disproportionate division in our communities in the US, racism has become one of the hottest topics among friends, foes, strangers, and even family members. The purpose of this workshop is to have an honest dialogue about racism in our societies and our experiences encountering such cases. Asian Americans, in particular, have encountered an increased amount of violence since the start of the pandemic. Therefore, our goal will be to see this particular side of racism, its roots, and how to confront injustices in such a way that it corresponds to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Friar Mauricio Morales is a member of the Augustinian Province in California. He has been in religious life for 7 years, devoted to studies in social philosophy which include political philosophy, philosophy of law, and ethics. He is currently finishing his Masters at San Diego State University. Currently, he is the Director of Social Justice for his Province and a member of the Justice & Peace Commission for the Federation of Augustinian in North America (FANA).
Br. Morales’ academic and professional work has been centered on human rights, freedom of speech rights, and philosophical analyses of a variety of social concerns such as epistemic injustices against women and toleration within society. All these works intersect in aspects of social classes, plurality of beliefs and cultures, and ethnic groups. Working along the lines of environmental and social justice has given Br. Morales the opportunity to work alongside others with different beliefs and backgrounds in order to promote and bring about awareness on social injustices and environmental work.
Br. Xavier Marie Wu, O.P.
Workshop #2
Humble Sublimity! Sublime Humility! Behold the Face of God
Br. Xavier Marie Wu, O.P.
Our Lord said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Yet, why does he also command us to "be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect," to be "the light of the world" and "salt of the earth?" How can we become a child of God while striving toward great things? In this workshop, to address these questions, we will discuss the virtues of humility and magnanimity in view of the end for which we are all called, i.e., to behold the face of God. We will also explore how this spiritual vision should transform us and give us the grace to navigate a turbulent world full of clashing expectations.
Brother Xavier Marie Wu was born and raised in Beijing, China. At the age of 15, he became an exchange student in Laredo, TX, where he was received into the Catholic Church. In college, he studied Biomedical Engineering at UC Berkeley. In 2019, three months after his graduation, he entered the Dominican Order and received the habit. This will be the fourth year of his formation and God willing, he’s four years away from priestly ordination.