Elms College to Host Sister Mary Dooley Lecture on Dec. 2

CHICOPEE — The Institute for Theology and Pastoral Studies (ITPS) at College of Our Lady of the Elms will present the Sister Mary Dooley Lecture on Dec. 2, from 4 to 6 p.m. 

Due to COVID-19 protocols, the free event will be held virtually for the general public. Students, faculty, and staff at Elms College are invited to attend in-person. 

The event will feature a keynote speech by Bradley Harmon, executive director of Mission Integration at Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, part of the Trinity Health of New England healthcare system. 

Harmon’s speech is titled The Hallowed Halls of Our Hospitals: Finding Grace and Community During the Pandemic. This presentation will discuss the challenges to the human spirit that were faced by front-line healthcare workers during the pandemic and then explore various responses that offer signs of grace and hope.

“I look forward to hearing Mr. Harmon’s lecture, which aims to address the many spiritual, emotional, and psychological challenges posed to healthcare workers and their patients during the ongoing pandemic,” said Michael McGravey, Ph.D, assistant professor of Religious Studies at Elms College and director of the ITPS.  

The Institute for Theology and Pastoral Studies furthers the mission of Elms College by providing programs, like the Sister Mary Dooley Lecture, that serve the Elms community, the Diocese of Springfield, and the Western Massachusetts region. 

Harmon has been the executive director of Mission Integration at Mercy Medical Center for four years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Missouri State University, and holds a masters of divinity in Theology from the University of Notre Dame. 

To attend the event via Zoom, please register at: https://www.elms.edu/events/sister-mary-dooley-lecture/  

A Zoom link will be sent to all online participants prior to the lecture.