About Us

Susan M. Pudelek, M.Div., Associate Director

Susan M. Pudelek, M.Div.

Susan has been at the heart of many local and international efforts for reconciliation, understanding and peace. She was appointed by the USCCB Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs as one of the delegates to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue’s International Buddhist-Catholic dialogue, the Castel Gandolfo Encounter. She is a continuing member of the Catholic-Buddhist Dialogue in Chicago. She has had long engagement with the Parliament of the World’s Religions, serving as staff program associate for the 2004 Parliament in Barcelona and was a Parliament Ambassador for ten years. Susan served as director of pilgrimage ministry at the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii in Chicago’s West Loop, and was active in programing with the Midwest Buddhist Temple, Buddhist Temple of Chicago, Lakeside Sangha and the Shambhala Center.

Susan has presented papers at the 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto, Canada, 2015 Parliament in Salt Lake City and at the Castel Gandolfo Encounter. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in Theatre from Loyola University Chicago.
 

Presentations, Book chapters, and Journal Articles

“Being Alive to Mystery.” Phenomenologies of Grace: The Body, Embodiment, and Transformative Futures, Bussey, Marcus, Mozzini-Alister, Camila, Eds., Springer Nature Switzerland, AG: Palgrave McMillan, 2020

“Spirituality as a Path to Our Common Humanity: Pope Francis’ Interreligious Dialogue of Encounter, Accompaniment and Friendship,” 22nd Annual Iftar Remarks, Islamic Foundation, Villa Park, Illinois, 2019 (PDF)

“Catholic Thoughts on Collaboration in Addressing Social Ills,” PCID and USCCB Buddhist Catholic Dialogue “Suffering, Liberation and Fraternity,” Castel Gandolfo, Rome. CLARITAS Journal of Dialogue & Culture, Vol. 4, No. 2, (October 2015), 140-145. (Link)

“The Dance of Giving and Receiving: Spirituality and the Development Officer, Volunteer and Donor.” New Directions for Philanthropic Fund Raising: The Spirit of Faith and Philanthropy, No. 35. Burlingame, D., ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002, 119-129.

Online/Video Presentations and Production

Storywarrior Interviews, Interior Mythos Journeys, Transparent Video Productions, 2017
“Pilgrimage to an Interior Shrine”
“The Body Never Lies”
“The Gift of Art and Suffering”
“I Am My Neighbor”

“The Vocation of the Business Person,” four-part DVD/You Tube, Part Four: “Loved Into Being: Living the Call of Our Baptism,” Mayslake Ministries, 2014

Assistant Director - Religions del món, músiques de pau - LA VEU I LA MÚSICA A LA SAGRADA FAMÍLIA, 10 de juliol, 2004 Parliament de les Religions del Món. (Sacred Music Concert, 10 July, 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions) Produced by Universal Forum of Cultures 2004 Barcelona, Spain.