Noted Canadian Bioethicist Dr. Moira McQueen to Receive Honorary Doctorate from Saint Mark’s College

Vancouver, BC – MARCH 9, 2015 – Saint Mark’s College, the Catholic Theological College affiliated with the University of British Columbia, is pleased to announce that Dr. Moira McQueen, a leading bioethicist and moral theologian, will be awarded the institution’s highest honour, the Doctor of Sacred Letters (honoris causa).

The degree will be conferred by the Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSB, Archbishop of Vancouver and Chancellor of Saint Mark’s College, at the College’s upcoming convocation, to be held at Saint Mark’s College Chapel on May 9, 2015, at 1:30 pm.

This honour recognizes Dr. McQueen’s lifetime commitment to issues that lie at the intersection of medical science and morality. A leading light in Catholic bioethics and moral decision-making, she is widely published and a frequent lecturer on a wide variety of challenging topics, including end-of-life care, reproductive technologies, stem cell experimentation, regenerative medicine, genetics, and mental health.

Dr. McQueen was appointed Director of the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institutein July 2004, and has taught moral theology at the University of St. Michael's College for more than two decades. Pope Francis recently appointed her as a new member of the International Theological Commission for its 2014-2019 term. The Commission was established in 1969 to study important doctrinal issues as an aid to the Pope and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. 

“We are very proud to confer this honorary degree upon Dr. McQueen, who has been so instrumental in helping the wider population understand medical and scientific developments within the context of Catholic teaching,” notes Dr. Peter Meehan, Principal of Saint Mark’s College. “As a faith-based learning community, we are in a better position to develop more informed moral positions thanks to Dr. McQueen’s ability to respond to emerging bioethical issues and make these issues more accessible.”

“Dr. McQueen brings a unique perspective to moral theology,” adds Dr. Meehan, “one that blends a sound analytical approach with a keen knowledge of the human context. Her work is also very much in sync with Pope Francis’ message that the church must show mercy and compassion.”             

After graduating in law from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. McQueen was a practicing lawyer for several years, specializing in family law and juvenile court. She went on to earn a Master of Divinity Degree from the Faculty of Theology, University of St. Michael’s College and the Toronto School of Theology, followed by a Ph.D in moral theology, also from St. Michael’s. She is the author of Bioethics Matters: A Guide for Concerned Catholics.

About Saint Mark’s College

Saint Mark’s College, the Catholic Theological College affiliated with the University of British Columbia, offers graduate degree programs to teachers, administrators, health workers, and other professionals; an undergraduate program for aspiring teachers; certificates in Religious Education, Theological Studies, Pastoral Studies, and Catholic Ministry Leadership; and other life-long learning opportunities through our Continuing Education program. The College also provides the academic formation Archdiocese of Vancouver’s program of formation for the permanent deaconate.

Contact: Dr. Peter Meehan, Principal, Saint Mark’s College

604.822.4463 | [email protected] | stmarkscollege.ca 

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