MCC from the Capitol
The Missouri Catholic Conference is releasing several new episodes of its podcast, MCC from the Capitol. MCC executive director Tyler McClay, host of the podcast, introduces speakers from across the state and nation to produce a collection of six episodes on immigration, pro-life issues, religious liberty, racial issues and more. Highlighted is a podcast on the art of civility in politics featuring Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski speaking on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s civility pledge, which urges Catholics to engage in respectful dialogue during the remaining weeks of the 2020 election season and beyond.Visit mocatholic.org.
More sports
The St. Louis County Department of Public Health is now allowing high-contact sports for youth over the age of 14. Current recommendations require submissions of a safety plan to the Department of Public Health for review. Plans must include the same screening, quarantine and isolation requirements required for all youth sports activities and must specify how spectators will be managed, including a pledge of cooperation with contract-tracing efforts. In St. Louis City, competition is now OK’d for all high- and moderate-frequency contact sports where regular COVID-19 screening and testing of athletes and coaching staff is performed.
Genetic engineering webinar
The Institute for Theological Encounter with Science and Technology (ITEST), the Office of Consecrated Life of the archdiocese and other groups are sponsoring a webinar, “Do You Want to be Genetically Engineered?” from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, that explores considerations of what is practical, moral and ethical in genetic engineering. For more information and registration, visit bit.ly/34uFWNz. It is led by Jesuit Father Kevin FitzGerald, who holds a doctorate degrees in molecular genetics and in bioethics. Other presenters are Richard Doerflinger, a fellow at the University of Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture, and Tim Hunt, a biotech executive. Webinar fee is $10. (ITEST members, consecrated religious and clergy will be admitted at no charge).
Fontbonne gets grant for deaf education
Fontbonne University’s Department of Communication Disorders and Deaf Education (CDDE) has been awarded a $1.25 million grant, Interdisciplinary Preparation of Teachers of the Deaf and Speech-Language Pathologists to Provide Family-Centered Early Intervention for Young Children Who Are Deaf/Hard of Hearing, from the federal Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The funds will be used for a project designed to increase the number of teachers of the deaf and speech-language pathologists who are highly qualified to work with children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) and their families through early intervention. The five-year grant will support 32 scholars seeking master’s degrees in early intervention in deaf education or speech-language pathology. Students who receive funding will enter a six-semester, evidence-based program designed to prepare them to become skilled speech-language pathologists and teachers of the deaf through an interdisciplinary approach. Fontbonne has earned more than $8 million in federal grants intended to increase the number of professionals qualified to work with children who are DHH. Students can apply for the programs until Feb. 1, 2021. More information is available at bit.ly/3if04YL.