Rev. Dr. Michael Shortall

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Rev. Dr. Michael Shortall

Interim President

Theology

Contact Details

Email: michael.shortall@spcm.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1 708 6165
Office: 6 Dunboyne House

Office hours: Wednesdays 11.30am to 1.00pm (or by appointment)

Research
About

Research Interests

Human Rights at an intersection of Political Philosophy and Theology
Foundational Concerns for Ethics in the Catholic Tradition (Natural Law, Moral Theories, Theological Anthropology)
Ministerial and Pastoral Ethics, including a Catholic Social Ethic of Leadership

Highlighted Publications

Human Rights and Moral Reasoning. A comparative investigation by way of three theorists and their respective traditions of enquiry: John Finnis, Ronald Dworkin and Jürgen Habermas. Rome: Gregorian & Biblical Press, 2009.

Research

Human Rights and Moral Reasoning. A comparative investigation by way of three theorists and their respective traditions of enquiry: John Finnis, Ronald Dworkin and Jürgen Habermas. Rome: Gregorian & Biblical Press, 2009.

'The Art of Dying Well" in Maynooth Reflects on Facing Life's End, edited by Jeremy Corley, Aoife McGrath, Neil Xavier O'Donoghue and Salvador Ryan (Dublin: Messenger Publications, 2022), 77-86

'Grief Observed When Mourning is Restricted' in Maynooth College Reflects on Covid 19, edited by Jeremy Corley, Neil Xavier O'Donoghue and Salvador Ryan (Dublin: Messenger Publications, 2021), 56-66.

"The Contribution of Catholic Social Thought". In Segaert, Barbara (ed.) European Humanism in the Making. European Federation of Catholic Universities, 202

"Traditions of Political Thought." In Segaert, Barbara (ed.) European Humanism in the Making. European Federation of Catholic Universities, 2021

“Conversations on Catholic Third-Level Education.” The Furrow 63 (2012): 67-76.

"The Synodal Pathway in Tallaght". In The Furrow 63 (2022)

"Learning to Sit With." In The Furrow, Vol. 69, No. 3 (March 2018):159-165

Book Review: Ethna Regan, Theology and the Boundary of Ethics. Irish Theological Quarterly 76 (2011): 99-101.

Book Review: Stephen J. Grabill, Rediscovering the Natural Law in the Reformed Theological Ethics. Irish Theological Quarterly 73 (2008): 210.

“Book Review: The Ten Comandments and the Beatitudes: Biblical Studies and Ethics for Real Life. By Yiu Sing Lucas Chan.” In Irish Theological Quarterly 79 (2014): 296-297.

“Book Review: Up with Authority – Why We Need Authority to Flourish as Human Beings. By Victor Austin Lee.” In Irish Theological Quarterly 78 (2013): 201-202.

“The Political, the Logic of Gift and Caritas in Veritate.” Paper delivered as the St. Cuthbert’s Visiting Research Fellow, the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham, UK on May 23, 2012.

Caritas in Veritate from a theological perspective.” Paper presented at a conference on Caritas in Veritate associated with the Annual Michael Devlin Lecture, St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth on February 16, 2010.

“Theology After Artane.” Paper presented at Interface Conference: Being a Young Theologian in the World Today, St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth on November 7, 2009.

"Give me a Crash Course ..." in The Ossory Times: The Diocesean Magazine (various)

Biography

Acting President, SPPU (2024 - Present); Dean of Theology, SPPU (2024); Dean of Postgraduate Studies, SPPU (2021 - 2024); Registrar, SPPU (2016-2021)

Undergraduate studies in UCD (BA Political Science and Philosophy, 1993) and Clonliffe College (BD Theology,1998); graduate studies at UCD (MA Philosophy, 1995) and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (STD Moral Theology, 2007); further studies at Marino Institute of Education (Post Graduate Diploma in Catholic Education and Leadership, 2011), Maynooth University (Post-Graduate Diploma in Higher Education, 2015), Kings Inns, Dublin (Advanced Diploma in Medical Law, 2022)

Co-ordinating Committee Member of 'European Humanism in the Making' Network of the European Federation of Catholic Universities (2018 - present)

St. Cuthbert’s Visiting Research Fellow, Durham University (2012), Secretary to the Bioethics Consultative Body of the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference, Chair of Irish Theological Association, Member of the Association of Teachers of Moral Theology, Catholic Theological Association (GB)

Priest of the Archdiocese of Dublin, ordained in 1998. Curate at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Ballyfermot (1998-2000); Curate at the Parish of Saggart, Rathcoole and Brittas (2006–2012); Parish Chaplain at the Parish of Saggart, Rathcoole and Brittas (2012-2019), Parishes of Oldbawn and Bohernabreena (2019-2022), Parishes of Springfield, Brookfield and Jobstown (2022 - present).