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Eric J. Westby, PhD

  • Visiting Associate Professor of Theology
School of Arts & Sciences
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About Me

Originally from Canada, I live in Phoenix, Arizona. My wife and I have five daughters, a son-in-law, and a beautiful granddaughter. I enjoy watching superhero movies (my favorite: The Dark Knight), Star Wars, football, and hockey. I have also been able to prolong my adolescence by playing electric guitar (classic rock) and sports video games.

Why I’m At Mary

I have been profoundly impacted by Monsignor Shea's book From Christendom to Apostolic Mission. In a unique way, he has identified the culture in which we find ourselves and how the Church has to minister in full awareness of that context. To that end, I am excited to help establish the first-ever graduate seminary in the Diocese of Phoenix.

Expertise

My background is in evangelization and catechesis. My professional experience is primarily in parish faith formation, including OCIA/Christian initiation and youth ministry, but I have also taught catechetics both at the Kino Institute of the Diocese of Phoenix and for Franciscan University.

My dissertation at Liverpool Hope University in England was entitled 'Equipping the Catechist of Catechists: A Critical Discussion of Seminary Formation in Light of Priestly Ministry in Catechesis.' In it, I proposed that seminary formation be patterned after the catechumenate, that is, the stages of the OCIA process. I have published articles on catechetics with Emmaus Academic and with the Catholic University of America's Journal for Evangelization and Catechetics.

Education

PhD: Liverpool Hope University, 2016
MA (Theology and Christian Ministry): Franciscan University, 1997
Certificate in Catechetics: Franciscan University, 1997

Featured Content

In Phoenix, I run the Institute of Catholic Theology (ictphx.org), which has a wide variety of online videos, including a few by me. I am very thankful to be working for the University of Mary. My hope is that we will be able to form the next generation of priests who will understand how to serve the Church during this period of apostolic mission.