Meet Ken Chiha
Hello everyone. My name is Ken Chiha. I am the new “Director of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation” (JPIC) at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. I am so excited to be joining you in such a flourishing and vibrant parish. I was born and raised in New Jersey, several miles outside New York City. I am one of three brothers, a middle child, and a “cradle Catholic.” My family has been in America for several generations. Yet, perhaps due to my last name, I often get asked about my ethnic background. My last name, “Chiha” (pronounced “Shē-há”), is Syrian in origin. My father’s parents are Syrian and Lebanese. My mother’s mom is Lebanese. My mother’s father is German, Irish, and English. In terms of my interests, I love all forms of learning, used book stores, the symphony, museums, and spending time in nature. I also have a labradoodle named Molly. I love her very much!
EDUCATION
I have attended Catholic Schools most of my life. I went to a grammar school run by the “Sisters of Charity” and a Catholic High School founded by the “Irish Christian Brothers” where I was very influenced by Catholic social justice concerns and the teachings of Liberation Theology. Gustavo Gutierrez, among other theologians, profoundly impacted my thinking. I attended Franklin and Marshall College, in Lancaster, PA. I received degrees and departmental honors in both “Government” and a special studies major called “Religious and Political Philosophy,” which combined coursework and independent research in Religious Studies, Philosophy, Classics, and Political Theory. I then returned to Catholic Universities for my graduate studies. I earned an M.T.S. degree in Moral Theology/Theological Ethics from the University of Notre Dame, run by the Congregation of the Holy Cross. I continued my graduate work at Loyola University Chicago, a Jesuit University, earning an MA degree while pursuing Ph.D. studies in Christian Ethics. I taught undergraduate courses which focused on the intersection of fields such as theology, ethics, political theory, and Catholic social teaching. Recently, I taught continuing education in the OLLI program at Duke University.
HOPES FOR OUR PARISH
When I think about my hopes for the parish, I am reminded that the Greek word often used in the New Testament for faith or belief, implies not just a decision to believe, but a life-changing conviction, a change in conduct, inspired by our surrendering to God’s purpose. “The New Testament does not distinguish between faith and works as two separate aspects of the Christian life.” It communicates a sense of trust in God’s power to do amazing things through our commitment to a faith that does justice! We are reminded constantly in Scripture that we worship a God of life!
As the director, I hope to build on Immaculate Conception’s foundation of this understanding of faith and the call to discipleship. Our dedication to your “full, active, and conscious” participation speaks to all aspects of your faith life here. The church embodies a living sacrament for “the gathering in and sending forth” into the community. Our Laudato Si’ action plan and our community service efforts are intimately connected to the sacramental, liturgical, and educational life of our church. My hope, as director, is to be a resource and servant. I will work alongside you in making the Catholic and Franciscan vision of faith and discipleship come alive. Ultimately, we can work together in integrating our shared commitment to Catholic Social Teaching into the heart of the parish. I hope to help Immaculate Conception continue her vision of reaching out to all people, especially the poor and vulnerable.
I look forward to listening to and learning from you in the coming years. I am truly honored to be part of this community. I would love to hear from you! If you are interested in becoming more involved in any of our JPIC ministries, please see the individual community service contact’s list on our website or email me directly at chihak@icdurham.org
EDUCATION
I have attended Catholic Schools most of my life. I went to a grammar school run by the “Sisters of Charity” and a Catholic High School founded by the “Irish Christian Brothers” where I was very influenced by Catholic social justice concerns and the teachings of Liberation Theology. Gustavo Gutierrez, among other theologians, profoundly impacted my thinking. I attended Franklin and Marshall College, in Lancaster, PA. I received degrees and departmental honors in both “Government” and a special studies major called “Religious and Political Philosophy,” which combined coursework and independent research in Religious Studies, Philosophy, Classics, and Political Theory. I then returned to Catholic Universities for my graduate studies. I earned an M.T.S. degree in Moral Theology/Theological Ethics from the University of Notre Dame, run by the Congregation of the Holy Cross. I continued my graduate work at Loyola University Chicago, a Jesuit University, earning an MA degree while pursuing Ph.D. studies in Christian Ethics. I taught undergraduate courses which focused on the intersection of fields such as theology, ethics, political theory, and Catholic social teaching. Recently, I taught continuing education in the OLLI program at Duke University.
HOPES FOR OUR PARISH
When I think about my hopes for the parish, I am reminded that the Greek word often used in the New Testament for faith or belief, implies not just a decision to believe, but a life-changing conviction, a change in conduct, inspired by our surrendering to God’s purpose. “The New Testament does not distinguish between faith and works as two separate aspects of the Christian life.” It communicates a sense of trust in God’s power to do amazing things through our commitment to a faith that does justice! We are reminded constantly in Scripture that we worship a God of life!
As the director, I hope to build on Immaculate Conception’s foundation of this understanding of faith and the call to discipleship. Our dedication to your “full, active, and conscious” participation speaks to all aspects of your faith life here. The church embodies a living sacrament for “the gathering in and sending forth” into the community. Our Laudato Si’ action plan and our community service efforts are intimately connected to the sacramental, liturgical, and educational life of our church. My hope, as director, is to be a resource and servant. I will work alongside you in making the Catholic and Franciscan vision of faith and discipleship come alive. Ultimately, we can work together in integrating our shared commitment to Catholic Social Teaching into the heart of the parish. I hope to help Immaculate Conception continue her vision of reaching out to all people, especially the poor and vulnerable.
I look forward to listening to and learning from you in the coming years. I am truly honored to be part of this community. I would love to hear from you! If you are interested in becoming more involved in any of our JPIC ministries, please see the individual community service contact’s list on our website or email me directly at chihak@icdurham.org