Dr. Patricia O’Connell Killen (B.A., Gonzaga; M.A., Ph.D., Stanford University) was born and raised in rural Western Oregon and brings that experience to her work as an historian and theologian who thinks, teaches, and writes about Catholicism in North America, religion and spirituality in the Pacific Northwest, and theological reflection.  In her work Patricia explores the intersection of social context, community, and spirituality, seeking to understand how, in differing social contexts, communities “think” with the wisdom of their religious heritage to address the novel challenges and circumstances of their time and place.  She has authored, contributed to, and co-edited numerous articles and books, including Religion at the Edge: Nature, Spirituality, and Secularity in the Pacific Northwest (2022); The Future of Catholicism in America (2019); Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Northwest: The ‘None’ Zone (2004); and The Art of Theological Reflection (1994).  In recognition of her teaching and scholarship Patricia received an American Academy of Religion Teaching Excellence Award (2006), the Elizabeth Seton Medal from the College of Mount St. Joseph (1999), and an Arnold L. and Lois S. Graves Foundation Award for Outstanding Humanities Teachers (1991).  Across her four-plus decades as a faculty member and then an administrator at Loyola University of Chicago, Pacific Lutheran University, and Gonzaga University, Patricia has had the privilege of working with amazing students and colleagues. Conversing with others about questions that matter to them is one of her favorite things to do, especially when curiosity and humor have chairs at the table.

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A retreat for all ages held each summer on the campus of the University of Portland