Registration

Register PRIOR TO MAY 16th here:
Register online at Eventbrite

Registration $120 includes:

• Conference refreshments
• Saturday's concluding banquet

Friday dinner and Saturday breakfast and lunch will available through one's credit card in The View during normal meal times.

Housing

Limited dorm room space is available in Flynn Residence Hall ($70/night). Check-in is at Koch Commons after 3 pm (desk is open 8am-8pm; those arriving/leaving outside of those times need to contact Mary ([email protected]) for special instructions).
The suites in this residence hall include linens but not toiletries or irons. The suites have two bathrooms, a kitchen, LR, and 4 private bedrooms but we will be using only two of them. Here are two videos for the interested: Video 1 and Video 2.

Campus Details

• The University of St. Thomas, MN, St. Paul Campus, 2115 Summit Ave
• Free visitor parking in any lot; closest lot is under the Frey Residence Hall
• Interactive Map: https://campusmap.stthomas.edu

Kenote Speakers

Clarke Forsythe, J.D.
Senior Counsel, Americans United for Life

Presentation: "The Declaration and the Right to Life at the 249th Anniversary"

J.D. Rupert and Timothy Smith Award for Excellence in Pro-life Scholarship

Clarke has argued cases before federal and state courts and has testified before Congress and state legislatures. He is also a prolific writer on pro-life policy issues, having published more than 19 law review articles and book chapters, as well as articles in First Things, the Wall Street Journal, and National Review. Other leading newspapers that have published his articles or quoted him include the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, the Washington Times, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and the Wall Street Journal.

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Elizabeth Kirk, J.D.
Director of the Center for Law & the Human Person, The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law

Presentation: "The Challenges of IVF and Reproductive Technologies"

Elizabeth is also an associate scholar for the Charlotte Lozier Institute, serving as a legal policy expert, with a special interest in adoption law and policy. In 2010, she helped found the Vita Institute, an intensive interdisciplinary training program for leaders in the national and international pro-life movement held annually at the University of Notre Dame. Kirk is a board member of The Catholic Bar Association and the Fellowship for Catholic Scholars, and formerly served as a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Pro-Life Committee under Archbishop Joseph Naumann.

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William L. Saunders, J.D.
Director of the Program in Human Rights, Catholic University of America

Presentation: "From Cairo to Geneva - the international struggle for Rights & Liberty"

William is also Chair of the Religious Liberties Practice Group of the Federalist Society. He is Law Fellow with the Institute for Human Ecology, Professor and Director of the Program in Human Rights in the School of Arts & Sciences and Co-director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Columbus School of Law. Before joining The Catholic University of America, Mr. Saunders served as Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel with Americans United for Life for ten years. From 1999 to 2009, he was Senior Fellow in Bioethics and Human Rights Counsel at the Family Research Council.

Call For Paper Proposals

Second Call for Paper Proposals on "Life Issues and Liberty"

35th Life and Learning Conference on June 6-7th 2025 at University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN

May 9th Deadline for Priority Consideration and May 16th Deadline for Conference Registration
Possible Questions to Consider:

• Pro-life Free Speech?
• Unalienable Rights?
• Right to Conscientious Objection?
• Parameters of Informed Consent?
• Government Over-reach?
• Constitutionality of Dobbs?
• Liberty & Human Dignity at the beginning and end of life?

Email Bernadette Waterman Ward at [email protected].

New members are most welcome and can join online.