SR. THERESA MARIE CHAU NGUYEN, O.P., Ph.D.

Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province

Assistant Professor of Theology, University of St. Thomas ~ Houston
5250 Gasmer Drive ~ Houston, TX 77035
[email protected] ~ 713.525.6969

EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Systematic Theology

The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. January 2017
Dissertation: The Marian Mystery of the Church in the Theology of Henri
de Lubac
Director: Paul McPartlan, S.T.L., D.Phil.
Readers: Christopher Ruddy, Ph.D. and William Loewe, Ph.D

Ph.M. in Systematic Theology October 2015

The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
GPA 3.986/4.0

M.A. in Historical and Systematic Theology January 2010

The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
GPA 4.0/4.0

B.A., Theology, major May 2005

Philosophy and English, double minor
University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas
GPA 3.974/ 4.0 (summa cum laude)

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Assistant Professor of Theology (tenure track), U of St. Thomas Current position
Courses taught:
THEO 2301: Teachings of the Catholic Church (2 to 3 sections per semester) F 2017- present
THEO 3382: Triune God F 2019
YMD 6302: Christology Sp 2019
THEO 3339/5339: Christ the Savior Sp 2018, Sp 2019
THEO 3382/5382: God: One and Triune F 2018, F 2019
THEO 4331: Revelation and Knowledge of God F 2017
THEO 3331: The Catholic Church: Origin, Structure, and Mission Sp 2017, Sp 2020

Instructor, Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province

Provided theological instruction to Sisters in formation
Theology of the Triune God (guided independent study) Sp 2017
Theological Virtues (Novitiate Sisters) Sp 2017
Introduction to Moral Theology (Novitiate Sisters; intensive course) Winter 2010
Teaching Fellow, The Catholic University of America
Courses designed with the guidance of a faculty mentor; the classes were
independently taught and managed, with course evaluations by students
TRS 362: Theology of the Church Sp 2015
TRS 201: Faith Seeking Understanding F 2014
TRS 261: Enduring Questions in Catholic Theology F 2013
TRS 261: Enduring Questions in Catholic Theology Summer 2013

Teaching Assistant, The Catholic University of America

Assisted the professor with the design and grading of assessments and
term papers; conducted weekly discussions and review sessions for
examinations
TRS 333: Biomedical and Healthcare Ethics Sp 2013
TRS 201: Faith Seeking Understanding F 2012
TRS 261: Enduring Question in Catholic Theology Sp 2012
TRS 280: The Religious Quest F 2011

Catechist Formator & Retreat coordinator, Our Lady of Lavang 2012-2013

Catholic Church in Dundalk, Maryland
Planned and executed youth retreats and provided instruction to the
catechetical team

High School Religion Teacher, Mt. Carmel High School in 2005-2007

Houston, Texas
Taught theology courses for Freshmen, Sophomore, and Junior classes;
served as faculty sponsor for the Theology club and faculty sponsor of
the Senior class of 2007

Director of Campus Ministry, Mount Carmel High School in 2005-2007

Houston, Texas
Organized annual retreats for faculty and students; planned school-wide
liturgies and prayer services; oversaw various faith-based events such as
Catholic Schools Week activities

Instructor, Rite of Christian Initiation for Children, Saint Matthias 2008-2010

Catholic Church in Lanham, Maryland
Prepared children and young adults for the sacrament of baptism and
full communion in the Catholic Church

Faith formation Instructor and Retreat coordinator

Gave catechetical instruction and planned annual retreats for students in
the CCD program of the following Churches:
Our Lady of Lavang Catholic Church in Houston, Texas 2004-2005
Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2000-2003
Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church in Houston, Texas 1998-2000

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PUBLICATIONS

Book Chapter and Foreword

“Mariological Dimensions of an Ecclesiology of Communion: Reading

Lumen Gentium Anew” Published in The Ecclesiology of Communion Fifty Years after
the Opening of Vatican II (Dublin: Veritas Books, 2013), 748-758. Link to essay.

Foreword to Lectio Divina: A Ladder Toward God. An Introduction to a

Patristic Approach to the Sciptures by Rev. Dempsey Rosales-Acosta. RiL
Academia Española, July 2019. ISBN 9789560106940. Link to book.

Articles in Academic Journals

“Encountering Truth: A Study of the Theological Method of John Henry
Newman’s An Essay on the Development of Doctrine” Published in Newman
Studies Journal 8, no. 1 (2011): 40-55. Link to Newman Studies Journal 8.1.

“The Gardens of Salvation: A Meditation on the Mystery of Redemption”

Published in Verbum: Casopis Pre Krestansku Kulturu 30:1 (2018), Catholic University
of Slovakia. Translation into Slovak by Rev. Pavol Hrabovecký, STD. Link to
Verbum 30.1.

“Mary as the Sacrament of the Sacrament of Salvation: A Study of the

Marian Doctrine of Lumen Gentium and Henri de Lubac” Published in
Marian Studies 64 (2013): 14-35. Link to Marian Studies 64.

“The Blessed Virgin Mary as Ontological Exemplar of the Church:

Sacramental Ecclesiology in a Marian Key” Forthcoming in Marian Studies 69.
Link to ms.

“Mary and the Nuptial Dimension of the Constitution of the Church in the
Eucharistic Sacrifice according to Hans Urs von Balthasar” Forthcoming in
Marian Studies 68. Link to ms.

Popular Publications: USCCB Resources

The following theological reflections have been published by the USCCB in The
Secretariat for Religious Liberty Blog, God’s Servant First and The Religious
Freedom’s Newsletter, as a resource for parishes nationwide:

“Our Lady of Guadalupe” (December, 2019) Link to USCCB OLGuadalupe

“Long Live Christ the King!” (November, 2019) Link to USCCB Viva Cristo
Rey.

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“The Sacred Heart of Jesus – A Reign of Love” A Theological Reflection.
(June, 2019) Link to USCCB Sacred Heart.

“Lord of History, King of Love” A Theological Reflection. (November, 2018)

Link to USCCB Christ King; or in español.

Current Projects and works under review

Monograph: The Splendor of the Church in Mary. Retrieving the Legacy of

Henri de Lubac on Mary and the Church at Vatican II. Currently under
review by the University of Notre Dame Press. Link to book proposal.

“Preservation of ‘Type’: Holiness and Ressourcement of Newman and de

Lubac” Under review for Newman Studies Journal (2020).

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
“Thomas and Ignatius on Mary” Invited speaker to Matthew Levering's Upcoming in
Center for Scriptural Exegesis, Philosophy, and Doctrine 2020 Conference on Nov. 2020
Ignatius, the Thomist, at Mundelein Seminary (Mundelein, IL).

“Mary, Pearl of the Cosmos and Teilhard de Chardin’s Theory of Upcoming in

Evolution” The Center for Marian Studies, 25th Anniversary Conference, London, July 2020
UK

“Holiness in ‘Type’: The Ressourcement of John Henry Newman and October 2019
Henri de Lubac The National Institute for Newman Studies, Fall Symposium,
Pittsburg, PA

“Mary and the Consecrated life: A Model for Holiness” – Respondent May 2019
and panel speaker. The Mariological Society of America, 2019 Annual Meeting

“Trinitarian Communion and the Bridging of Human Relations” October 2018

Invited lecture for Dallas Ministry Conference, 2018

“Full of Grace: A Marian Key to the Relationship of Nature and Grace” June 2018
Catholic Theological Society of America, Annual Convention, Indianapolis, IN

“De Lubac and Teilhard with Mary in the Nature-Grace Conflict” June 2018
Catholic Theological Society of America, Annual Convention, Indianapolis, IN

“The Marian Subjectivity of the Church and the Sacraments” May 2018
The Mariological Society of America, 2018 Annual Meeting

“Spiritual Exegesis and the Joy of the Gospel” October 2017

Invited lecture for Dallas Ministry Conference, 2017

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“Mary and the Nuptial Dimension of the Constitution of the Church in May 2017
the Eucharistic Sacrifice according to Hans Urs von Balthasar”
The Mariological Society of America, 2017 Annual Meeting

“The Sacramental Ecclesiology of Vatican II” October 2016

Dallas Ministry Conference, Dallas, Texas

“Contemporary Ecclesiological Questions in Light of Lumen Gentium

and the Marian Mystery of the Church” May 2015
The 9th Ecclesiological Investigations International Conference, Georgetown University

“You are my Sister, my Bride, a Garden Enclosed” (Song 4:12): A Marian May 2015
Embodiment of the Song of Songs
The 61st annual convention of the College Theology Society, University of Portland

“Christ: The Keystone of St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae” May 2014
The 49th International Congress on Medieval studies, Kalamazoo, Michigan

“The Eternal Feminine according to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J.: A June 2014
Principle of Cosmic Unity”
Catholic Theological Society of America, Annual Convention 2014, San Diego,
California

“Mary as the Sacrament of the Sacrament of Salvation: A Study of the May 2013
Marian Doctrine of Lumen Gentium and Henri de Lubac”
Mariological Society of America, Annual Meeting 2013

“Mariological Dimensions of an Ecclesiology of Communion: Reading June 2012

Lumen Gentium Anew”
The 50th International Eucharistic Congress, Theology Symposium in Dublin,
Ireland

“Encountering Truth: A Study of the Theological Method of John Henry August 2010
Newman’s An Essay on the Development of Doctrine”
The National Newman Conference in Pittsburg, PA

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
“The Church” November 2019
Invited lecture for RCIA, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Houston

“Missionary Discipleship” November 2019

Invited speaker for UST Households’ monthly mass and speaker series

“Who are the Saints” October 2019

Invited reflection for the Vigil of All Saints at St. Catherine Convent

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“Praying the Rosary: A School in Holiness” September 2019
Invited speaker on Radio Maria’s hour-long program: The Gathering Place

“The Feminine Genius” September 2019

Invited lecture for Courageous Hearts, UST Women’s Household

“Marian Dogmas”
Invited lecture for the Legion of Mary Retreat, Houston Curia January 2018

“Mysticism in Everyday Life” November 2018

UST Honors Colloquium

“Mary and the Sacraments” August 2018

Radio Maria, one-hour radio program hosted by the International Marian
Research Institute in Dayton, Ohio

“The Drama of Salvation and Human Transformation” March 2018

Invited lecture for the UST Lenten Lecture Series

“Tradition and Traditions: The Renewal of Religious Life” August 2017

Keynote speaker at The Marian Days Pilgrimage in Carthage, Missouri

“Breath of Mercy from the Cross” March 2016

Lenten lecture given at St. Matthias Catholic Church, Maryland

“Consecrated Celibacy and the Unicity of Love in the Song of August 2015
Songs”
Invited talk given to the Dominican Scholasticate of Mary Immaculate
Province on the occasion of renewal of vows, Houston, Texas

“Theological Reflections on Catholic Manhood through the Lens April 2015

of a Woman Religious” Invited talk given to Esto Vir, an association
of Catholic men of Catholic University, committed to cultivating the
virtues of prayer, brotherhood, chastity, fortitude and self-sacrifice

“Fire”; “Come, Spirit, Come”; “An Advent of Mercy” 2012-2014

Invited speaker for two Confirmation retreats and Advent Assembly, at
Our Lady of Lavang Church in Dundalk, Maryland

UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Faculty Award Committee 2019-2022 term

Faculty Development Awards Committee 2019-2022 term

Search Committee member, VPAA representative Spring 2019

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Search Committee member, VPAA representative (cont’d)
For the position of Chair of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Program, UST School of Education

Search Committee member, VPAA representative Spring 2019

For the position of Assistant Professor, in the Clinical Mental Health
Counseling Program, UST School of Education

Courageous Hearts, Household Advisor Fall 2019-present

Celts for Life (student club), Faculty advisor Fall 2018-present

Pax Christi Theology Club, Faculty advisor Spring 2018-present

“The Call Toward Tomorrow,” Strategic Thinking Oversight

Committee (STOC), Committee member 2017-2018
Participated in the integrated planning process which achieved a
vibrant new roadmap moving the University forward

“Ethos and Culture Workgroup” STOC, Committee member

Participated in the discussions and work of this subcommittee of the Spring 2018
CTT which defined key goals for the renewal of the University’s ethos
and culture based in its mission and Basilian heritage

Showcase Saturday Fall 2019

Provided sample lectures to prospective students visiting UST Spring 2019
Fall 2018
Spring 2018

Assistance offered to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Multiple occasions

Hosted individual prospective students visiting UST; every semester
Undertook translation project for marketing materials in Vietnamese

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
Mariological Society of America, active member 2013-present
Catholic Theological Society of America, active member 2014-present
College Theology Society, active member 2015-present
Academy of Catholic Theology, active member 2019-present

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
USCCB, Committee for Doctrine, Theology Conference Fall 2018
“Teaching Undergraduate Theology: Connecting the
Disconnects” Washington, DC

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Lumen Christi Institute, Graduate Seminar Summer 2017
“The Thought of John Henry Newman”
Merton College, Oxford University, UK

Lumen Christi Institute, Graduate Seminar Summer 2016

“Aquinas’ Five Ways and Where They Lead”
Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome Italy

Methods in Distance Learning Fall 2014

The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
An intensive six-week certification course for online instruction using
Blackboard and Panopto, with emphasis on effective pedagogy online
using blogs, discussion boards, lecture capture, and other online tools.

HONORS
Faculty Development Award, yearly funding for conference travels 2017-2019
University of St. Thomas
Hubbard Dissertation Fellowship 2015-2016
The Catholic University of America
“First Year Experience” Graduate Teaching Fellowship 2014-2015
The Catholic University of America
Dolores L. Christie Scholarship 2013
Catholic Theological Society of America
Virgil S. Crisafulli Scholarship, 2010
The Catholic University of America
Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society 2005
University of St. Thomas
Phil Sigma Tau Philosophy Honor Society 2005
University of St. Thomas
Theta Alpha Kappa Theology Honor Society 2005
University of St. Thomas
National Dean’s List 2002
Marquette University
Ignatius Academic Excellence Recognition and Scholarship 2001
Marquette University