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Thomas E. Malewitz

Thomas E. Malewitz Thomas E. Malewitz Thomas E. Malewitz

Welcome!

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!

Educator/Presenter: Conference, Retreats, and Workshops

Background

Brief Bio

Thomas Malewitz is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Ed.D.: Leadership Program at Spalding University. He has also taught as a Catholic secondary educator and as an adjunct lecturer, in the fields of Education and Theology, at Brescia University, Bellarmine University, and St. Meinrad Seminary & School of Theology.  


Tom has led over 150 professional presentations, including scholarly papers and workshops at the College English Association, International Thomas Merton Society, and National Catholic Education Association conferences. 


Tom has also led Catholic ministry formation for deacons, laity, and priests through courses, retreats, and workshops for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Diocese of Evansville, Archdiocese of Louisville, Diocese of Owensboro, and St. Meinrad Seminary & School of Theology. He serves as a consistent presenter for ministry formation with the Archdiocese of Louisville and Diocese of Owensboro. 


Recognition: 

  • Best in Section - Merton Studies: Thomas Merton: Transformation in Life and Text at the 53rd Annual College English Association Conference, Atlanta, GA (2024)


  • Best in Section - CEA President Forum Panel: Justice Rhetoric through Time and Place at the 51st Annual College English Association Conference, Birmingham, AL (2022)


  • Religious Educational Excellence Award, Archdiocese of Louisville, KY (2016)

Upcoming Events:

2025

- 11/18 - Innovation & Discovery Series: Hollywood or History Panel, Spalding University, Louisville, KY

- 12/4 - Parish session (w/ B. Malewitz), Advent: Jesse Tree: Abraham to Jesse 

- 12/11 - Parish session (w/ B. Malewitz), Advent: Jesse Tree: David to Josiah 

- 12/18 - Parish session (w/ B. Malewitz), Advent: Jesse Tree: The Exile to Joseph 


2026

- 3/7 - Lent Retreat: Diocesan Catechists, Archdiocese of Louisville, Elizabethtown, KY

Highlighted Presentations

Center for Teaching and Learning - Spalding University

Podcast - Central Michigan University College of Education

Center for Teaching and Learning - Spalding University

AI and Higher Education: A Philosophical Lens

Catechist Retreat - Diocese of Owensboro

Podcast - Central Michigan University College of Education

Center for Teaching and Learning - Spalding University

Eucharist: Source and Summit of our Catechetical Ministry

Podcast - Central Michigan University College of Education

Podcast - Central Michigan University College of Education

Podcast - Central Michigan University College of Education

Hollywood or History? World Religions Volume - Dr. Scott Roberts chats with Dr. Tom Malewitz & Adam Zoeller about using Groundhog Day to explore world religions in the classroom.

Podcast Link

Workshop - St. Meinrad School of Theology

Podcast - Central Michigan University College of Education

Podcast - Central Michigan University College of Education

Emerging with Grace: Exploring a Post-Pandemic Pastoral Ministry and Spirituality of Hope

Reflection of Session

Recent Events

2025

  • October 18 - Confirmation Retreat [county retreat]
  • October 14 - [w/ B. Malewitz] Prayer & Fasting [workshop]
  • October 9 - AI and Higher Education: A Philosophical Lens [University presentation]
  • September 16 - [w/ A. Zoeller] Laudato si' [workshop]
  • September 10 - Thinking like a Researcher [high school: guest speaker]
  • July 22 - Women of Faith in the New Testament [workshop]
  • July 22 - Introduction to Scripture [workshop]
  • July 11-13 - Eucharist: Source and Summit [Diocesan catechist retreat]
  • June 30 - A.I. and the Philosophy of Education [guest lecture]
  • June 28 - [w/ A. Zoeller] Hollywood or History? Podcast World Religions [digital release]
  • June 10 - Embracing Reconciliation and Forgiveness in a Year of Jubilee [workshop]
  • June 10 - Exploring the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Church and Our Lives [workshop]
  • June 4 - [w/ A. Zoeller] Hope: Pope Francis's Autobiography [workshop]
  • June 3 - [w/ A. Zoeller] Women of Faith in the Old Testament [workshop]
  • June 3 - Introduction to Scripture [workshop]
  • April 28 - Christus Vivit: Pope Francis and Young People [workshop]
  • April 25 - Assessment, Dialogue, and A.I. [University presentation]
  • April 24 - Understanding Bullying and the Classroom [guest lecture]
  • April 23 - [w/ A. Zoeller] Hollywood or History? Podcast World Religions [recorded]
  • April 3 & 10 - [w/ B. Malewitz] Lent Day of Reflection: Almsgiving & Fasting [parish class] 
  • March 28 - Thomas Merton's novel My Argument with the Gestapo as an example of early North American magical realism [academic paper]
  • March 25 - 19th and 20th-century Lenses of Educational Theory [guest lecture]
  • March 24 - Merton & Pope Francis: Voices for Change in a Culture of Unrest [workshop]
  • March 22 - [w/ A. Zoeller] Faith and Science [workshop]
  • March 13 & 20 - [w/ B. Malewitz] Lent Day of Reflection: Prayer [parish class] 
  • March 4 & 6 - Intro. to Qualitative Research Methodologies [guest lecture]
  • January 18 - [w/ A. Zoeller] Day, Merton, King, and Lincoln [workshop]

Courses Taught

Graduate Courses

o EDD901 Academic Writing & Leadership Theory

o EDD904 Leading Innovative/Creative Change Across the Organization & Within the Community  

o EDD907 Identifying and Analyzing Organizational Issues

o (Co-taught) EDD908 Research Methodology and Problem Solving 

o (Co-taught) EDD920 Leadership Seminar: Ed.D. Capstone 1 

o (Co-taught) EDD921 Leadership Seminar: Ed.D. Capstone 2

o 44:430 Adolescent Spirituality 

o 44:435 Becoming a Religious Educator  

o 44:300 Evangelization and Catechesis 

o 40:420 Introduction to Youth Ministry 

Undergraduate Courses

o TH101 Introduction to the Old Testament

o TH105 Introduction to the New Testament

o TH241 Introduction to the Catholic Liturgy

o TH302 Christian Marriage & Family 

o TH318 Faith & Justice  

o TH320 The Church

o THEO200 Ultimate Questions 

Secondary Courses

o Christian Scriptures

o Christology 

o The Church

o Hebrew Scriptures 

o Philosophy 

o Sacraments

o Statistics

National/Institutional Presentations/Retreats (most recent)

Conference Presentations

  • 2025 - Thomas Merton's novel My Argument with the Gestapo as an example of early North American magical realism: A confluence of surrealism and traumatic imagination [paper]. College English Association (CEA). Philadelphia, PA.


  • 2024 - Art as the voice of authentic human resistance in an era of algorithms: Revisiting Thomas Merton's Message to Poets and Answers on Art and Freedom [paper]. College English Association (CEA). Atlanta, GA.


  • 2023 - My Argument with the Gestapo: Exploring Merton’s traumatic and imaginative narrative through the lens of magical realism [paper]. International Thomas Merton Society (ITMS). St. Mary’s College Notre Dame, IN. 


  • 2022 - A nonviolent response to tragedy: Learning from the 16th Street Bombing through the lens of King and Merton [paper]. College English Association (CEA). Birmingham, AL.


  • 2021 - Secret Path – Using poetry as a catalyst for reconciliation in response to national tragedy [workshop]. International Thomas Merton Society (ITMS). Virtual.

Institutional Presentations

  • 2025 - AI and Higher Education: A Philosophical Lens [workshop]. Center for Teaching and Learning. Spalding University. Louisville, KY.


  • 2025 - Assessment, Dialogue, and A.I.: The Role of Higher Education in the Technological Age [workshop]. Technology Showcase. Spalding University. Louisville, KY.


  • 2024 - Truth and Reconciliation: Exploring Servant Leadership within Divided Nations [keynote]. President's Colloquium. Spalding University. Louisville, KY.


  • 2023 - The Vatican II Constitutional Documents [plenary]. Parish Catechetical Leadership Institute. St. Meinrad School of Theology. St. Meinrad, IN.


  • 2023 - Human Encounter in the Virtual Classroom: The Importance of Incorporating Self-Reflective Assessments in Virtual Learning Environments [workshop]. Technology Showcase. Spalding University. Louisville, KY.

Retreats

  • 2025 - Eucharist: Source and Summit of Our Catechetical Ministry [3-day]. Catechist Retreat. Diocese of Owensboro, Whitesville, KY. 


  • 2024 - Forgiveness: The Only Path Forward [6 hr]. Men's Lent Retreat. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Mt. Washington, KY.


  • 2023 - Listening with a Gospel Heart [4 hr]. Parish Staff Retreat. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Earth & Spirit Center. Louisville, KY.  


  • 2020 - Emerging with Grace: Exploring a Post-Pandemic Pastoral Ministry and Spirituality of Hope [5 hr]. Pastoral Formation. St. Meinrad School of Theology. Virtual.  


  • 2019 - From the Kidron to Mt. Tabor – Becoming Missionary Disciples [5 hr]. Faculty Retreat. St. Mary’s Academy. Gheens Foundation Lodge at the Parklands, Louisville, KY.  

Previous Presentation/Workshop Topics (selected)

Education

  • A.I., Assessment, and Higher Education
  • A.I., Education, and Philosophy
  • Art as the Voice of Authentic Human Resistance in an Era of Technology
  • Education through Experience: Understanding Human Encounter
  • Foundations of Social Scientist Research
  • Humanism and Learning Differences 
  • Literature as a Catalyst for Reconciliation as a Response to National Tragedy
  • Media Literacy
  • Philosophy of Education
  • Storytelling through Original Musical Compositions
  • Thinking Like a Researcher

Leadership

  • Introduction to Leadership Theory
  • Perspectives on Nonviolent Resistance
  • Research Ethics
  • Servant Leadership
  • Tenets of Truth & Reconciliation Commissions (Canada; South Africa)

Popular Culture

  • Athletics and Spirituality
  • Film and the Classroom
  • Lyrics/Poetry of Leonard Cohen
  • Magical Realism
  • Media Literacy
  • Secret Path (Gord Downie & Jeff Lemire) in the Classroom
  • Storytelling through Song and Music Videos

Religious Education/Catechesis

  • The Arts and Catholic Education
  • Autism and Catholic Schools
  • Catholic Educators and the New Evangelization
  • Christian Anthropology
  • Church History: The Reformation to the Present
  • The Constitutional Documents of Vatican II
  • Encounter & Engagement: Relationship as the Heart of Catholic Education
  • The Life of Rev. Augustus Tolton
  • Living as a Missionary Disciples
  • Marks and Models of the Church
  • Religious Art & Architecture
  • Solidarity and Student Diversity 
  • Technology and Catholic Education
  • World Religions in the Catholic High School Curriculum

Retreats

  • Catholic School Faculty
  • Day of Reflections (Catholic Schools; Parish)
  • Diocesan Catechist Formation
  • Confirmation Preparation
  • Parish Staff 
  • Seasonal: Advent, Lent
  • Youth & Young Adult 

Sacraments/Liturgy/Rituals

  • Eucharist: Our Source and Summit
  • The Canonization Process
  • The Liturgical Year
  • The Paschal Mystery
  • The Sacraments of Initiation
  • The Sacraments of Healing & Vocation

Scripture

  • Apocalyptic Literature
  • The Golden Age of Israel
  • The Gospels
  • The Major Prophets
  • Media Literacy & Scriptural Exegesis
  • Messengers of Hope: The Accounts of Angels in Scripture
  • Overview of the Torah
  • The Role of the Spirit in the Church
  • Storytelling Techniques and Parables
  • Violence in the Hebrew Scriptures
  • Wisdom Literature and Traumatic Imagination 
  • Women of Faith in Scripture

Spirituality

  • Introduction to Prayer
  • Post-Pandemic Spirituality of Hope
  • Spirituality of Forgiveness and Mercy
  • Spirituality of the Catholic Liturgy
  • Spirituality of a Jubilee Year
  • Spirituality of the Sacraments of Initiation
  • Spirituality of the Sacraments of Healing & Vocation
  • Spirituality of Vatican II
  • Spirituality in the Era of Technology

Pope Francis

  • Christus Vivit: Pope Francis and Young People
  • Hope: Pope Francis's Autobiography
  • Laudato sí and Stewardship
  • Pilgrims of Hope: Embracing Reconciliation and Forgiveness in a Jubilee Year
  • Pope Francis's American exemplars: Day, King, Lincoln, Merton
  • Thomas Merton and Pope Francis

Thomas Merton

  • Merton and Adolescent Spirituality
  • Merton, Humanism, and A.I.
  • Merton and the Arts
  • Merton and the Blessed Mother
  • Merton and Christian Leadership
  • Merton and Civil Rights
  • Merton and Creativity/Humor
  • Merton and a Culture of Charity
  • Merton and Education
  • Merton and Latin American Authors (Magical Realism; Surreal Poetry)
  • Merton and Peace/Non-violent Resistance
  • Merton and Poets/Songwriters (Gord Downie; Leonard Cohen)
  • Merton and Pope Francis

Contact

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Thomas Malewitz

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