Fr. Joe Kim is the recipient of the Aquinas Center for Theological Renewal’s Dissertation Prize

Father Joe Kim, ‘2021, from the diocese of San Josè, California is the recipient of the Aquinas Center for Theological Renewal’s Dissertation Prize.

In response to Pope Saint John Paul II’s call for a New Evangelization, the Aquinas Center for Theological Renewal (the Aquinas Center) aims at providing scholarly resources that will assist in a transformation – a new evangelization – of the academic discipline of theology. It seeks to reinvigorate the place of Catholic theology in the academy by supporting research, writing, lecturing, and teaching. As a central part of its mission, the Center seeks to develop bonds of friendship and dialogue between scholars from around the world.

Fr. Joe was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, but grew up in San Jose. He credits his grandmother and parents for his early evangelisation and early discipleship at St Francis Cabrini and the Korean Catholic Church in San Jose. He credits his peers at UC Berkeley’s Newman Center with deepening his love for the Lord and the Church.

Graduating from CAL’s College of Engineering, he worked as a product engineer in Sunnyvale. Fr Joe discerned the priesthood in the vibrant Catholic community of young adults in the priestly discernment program at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.  He later deepened his vocation to the priesthood at St Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park.  He was ordained to the priesthood in 2010.  He holds the Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the New Evangelisation Program at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit, Michigan.

In 2018, he began his doctoral studies at the Angelicum where he defended his dissertation in 2021, graduating Magna cum Laude.

Fr. Joe is currently the pastor of Saint John Vianney Parish in San Jose. Since returning from the Angelicum, he has served as adjunct faculty member at Saint Patrick Seminary and University in Menlo Park in the Archdiocese of San Francisco teaching courses on Ecclesiology and Evangelization. He also serves in his diocese as chair of the Council of Priests and the steering committee for the Diocesan Synod.

Fr. Joe’s research will be presented at a conference at Ave Maria University in February 2023 entitled: “Thomas Aquinas and the Eucharist: Pathways to Revival.”

Congratulations from your Roman Alma Mater!

More on the Aquinas Center for Theological Renewal at Ave Maria University; more on Fr. Joe’s Bio from St. John Vianney Parish

Credit: The Valley Catholic