The Pilgrim Forum

The Pilgrim Forum is a series dedicated to sharing information and spurring thought and discussion around the basic tenets of the Catholic faith and tradition. Beginning in October 2014 the Pilgrim Forum engaged The Apostles' Creed for over eight years. In Fall 2024, we began the next major series of lectures, which will focus on understanding the Christian faith through the lens of each of the mysteries of the Rosary.

This series is made possible through the generosity of The Dan Ritter Family.

Pilgrim Lectures are free and open to the public.

Coming April 28, 2026

2026 Spring Pilgrim Forum Lecture

Mary Healy, S.T.D.

Registration opens March 1

2026 Spring Pilgrim Forum Speaker

Dr. Mary Healy

Dr. Mary Healy is professor of Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and a bestselling author and international speaker. She is a general editor of the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture and author of two of its volumes, The Gospel of Mark and Hebrews. Her other books include The Spiritual Gifts Handbook and Healing. Dr. Healy serves the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian unity as a member of the Pentecostal-Catholic International Dialogue. She is one of the first three women ever to serve on the Pontifical Biblical Commission, and is a consultor to the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

About the Donor:  Dan Ritter

In 1988, Daniel J. Ritter Sr., created the endowment that has funded this series as well as the Ritter Forum on Public Affairs. In his 2005 book, “a.k.a God: Faith & Flexibility, the Strongest Bond,” Dan described himself as a “practicing, but unlicensed, metaphysician.”

Ritter earned a bachelor’s degree from De Paul University in 1954 and a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in 1974. His teaching career took him from grammar school to college, from Bolivia to Kyrgyzstan, and he retired from Southwest High School in 1989. He retired as a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserve in 1992.

Daniel, who passed away in 2019, is survived by his wife Martha and three children: Katherine Ritter Gottfried, Jennifer Ritter Schmitt and Daniel J. Ritter Jr.

The Pilgrim Forum Digital Archive

Please check out our digital archive to view past presentations.