A special thank you to our faculty members who are retiring after decades of teaching at the DSPT

After 40 years of being a member of the regular faculty of DSPT, Fr. Michael Dodds, O.P. is retiring. Fr. Michael Dodds entered the Dominican Order in 1971, making first profession in 1972. He earned his BA at St. Albert's College (the previous name for DSPT) in 1973, then continued studying at DSPT to earn an MA in Philosophy in 1975 and an MDiv in 1978. Simultaneously he earned an MA in Theology from GTU. A few years after he was ordained to the priesthood, he attended the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, earning a Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD) in 1986. He started teaching at DSPT in 1978 as an adjunct lecturer before becoming a regular faculty member in 1985. 

At DSPT, Fr. Michael has been a member of both the philosophy and theology departments, teaching, among other courses, Philosophy of Nature, Philosophical Anthropology, One Creator God, Trinity, Issues in Divine Action, and God and Suffering. 

Over the years Fr. Michael has served as Academic Dean, Philosophy Department Chair, and Theology Department Chair. At times he has also served on DSPT's Board of Corporate Members, on Board of Trustees, and as a member of the GTU Core Doctoral Faculty. He has been a thesis or dissertation director for many MA and PhD students. 

He has published numerous books, articles, and reviews. In 2016, Fr. Michael was awareded a Master of Sacred Theology (STM) by the Dominican Order, in recognition of his years of academic contributions. 

Fr. Joe Boenzi, S.D.B. is retiring 33 years after he started teaching at DSPT and 53 years after he first began teaching. Fr. Joe Boenzi made his first profession in 1968 in the Salesians of Don Bosco. He attended Don Bosco College for his BA in philosophy. He also earned a Professional Education Diploma and Teaching Credential form the University of Alberta, while teaching at St. Mary's Salesian School in Edmonton, Alberta, a residential junior high school for boys with social and learning disabilities. Next he obtained a Bachelor in Sacred Theology (STB) at Università Pontificia Salesiana in 1979. He went again to Università Pontificia Salesiana to study spiritual theology, completing a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) in 1992 and a Doctorate in Sacred Theology (STD) in 1996. 

At DSPT he has taught courses on the charisms of the Holy Spirit, the role of the laity in the church, ecclesiology, church history, and the spiritualities of Don Bosco and St. Frances de Sales. At times he has served at the DSPT as tehology department chair and director of field education.

From 1997 to 2003, Friday. Joe was the Director for the Institute of Salesian Spirituality in Berkeley. For twelve years, he was also an invited lecturer at Università Pontifificia Salesiana in Rome. 

During his time at the DSPT, GTU and Università Pontificia Salesiana, Fr. Joe has been the director of dozens of MA, STL, and STD Students. He is the author of Saint Francis de Sales, Life and KSpirit as well as numerous articles.