Rev. Dr Stuart Patrick Chalmers

Lecturer in Theology - Fremantle
PhB, STL, PhD

Email: stuart.chalmers@nd.edu.au

  • Biography

    Born in 1972 in Aberdeen, Scotland and ordained a diocesan priest in 1997 after completion of studies and formation in Rome at the Pontifical Scots College, the Gregorian University and the Alphonsian Academy (of the Lateran University). Having served as parish priest and vicar general in the Diocese of Aberdeen, in 2018 I began a period of over 8 years as seminary spiritual director and tutor in the Royal Scots College, Salamanca, Spain, as well as lecturer in the Pontifical University of Salamanca, teaching theology and professional ethics in the faculties of Theology, IT, Business and Communication, teaching in English and Spanish.

    I was asked to visit UNDA to give guest lectures and retreats in 2024 and 2025 and now since July 2026, I have begun a full-time permanent contract as lecturer in theology at the School of Philosophy and Theology in Fremantle. I have also been asked to help with additional Masses at the UNDA Fremantle chaplaincy. In addition to reading widely, my interests include music, art (both painting and drawing) and languages.

  • Teaching Areas

    My primary area is in fundamental moral theology, but as well as teaching courses on morals to seminarians and a course on conscience to licenciate and doctoral students, I have taught Christian anthropology in conjunction with Catholic social teaching, Christian ethics, poverty and equality, and the professional ethics of journalism. I have also taught a history of Catholic spirituality for eight years in the seminary. At UNDA I am currently teaching courses in sacraments and Catholic Social Teaching.

  • Research Expertise and Supervision

    My research has ranged over the areas of history of moral theology, ethics and politics, ethics and the economy, narrative and ethics, fake news, conscience and Newman, metaphysics and education, suffering and faith, contemplative prayer, especially the Spanish mystics, and the question of faith in an indifferent society.


    As yet, given the Spanish restrictions on those eligible (related to accreditation), I have not been involved in any academic supervision.

  • Books

      • Conscience in Context: Historical and Existential Perspectives. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2014. Reprint by Claretian Publications, Quezon City, 2024.
      • “Docta Ignorantia”: An Anthology of Teachings of the Saints on Prayer, Claretian Publications, Quezon City, Philippines, 2023.

  • Book Chapters

    • “Papal Teaching on the Ethical Challenges of Artificial Intelligence”. New Trends in Disruptive Technologies, Tech Ethics and Artificial Intelligence: The DITTET 2022 Collection, Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1430. pp. 167 - 177. Springer, 2023.

  • Journal Articles and Proceedings

      • “Sorcery and Speculation: On Deceit and Dignity in the Economy”
        Religions 16: 1298. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16101298, pp 1-13, 2025 (article – text developed from a guest lecture given at UNDA, Fremantle on 4 December 2024).
      • "AI: Promise or Threat to Human Development". The Furrow. 76-2, pp. 2025 (article)
      • “The Use and Abuse of Narrative: Restoring Empathy through the Homily”. Salmanticensis. 69-3, pp. 281 - 303. 2022. (article)
      • “Fritz Tillmann, Discipleship and the Renewal of Moral Theology”. Irish Theological Quarterly. 86 - 4, pp. 352 - 369. 2021. (article)
      • “Truth Decay, Fratelli Tutti and a Better Kind of Politics”. Burgense. 61 - 2, pp. 321 - 346. 2021. (article)
      • “Un eslabón vital: la conciencia, la creación y Newman.” Salmanticensis. 67 - 3, pp. 447 - 461. 2020. (article)
      • "My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? The Christian in the Face of Pain. Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy. 2, pp. 3-8, 2000. (article)

  • Conference papers

    Title: Quitando la nieve con amor: Fernando Rielo y la misión de la Iglesia (Clearing the snow with love: Fernando Rielo and the mission of the Church).
    Name of the congress: Congreso Rielo100 (international congress)
    City of celebration: Salamanca (online), Castilla y León, Spain
    Date of celebration: 26/10/2023, End date: 27/10/2023
    Organising entity: Catedra Fernando Rielo, UPSA
    Organizing city: Salamanca, Castilla y León, Spain

    Title: Una antropología mística para la pedagogía: El pensamiento de Rielo y Brague. (A mystical anthropology for pedagogy: The thought of Rielo and Brague).
    Name of the congress: Jornada de la Catedra Fernando Rielo: Antropología y Educación (international seminar).
    City of celebration: Salamanca (in person), Castilla y León, Spain
    Date: 29/03/2023  
    Organizing entity: Catedra Fernando Rielo, UPSA
    Organizing city: Salamanca, Castilla y León, Spain

  • Recorded or rendered works

    Title: ‘Papal Teaching on the Ethical Challenges of Artificial Intelligence’.
    Name of the congress: DITTET Congress: New Trends in Disruptive Technologies, Tech Ethics and Artificial Intelligence
    City of celebration: Salamanca (online), Castilla y León, Spain
    Date of celebration: 20/02/2022, End date: 22/07/2022
    Organizing entity: Faculty of Computer Science, UPSA
    Organising city: Salamanca, Castilla y León, Spain

  • Professional affiliations

    Since 2023, a research associate at the Institute of European Studies and Human Rights of the Pontifical University of Salamanca.  However, the institute seems to be currently inactive. I have not been able to get any reply to emails or to a  book chapter proposal made last year.

  • Community engagement

    • I concelebrate and celebrate Masses at the UNDA chaplaincy.
    • I will give a formation input on Catholic Social Teaching at Mater Dei College, Edgewater on 21 August 2026
    • I have been asked by CEWA to present a formation day for the Religious Education Directorate on 11 September 2026