Dr Mariusz Biliniewicz

MA/MPhil (PWT, Wrocław), PhD (NUI, Dublin), GCLTHE (UNDA, Sydney)
Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Theology

Email: mariusz.biliniewicz@nd.edu.au
Phone: 02 8204 4179

  • Biography

    Mariusz Biliniewicz is a theologian with competence in systematic theology. He has studied and taught in Poland, Ireland and Australia where he held positions of Senior Lecturer and Associate Dean of Research and Academic Development in the School of Philosophy and Theology at the University of Notre Dame Australia. Currently he serves as Director of the Liturgy Office in the Archdiocese of Sydney.

    He has spoken and published internationally on a number of theological topics. His teaching and research interests include contemporary Catholic theology, intersections between ecclesiology and moral theology, liturgy, sacraments, Second Vatican Council, faith and reason and general systematic theology.

  • Teaching Areas

    • Christology
    • Ecclesiology
    • Mariology
    • Trinity
    • Sacraments
    • Fundamental Theology
    • Reason and Revelation
    • Research Methods in Philosophy and Theology
    • Fundamental Moral Theology
    • LOGOS program

  • Research Expertise and Supervision

    Supervision and co-supervision:

    • MA (Theology) theses:
      • “What is the difference between the Holy Spirit’s processio and ἐκπορεύσις in the Trinity, in relation to the ‘filioque’ phrase in the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed?” (2017)
      • “How did Jesus know that he was God? Self-Consciousness and Human Knowledge of Christ: Maritain, Rahner, and Weinandy” (2019; published as a book by Wipf and Stock in 2020)
      • “Sacramental efficacy in Martos, Schillebeeckx and Walsh” (2020)
      • “Elizabeth of the Trinity, saint of and for our times. How does Elizabeth of the Trinity’s experience of God open the way for all Christians to be transformed by the divine indwelling?” (2020)
      • “The post-Vatican II liturgical reform in the eyes of representatives of the Liturgical Movement: expectations, conciliar recommendations, and the post-conciliar implementation” (2021)
    • MPhil theses:
      • “How Do the Writings of Pope Benedict XVI on 'Transformation' Apply to a Couple’s Growth in Holiness in Sacramental Marriage?” (2018)
      • “Light of Hope: Depictions of Salvation in the Great Northern Window of St Mary’s Cathedral” (2023)
    • Master's by Research theses:
      • “Trinitarian Paradigm in the Maronite Liturgy in the works of Estephan El Douaihy” (2021)
    • Doctor of Philosophy theses:
      • “A Theology of Confirmation from the Canon of Scripture” (2021)
      • "Conscientious Objection in Medical Practice: A Content Analysis of the Victorian Parliamentary Discussions establishing the Abortion Law Reform Act 2008" (2024)
      • "The ‘Trinitarian Ontologies’ of Joseph Ratzinger and John Zizioulas: A Critical Evaluation" (2025)
    • Theses examined:
      • "Hinging on the Flesh. The Sacramentality of Marriage in John Paul II and Walter Kasper" (John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, Melbourne, 2019)
      • “Towards an Appropriate Christian Response to the Problem of Evil Manifested in Sin, Suffering (Sickness), and Dying. Theological Theodicy and the Sacraments of Healing” (Catholic Institute of Sydney, 2021)
      • “Christian Salvation in the Theology of Benedict XVI and Its Implication to His Responses to the Sexual Abuse Crisis in the Catholic Church” (Catholic Institute of Sydney, 2022)
      • "The Role of Women in Marriage and Family Today: A Dialogue Between Lisa Sowle Cahill and John Paul II" (University of Divinity, Melbourne, 2023)

    Areas of supervision include (but are not limited to):

    Theology of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI
    Second Vatican Council
    Liturgy and sacraments
    Post-Vatican II theology
    Ecclesiology
    Faith and reason
    General systematic theology

  • Books

    Volumes authored:

    • The Liturgical Vision of Pope Benedict XVI. A Theological Inquiry. Peter Lang: New York, Berlin, Oxford, 2013.
    • Amoris Laetitia and the spirit of Vatican II. The source of controversy. New York: Routledge, 2018.

    Volumes edited:

    • Agere in persona Christi: Aspects of the Ministerial Priesthood. Proceedings of the Seventh Fota International Liturgical Conference, 2014. Smenos Publications, 2015. Foreword and edition.
    • Worship in Spirit and in Truth. Essays to mark the twentieth anniversary of the publication of Benedict XVI/Joseph Ratzinger's 'The Spirit of the Liturgy'. Smenos Publications, 2023. Foreword, edition and a chapter.

  • Book Chapters

    • "Reasonable Worship (Romans 12:1): Joseph Ratzinger’s Theology of Sacrifice." In Celebrating the Eucharist: Sacrifice and Communion. Proceedings of the Fifth Fota International Liturgical Conference, 2012, edited by Gerard Deighan, 73-86. Smenos Publications, 2014.
    • "Fifty Years of Sacrosanctum Concilium: A Review of the Theological Critique." In Sancrosanctum Concilium: 1963-2013. Proceedings of the Sixth Fota International Liturgical Conference in Cork, 2013, edited by John M. Cunningham, 71-90. Smenos Publications, 2015.
    • "Jedna encyklika dwóch papieży. Ślady teologii Josepha Ratzingera w 'Lumen fidei' papieża Franciszka." In Opera Theologiae Systematicae 2. Teologiczna cnota wiary, edited by Włodzimierz Wołyniec, 159-175. Wrocław: Papieski Wydział Teologiczny, 2015.
    • "Mariology of John Paul II: An Overview." In Mariology at the Beginning of the Third Millenium, edited by Kevin Wagner, M. Isabell Naumann, Peter John McGregor and Paul Morrissey, 78-97. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2017.
    • "Pastoral Magisterium? The Teaching Office of the Church in the Pontificate of Pope Francis." In Ecclesiology at the Beginning of the Third Millenium, edited by Kevin Wagner, M. Isabell Naumann and Peter John McGregor, 40-62. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2019.
    • "Reformation-Era Principles of Biblical Exegesis and Contemporary Roman Catholic Liturgy in the Thought of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI." In Joseph Ratzinger and the Healing of the Reformation-Era Divisions, edited by Emery de Gaál and Matthew Levering, 53-75. Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Academic, 2019.
    • "Twenty Years of Ratzinger’s The Spirit of the Liturgy – A Short History of Early Reception." In Worship in Spirit and in Truth. Essays to mark the twentieth anniversary of the publication of Benedict XVI/Joseph Ratzinger's 'The Spirit of the Liturgy', edited by Mariusz Biliniewicz. Smenos Publications, 2023.
    • "Christianity" in Ratzinger Lexicon, edited by Rudy Albino de Assunção. Forthcoming in 2023.
    • "Martin Buber: Personalism and Relationality." In Joseph Ratzinger in Dialogue with Philosophical Traditions. From Plato To Vattimo, edited by Alejandro Sada, Tracey Rowland and Rudy Albino de Assunção. London: Bloomsbury, 2023 (forthcoming). Spanish edition: Joseph Ratzinger en diálogo con las tradiciones filosóficas, 233-252. Madrid: Encuentro, 2023.
    • "Procession of the Holy Spirit and Ecclesiology: Some Contemporary Perspectives." In Pneumatology at the Beginning of the Third Millenium, edited by Kevin Wagner, M. Isabell Naumann and Peter John McGregor. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications. Forthcoming in 2024.
    • "Liturgy: from Sacrosanctum Concilium to Sacramentum Caritas." In The Oxford Handbook on Joseph Ratzinger. Forthcoming in 2024.

  • Journal Articles and Proceedings

      • "Inner Dynamism of Divine Worship. Joseph Ratzinger on Liturgical Development."  Wrocławski Przegląd Teologiczny 22 (2014): 21-36.
      • "Limits of Authority and Menaces to Truth: Some Thoughts of Joseph Ratzinger on Politics and Liturgy," Australasian Catholic Record 96/3 (July 2019): 277-88.
      • "Veritatis Splendor and the Universal Call to Holiness." Nova et Vetera, English Edition, Vol. 18, No. 1 (2020): 1–18.
      • “Popes Benedict XVI and Francis on the Sexual Abuse of Minors: Ecclesiological Perspectives.” Australasian Catholic Record 98/3 (July 2020): 297-311.
      • "Is capital punishment contrary to the dignity of the human person? Reflections about the meaning of the revised paragraph 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church." Heythrop Journal LXIV (2023), 16-29.

  • Conference Papers

      • Fifth Fota International Liturgical Conference, Cork, Ireland (July 2012).
      • YouTheol: Young Theologians Speak to Young Believers, Maynooth, Ireland (autumn 2012).
      • International Symposium on Dynamism of Theology of Joseph Ratzinger, Maynooth, Ireland (June 2013).
      • Sixth Fota International Liturgical Conference, Cork, Ireland (July 2013).
      • Theological Symposium on the occasion of the completion of the Year of Faith, Pontifical Faculty of Theology, Wrocław, Poland (March 2014).
      • International Symposium on Joseph Ratzinger’s Theology of Politics, Maynooth, Ireland (June 2015).
      • Eighth Fota International Liturgical Conference, Cork, Ireland (July 2015).
      • Mariology Conference, University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney (March 2016).
      • Joseph Ratzinger and the Healing of the Reformation-Era Divisions, Mundelein IL, USA (October 2017)
      • Ecclesiology Conference, University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney (February 2018)
      • Conference for 25 years of Veritatis Splendor, University of Notre Dame, Sydney (October 2018)
      • Theological Symposium Sancti Estote, Pontifical Faculty of Theology, Wrocław, Poland (December 2018)
      • Australian Catholic Theological Association, Sydney (July 2019)
      • Theological Anthropology Conference, University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, Australia (February 2020)
      • Sydney University Catholic Society, Australia (2022)
      • Pneumatology Conference, University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, Australia (2022)
      • Thirteenth Fota International Liturgical Conference, Cork, Ireland (2022)

  • Original Creative Works

  • Recorded or Rendered Works

    Translations:

    • Peterson, Tom. Catholics Come Home. God’s Extraordinary Plan for Your Life. New York: Image, 2013.
      Polish edition: Katolicy Powróćcie do Domu. Niezwykły Boży Plan na Twoje Życie. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Święty Wojciech, 2014.
    • Perrone Rooney, Linda. Walking the Disciples’s Path. Eight Steps That Will Change Your Life and the World. Notre Dame, Indiana: Ave Maria Press, 2013.
      Polish edition: Ścieżka ucznia: osiem kroków, które mogą zmienić Twoje życie i świat. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Święty Wojciech, 2015.
    • Hahn, Scott. Evangelizing Catholics. A Mission Manual for the New Evangelization. Huntington, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, 2014.
      Polish edition: Nieście i przyjmujcie Dobrą Nowinę. Wyzwania Nowej Ewangelizacji. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Święty Wojciech, 2015.
    • Ruhi-López Angelique and Carmen Santamaría, The Infertility Companion for Catholics. Spiritual and Practical Support for Couples. Notre Dame, Indiana: Ave Maria Press, 2011. Polish edition: Katolicki przewodnik po zagadnieniu niepłodności. Duchowe i praktyczne wsparcie dla par. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Święty Wojciech, 2015.
    • Ciszek, Walter J. and Daniel L. Flaherty. He Leadeth Me. New York: Image, 1973.
      Polish edition: ... bo Ty jesteś ze mną. Duchowe świadectwo z Syberii. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Święty Wojciech, 2015.

  • Professional affiliations

    Member of Australian Catholic Theological Association

  • Community engagement

    • Director of the Liturgy Office, Archdiocese of Sydney
    • Regular speaker at parishes and formation centres

  • Other

    Occasional reviewer in academic journals, including Religions, Journal of Religion and Health and Nova et Vetera