The University of Notre Dame Australia has conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters upon the Very Reverend Father Richard G. Ang, OP, PhD, at its Sydney Graduation Ceremony held on Thursday, 1 May. The award recognises Fr. Ang’s outstanding contribution to Catholic education, academic leadership, and philosophical scholarship across the Asia-Pacific region.
Fr. Ang, who currently serves as the 97th Rector Magnificus of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila—the oldest Catholic university in Southeast Asia—was honoured in a ceremony attended by university dignitaries, graduates, faculty, and members of the wider community. The Chancellor of the University of Notre Dame Australia, the Honourable Christopher Ellison, conferred the degree in recognition of Fr. Ang’s intellectual leadership and his efforts in fostering dialogue between Eastern and Western philosophical and theological traditions.
During the ceremony, Chancellor Ellison praised Fr. Ang’s vision, humility, and academic rigour, noting that under his leadership, the University of Santo Tomas has become one of Asia’s most respected institutions for higher learning. As part of his visit, Fr. Ang concelebrated the Sydney Graduation Mass held on Wednesday, 30 April. Fr. Ang also spoke at a recent alumni event in the Faculty where he earned his Masters, providing some insight into his vision of Catholic education, and highlighting the enduring value of a liberal arts education grounded in faith, reason, and social responsibility.
Ordained in 1998, Fr. Ang is a Dominican priest and a renowned scholar whose research centres on Chinese philosophy, particularly the Confucian ideals of Li (propriety) and Ren (benevolence). His doctoral dissertation, which earned him the distinction of Summa Cum Laude, explored Confucian virtues and their resonance with Christian ethics—a subject he expanded upon in his acclaimed work Between the Confucian Li and Ren: A Philosophical Hermeneutics.
In the citation read at the graduation ceremony, the University commended Fr. Ang’s lifetime dedication to the integration of faith and reason, his advocacy for moral and civic responsibility in education, and his unique ability to bridge cultures and philosophies. “In an age of complexity and division,” the citation stated, “Fr. Ang’s intellectual and spiritual leadership provides a model of unity, discernment, and hope.”
Fr. Ang’s educational journey began at the University of Santo Tomas, where he earned multiple degrees including a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, a Licentiate in Philosophy, and a Doctorate in Philosophy. Over the years, he has held several key positions at UST, including Vice-Rector, Spiritual Director, and Director of the Purchasing Office, among others. Now in his second term as Rector, he continues to influence Catholic higher education both in the Philippines and internationally.
The conferral of the honorary doctorate affirms the strong ties between the University of Notre Dame Australia and its counterparts in the Asia-Pacific region, reinforcing a shared commitment to academic excellence, cultural dialogue, and service grounded in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.
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