Education

Join us on Thursday, October 8th for a special lecture by Dr. Mark Nesti, titled “Flourishing of the Human Person in Sport: In Conversation with Sport Psychologist Dr Mark Nesti”, sponsored by the Kule Chair in Catholic Religious Education and Newman Theological College. Building on Pope Leo's recent letter about a pastoral approach to sport and the Church's long-standing involvement in sport, especially in Catholic schools and colleges, the Kule Chair and NTC is pleased to welcome an in-person conversation with sport psychologist Dr. Mark Nesti. The discussion will engage his long-standing research and applied practice in sport psychology and his engagement with existential phenomenology (constructed with assistance from Aquinas, Pieper, and others) to provide a more person-centered approach to the care for human athletes. Educational themes of meaning, purpose, beauty, and vulnerability will also be addressed. Dr. Nesti is a specialist in psychology applied to sport, especially in relation to tennis, golf, cricket, and football/soccer, where he has worked in Premier League football with first team players and staff. He has held lecturing positions at several UK schools, including Liverpool John Moores University where he led its highly ranked MSc program for over a decade. Originally from Scotland, Dr. Nesti also worked in Rome during 2018 on the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life document, “Giving the Best of Yourself”, relating to a Christian perspective of sport and the human person. RSVP at: forms.gle/EJG2BwWfiNgDmv3x9 Date: October 8, 2026 Location: St. Joseph’s College Boardroom Time: 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm (light reception to follow)