Deacon Charles Dern – Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary

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Deacon

Charles Dern

Adjunct Faculty, School of Theological Studies

• E-mail: cdern@scs.edu

Permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Married with three grown children. Native of Philadelphia area. Currently reside in Doylestown in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. with spouse of 31 years.

Doctor of Philosophy in Moral Theology, 2004, School of Theology and Religious Studies, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
Master of Arts in Philosophy, 1992, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Villanova University, Villanova, PA.
Master of Arts in Religious Studies and Graduate Roman Catechetical Diploma, 1990, Religious Studies Division, St. Charles Seminary, Wynnewood., PA.
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, 1985, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.
Associate of Arts in Music, 1986, Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA.

St. Charles Seminary, Graduate School of Theology, Church Ministry Institute and Institute for Christian Formation, 2005 –2014, 2025-Present
Holy Family University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Fall 2024, Adjunct Faculty
Pontifex University, Atlanta, GA, Fall 2025-Present, Th.D. Thesis Director, (Topic TBD)
St. Joseph CollegStandish, Maine, October 2019 – 2024, Adjunct Faculty for On-Line Graduate Theology
Gwynedd Mercy College, Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania, Spring 2006 and 2007, Adjunct Faculty
Immaculata University, Immaculata, Pennsylvania, 2005 - 2015

“John Paul II’s Triptych of the Human Person,” Homiletic and Pastoral Review www.hprweb.com , January 8, 2013
“Speaking Clearly About Early Life: Confusion Over Medical Terms,” Ethics and Medics, The National Catholic Bioethics Center, March 2009, Volume 34, Number 3.
“The Futility of Ethics” Bucks County Herald, February 2025
“What is Your Definition of Healthcare?” Bucks County Herald, October 2023
“Treating Ectopic Pregnancy is Not an Abortion,” Doylestown Intelligencer, September 2022
“Lack of Morality is the Root Cause of Gun Violence,” Doylestown Intelligencer, June 2022
“The Fact of Human Life is Roe’s Biggest Threat” Doylestown Intelligencer, February 2022
“Whatever Happened to Making Abortion Rare?” Doylestown Intelligencer, December 2021
“Self Control vs. Birth Control,” Doylestown Intelligencer, October 2019
“Columnist Reduces Bible to Book of Advice,” Doylestown Intelligencer July 2019
“Change is Not Always for the Better,” Doylestown Intelligencer March 2019
“The Price for Pushing Out God and Ethics,” Doylestown Intelligencer January 2018
“A Place for Organized Religion,” Bucks County Herald, November, 2017
“The Ultimate Rationalization,” Doylestown Intelligencer, October, 2017
“Progressivism Undercuts its Moral Authority,” Doylestown Intelligencer, September, 2017
“Honor [M.L.] King by Reading His Words,” Doylestown Intelligencer, January, 2017
“Liberalism, A Viewpoint without a Standpoint,” Doylestown Intelligencer, December, 2016
“Human Beings are Gifts, Not Products” www.phillyburbs.com, April 15, 2016
“An Inconsistent Faith in Science” www.phillyburbs.com, March, 2016
“Understanding Humanity as Pope Francis Does,” www.phillyburbs.com, October 7, 2015
“Religious Freedom Must Take Precedence,” www.phillyburbs.com, September 2015
“Liberalism and the Limits of Morality,” www.phillyburbs.com, May 21, 2015
“Catholic Church is About Truth, Not Numbers,” www.phillyburbs.com, December 5, 2014
“Science not as certain as it claims to be,” Doylestown Intelligencer, September, 2014
“Pope Francis Can’t Be Disconnected From the Past,” Doylestown Intelligencer, May 2, 2014
“Bad Arguments over Same-Sex Marriage,” Doylestown Intelligencer, October, 2013
“40 Years Ago: Roe v. Wade Rocked America,” Doylestown Intelligencer, January 20, 2013
“Christmas and the Religion of Atheism” www.pewsitter.com, December, 2012
“Some Clarifications on the Contraception Debate” www.pewsitter.com, February, 2012
“Blessed John Paul II: An Example for All Men of Good Will” Doylestown Intelligencer, April 29, 2011
“Catholic Medical Ethics Protects Every Person’s True Dignity,” Doylestown Intelligencer, February, 2011
“Humanae vitae: Have artificial contraceptives really been worth it?” www.pewsitter.com, July, 2008
“Abortion, Contraception and the True Dignity of Women,” www.pewsitter.com, February, 2008
“Getting the Facts Straight on Abortion and Public Morals,” www.pewsitter.com, January, 2008

Introduction to Christian Morality, OLMC RCIA, January 2022, St. Bede RCIA, February 2019
Does Science Point to God? OLMC Parish, April, 2011
True Help for Infertile Couples: Exploring Church Teaching on Assisted Reproductive Technologies: High School Pro-Life Leadership Day, Archdiocese of Philadelphia Secretariat for Evangelization, Fall 2010
The Dignity of the Person: Issues in Contemporary Biomedical Ethics, Saint Robert Parish, Fall 2009, Saint Andrew Parish Newtown, Spring 2010
Answering the New Atheism, OLMC Super Bowl of Catholic Thought, January, 2009
The Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist: St. Francis of Assisi Parish and St. John Parish, Ottsville, PA Spring 2010 (Parental First Communion Preparation)
Reproductive Technologies and the Gift of Life, High School Pro-Life Leadership Day, Archdiocese of Philadelphia Secretariat for Evangelization, Fall 2008
Love is Patient, Love is Kind: Saint Paul and Deus Caritas Est, St. Maria Goretti Parish AFF Retreat, June 2008, Catholic Life Congress, Fall 2008
Faith and Science: Friend or Foes? Catholic Life Congress, Fall 2007, OLMC Super Bowl, Feb, 2008

Consulting Engineer, ATS Scientific Products, January 2025 – Present

Project Manager/Technical Writer/Application Engineer, ATS Scientific Products (formerly SP Industries and Hull Corporation), May 1987 / December 2025

Responsibilities – Sales and technical support for full Fill/Finish/Lyophilization lines for pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Responsible for quotation of projects up to $20M

Past Responsibilities Responsible for project management, documentation (validation and testing) and engineering of custom pharmaceutical processing equipment valued up to $3M.

Patents

Rotary Disk Valve, US, Canada, August 1993
Energy recovery in a freeze-drying system, US EU, Canada., October 2018
Means and Method for Selective Shelf Temperature Control US, Canada, September 2019
Repeated Sterile Use of a Gauge in a Steam Sterilizable Freeze Drying System, EU, Canada, July, 2020

Professional Publications:

“The Sterility of the ControLyo Process,” European Pharmaceutical Review Application Notes and White Papers, February 2016.

“The Vacuum Integrity Testing of Lyophilizers,” Pharmaceutical Engineering, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Jan. /Feb. 2005) 76-84.

“Refrigeration Applications: Electronic Expansion Valves,” The ASHRAE Journal (March 2005), 88-90.

“Freeze Drying 101: Lyophilization Technology,” American Laboratory News (April 2005).

Professional Continuing Education and Certifications:

Certificate of Achievement Six Sigma Black Belt, Villanova University, April 2013

Certified Lean Six Sigma Sensei, Villanova University, June, 2012

Master’s Certificate in Organizational Leadership, Villanova University, 2012

Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.), State of Pennsylvania, Since September, 1991

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