May 22, 2014
Experts at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., are available to discuss the Pope's trip to the Holy Land May 24 through 26. On his trip - intended to advance ecumenical relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church - the pontiff will pray for peace in the region and meet with Muslim, Jewish, and Israeli authorities in Jerusalem. The motto for the trip is ut unum sint (That they may be one.)
For assistance in reaching sources, contact Katie Lee or Mary McCarthy Hines at 202-319-5600 or cua-public-affairs@cua.edu.
• CATHOLIC CHURCH AND PAPACY - Very Rev. Mark Morozowich , dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies, can address general questions about the Catholic Church and the papacy. In addition, he is an authority on early Christian liturgy and eastern Churches (Orthodox and Catholic) as well as the history of liturgical celebrations in Jerusalem. Father Morozowich can comment on the importance of the Pope as the guarantor of unity.
To interview Father Morozowich, contact the Office of Public Affairs.
• CATHOLIC-ORTHODOX RELATIONS - Monsignor Paul McPartlan , Carl J. Peter Professor of Systematic Theology and Ecumenism, is an expert in ecclesiology, ecumenism (especially Catholic-Orthodox relations), the Eucharist, and Vatican II. He is the author of the book A Service of Love: Papal Primacy, the Eucharist, and Church Unity.
Contact Monsignor McPartlan at 202-319-6515 or mcpartlan@cua.edu.
• POLITICAL THEOLOGY - Chad C. Pecknold , assistant professor of theology, teaches fundamental theology and political theology. Pecknold is the author of Transforming Postliberal Theology and Christianity and Politics: A Brief Guide to the History. He is currently writing on the Catholic political imagination, Church-state relations, and religious liberty.
Contact Pecknold at 202-319-6899 or pecknold@cua.edu.
• CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM RELATIONS - Wilhelmus G. Valkenberg , professor of religion and culture, is an expert in Christian-Muslim relations, interreligious dialogue, comparative theology, and medieval theology. Director of Catholic University's Institute for Interreligious Study and Dialogue, he is the author of the book World Religions in Dialogue: A Comparative Theological Approach.
Contact Valkenberg at 202-319-6517 or Valkenberg@cua.edu.
To search for other CUA faculty who serve as experts for the media, visit the online Faculty Experts Guide at: http://publicaffairs.cua.edu/experts/ or contact the Office of Public Affairs for more assistance at 202-319-5600.