January 16, 2018

The following Catholic University professors are available to serve as experts on issues related to bioethics, the pro-life movement, and other topics related to the respect of life.

Click on an expert's name for more information on their expertise and links to recent media appearances. For assistance in reaching sources, contact Katie Lee or Mary McCarthy Hines in the Office of Marketing and Communications at communications@cua.edu or 202-319-5600.

  • John Grabowski, associate professor of moral theology, can comment on topics related to morality and ethics. He has researched and written about beginning of life issues such as abortion and personhood, reproductive technologies, and moral dilemmas related to embryo adoption. He serves as a theological advisor to the USCCB's Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family and Youth. Contact Grabowski at grabowski@cua.edu

  • Chad Pecknold, associate professor of theology, is a highly sought-after expert on religion and public life. He is available to comment on how Christian beliefs influence voters and politicians alike, especially on highly contested topics such as abortion, euthanasia, marriage, and religious liberty. Contact Pecknold at pecknold@cua.edu

  • Mark Rienzi, professor of law, is an expert on issues related to religious liberty, free speech and abortion. Through his work as senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Rienzi has represented a wide range of clients with religious liberty or speech claims related to abortion, including peaceful sidewalk counselors, pro-life pregnancy centers, medical professionals with conscientious objections to participating in abortion, and employers who cannot provide health insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs and devices. Contact Rienzi at rienzi@law.edu or 202-319-4970.

  • Lucia Silecchia, professor of law, is an expert on legal issues pertaining to the elderly and disabled, and assisted suicide. She provided commentary to Crux and Catholic News Agency with respect to the Supreme Court decision, Whole Women's Health v. Hellerstedt, a landmark case striking down Texas’s safety regulations for abortion clinics. Contact Silecchia at silecchia@law.edu or 202-903-5560.
To search for other Catholic University faculty who serve as experts for the media, visit the online Experts Guide or contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at communications@cua.edu for more assistance.