Speakers Bureau
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good's Voices for the Common Good Commentators address reporters, producers, and other members of the media as Catholic faith leaders. Each can speak with authority on different aspects of Catholic Teaching and its proper role in public life on such issues as health care, immigration reform and the environment.
To arrange interviews with the members of Voices for the Common Good, please contact John Gehring at (202) 429-9683 or at jgehring@catholicsinalliance.org.
Voices for the Common Good: Catholic Commentators
Simone Campbell
An expert on War and Peace-Just War, Simone Campbell, an attorney and Sister of Social Service, is the Executive Director of NETWORK, a Catholic leader in the global movement for justice and peace that educates, organizes and lobbies for economic and social transformation.
Rev. Charles L. Currie, SJ, President, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities
An expert on The Catholic Church, Father Currie has served as AJCU president since August, 1997. He is responsible for coordinating the work of the Association, and is the liaison between American Jesuit higher education and other civic, academic and religious entities.
Patricia A. Daly, OP, Executive Director, Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment
An expert on Economics,Environment, Patricia Daly is a Dominican Sister of Caldwell and serves as the Executive Director of the Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment, an organization of 35 Catholic Dioceses and Religious Congregations in the NY metropolitan area. Sr.
Sharon E. Dillon SSJ-TOSF
An expert in Environment and Catholic Church issues, Franciscan Sister and author Sister Sharon Dillon is a respected leader, administrator and retreat facilitator. As a 15-year master Special Educator and Franciscan Spiritual Director, Dillon is working toward her second M.A. at Washington Theological Union with a focus on the integration of theology and Franciscan spirituality.
Rev. Daniel Gerard Groody, CSC, Director of the Center for Latino Spirituality and Culture at the Institute for Latino Studies
An expert on Immigration, Fr. Groody is a member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross and an expert on migration issues.
David Hollenbach, SJ, Director, Center for Human Rights and International Justice, Boston College
An expert on Human Rights, Religion and Politics, and The Catholic Church, Fr. Hollenbach teaches Theological Ethics and Christian Social Ethics, with research focus in the areas of the common good, human rights, theory of justice, the role of the religion in social and political life, and humanitarian crises and forced migration.
Rev. Michael P. Jacques, SSE, VF, Director of the Council of Deans - Archdiocese of New Orleans
An expert on Homelessness-Housing, Rev. Michael P. Jacques, SSE, VF has been the Pastor of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in New Orleans, LA since 1984. He is also Director of the Council of Deans for the Archdiocese of New Orleans and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Providence CDC, a Catholic Housing Organization.
Rev. Richard Ryscavage, SJ, Director of the Center for Faith in Public Life, Professor of Sociology, Fairfield University
An expert on Immigration and Religion and Politics, The Rev. Richard Ryscavage, S.J., is professor of sociology and international studies and director of Fairfield University's Center for Faith and Public Life. Fr. Ryscavage served previously as national director of the Jesuit Refugee Service/USA. He set up the first program to provide religious coordinators for immigration detention facilities of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Fr. Fred L. Thelen, Pastor, Cristo Rey Church, Lansing, MI, Chairperson, Pax Christi Michigan
An expert on War and Peace-Just War, Fr. Thelen was ordained in 1980 and early in his clerical career helped to establish the Office of Peace and Justice Ministry for the Diocese of Lansing, MI. From 1988 to 1993 he served as an Associate Maryknoll Missionary in Peru.
Mary Waskowiak, RSM, President, The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
An expert on Immigration, The Catholic Church, and The War and Peace-Just War issue, Mary Waskowiak, RSM, was elected President of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas in July 2005,
Lisa Sowle Cahill, Ph.D., Donald Monan Professor of Theology, Boston College
An expert on The Catholic Church and War and Peace-Just War, Lisa Sowle Cahill is the J. Donald Monan Professor of Theology at Boston College, where she has taught since 1976 on the history of Christian Ethics, Catholic Social and Sexual Ethics, Bioethics and the Ethics of War and Peace.
Dr. Arturo Chávez, Ph.D., Director of Programs, The Mexican American Cultural Center
An expert on Immigration and Poverty, Dr. Arturo Chávez, Ph.D. is the Director of Programs for the Mexican American Cultural Center. He has worked for over twenty five years in a variety of ministries - teacher, youth minister, chaplain to incarcerated youth, community organizer and activist, and as a CEO of a social justice, faith-based organization.
Chuck Collins, Director of the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies
An expert on Economics, Chuck Collins is director of the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies. He is also founder and director of Business for Shared Prosperity, a national network of business leaders supporting “high road” economic policies.
Marie Dennis, Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
An expert on Economics,War and Peace/Just War, Ms. Dennis is director of the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, and serves as co-president of Pax Christi International and a Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace. She holds an M.A. in Moral Theology from Washington Theological Union and is co-author or author of six books on the spirituality of social justice, peace and the integrity of creation.
Miguel H. Díaz, Ph.D, Professor of Theology, College of St. Benedict/ St. John's University
An expert on The Catholic Church, Miguel H. Díaz is Professor of Theology in the department of theology at the College of St. Benedict / St. John’s University and the graduate School of Theology at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN. He received his doctorate in Systematic Theology from the University of Notre Dame.
David O'Brien, Ph.D., Loyola Professor of Catholic Studies, The College of the Holy Cross
An expert on Religion and Politics and The Catholic Church, David O'Brien is Loyola Professor of Catholic Studies at the College of the Holy Cross. He has written six books on the history of American Catholicism and has served as President of the American Catholic Historical Association.
Kathleen Maas Weigert, Ph.D., Exec. Dir., The Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service, Georgetown University
An expert on Poverty and War and Peace-Just War, Kathleen Maas Weigert is the Executive Director of the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service at Georgetown University.
John Kenneth White
An expert on Religion and Politics, John Kenneth White is a Professor of Politics at the Catholic University of America.
Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor of history and international relations, Boston University
Andrew J. Bacevich is professor of history and international relations at Boston University. A graduate of the U. S. Military Academy, he received his Ph. D. in American diplomatic history from Princeton. Before joining the faculty of Boston University in 1998, he taught at West Point and at Johns Hopkins.
Tom Greene, SJ, Research Fellow, Jesuit Social Research Institute (JSRI), Loyola University, New Orleans
An expert on Immigration, Fr. Greene is a lawyer and advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. He is currently a research fellow at the Jesuit Social Research Institute at Loyola University in New Orleans, where he is also a visiting professor.
Joan F. Neal, President, Leading Edge Consulting
An expert in international social justice, Catholic social teaching, global solidarity and pastoral leadership, Ms. Neal’s consulting practice specializes in leadership development and strategic planning for non-profit organizations, particularly faith-based groups. As Executive Vice President of U.S. Operations at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Baltimore, MD, she led CRS’ mission of serving Catholics in the United States and directed all aspects of the agency’s domestic advocacy, education and engagement. Ms. Neal established partnerships with dioceses, parishes, universities and other faith-based organizations to mobilize a grassroots movement to address global issues of justice, peace and solidarity. Prior to joining CRS, Ms. Neal was President of JF Neal & Associates, Inc., served as Associate Director of Leadership Greater Chicago, a leadership development program and network and held a variety of executive management positions for multinational banks.
