Tim Russert, James Carville, E.J. Dionne, Peggy Noonan, Ed Gillespie to Discuss 'Catholic Politicians in the U.S.: Their Faith and Public Policy' at Boston College February 27

    CHESTNUT HILL, Mass., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Can a Catholic politician
 balance a dual loyalty to the Church and to the American people?
     As the relationship between religion and politics continues to concern and
 in some cases divide Americans, five of the most prominent U.S. Catholic
 political analysts from across the conservative-liberal spectrum -- together
 on stage for the first time -- will be at Boston College on Monday, February
 27 at 7:00 p.m. for a public discussion of "Catholic Politicians in the U.S.:
 Their Faith and Public Policy."
     The event is free and open to the public, and is expected to draw more
 than 4,000 attendees, among them political, civic and religious leaders, as
 well as scholars and students.
     The event's theme arises from the history of the relationship between the
 Catholic Church and the institutions of American democracy. Topics likely to
 be addressed include the national debate over right-to-life and end-of-life
 issues, as well as matters of morality, family values and social justice, cast
 in light of the relationship between political decision-making and Church
 teaching.
     James Carville, Democratic political strategist and news commentator, and
 E.J. Dionne, nationally syndicated Washington Post columnist and Brookings
 Institution senior fellow, will join Edward W. Gillespie, political strategist
 and former Republican National Committee chair, and Peggy Noonan, Wall Street
 Journal columnist and former Republican presidential assistant, in addressing
 the broad range of contemporary issues facing U.S. Catholic politicians.
     The discussion will be moderated by Tim Russert, host of NBC's "Meet the
 Press" and political analyst for "NBC Nightly News" and the "Today Show."
 
     WHAT:   "Catholic Politicians in the U.S.: Their Faith and Public Policy"
     WHO:    Tim Russert, James Carville, E.J. Dionne, Ed Gillespie, Peggy
             Noonan
     WHEN:   Monday, February 27, 2006 at 7:00 p.m.
     WHERE:  Silvio Conte Forum, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass.
 
     It is sponsored by Boston College's Church in the 21st Century Center,
 which seeks to be a catalyst and resource for the renewal of the Catholic
 Church in the United States by engaging critical issues facing the Catholic
 community. The Center is an outgrowth of Boston College's Church in the 21st
 Century initiative, which was the first response of any Catholic university in
 the nation to the clergy sexual abuse crisis.
 
     MEDIA CONTACT: Advance registration is required for this event. For more
 information or to reserve attendance and parking, contact BC Director of
 Public Affairs Jack Dunn at 617-552-3350 or dunnjo@bc.edu
 
 

SOURCE  Boston College