As the world marks the historic installation of the first Jesuit pope, alumni and other interested audiences are invited to take part in a discussion on this event. On March 20 at 7 p.m. EDT, Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies and director of the College Honors Program at Holy Cross, will give a live web lecture titled "The Election of Pope Francis: What Does It Mean for Global Catholicism?"
The lecture will address the election of the Argentinian pope and whether that will mean a shift in the Church's focus to the developing world and how that might impact American Catholicism.
Schmalz is an expert in Catholicism in the non-Western world; new religious movements, including Scientology; and religion and politics of India and Pakistan. He is a frequently sought-after expert by the media, and serves as a panelist for On Faith, an online conversation on religion produced by The Washington Post.
At the end of the 15-minute presentation, Schmalz will answer viewer questions submitted online. Viewers can submit questions at any time during the lecture by using our chat room. He will also be accepting questions via Twitter (#hclive or @hcalumni), email (hcalumni@holycross.edu), or Facebook.
Bookmark the online location and be sure to tune in at 7 p.m. on March 20.
This special event is presented by the Office of Alumni Relations and the Alumni Education Program in collaboration with the Office of Public Affairs.
Related Information:
- Holy Cross Community Weighs in on New Pope, Future of Catholic Church
- Fr. Boroughs on the Election of Pope Francis
- Holy Cross Faculty Experts Share Insights on Papal Conclave, Benedict’s Successor with the Media
