Media Experts for Pope Francis’ Visit

Trinity, founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame, is one of the nation’s oldest Catholic women’s colleges and is just steps away from where Pope Francis will say Mass in D.C. on September 23. Need an expert on Pope Francis’ impact on education, social justice and human rights? Looking for a perspective on his mastery of social media? Or searching for a Catholic woman’s view of how Pope Francis is changing Catholicism? You’ve come to the right place! Contact Ann Pauley, 202-884-9725, pauleya@trinitydc.edu or the contacts below.

President Patricia McGuire

President Pat McGuire, one of the longest serving university presidents in the country, is a nationally recognized leader in higher education, a passionate advocate for women, and strong believer in the transformative power of education. A graduate of Trinity and Georgetown Law, she became president in 1989 and transformed the institution and more than doubled enrollment, primarily serving low-income, first generation students from D.C. and the surrounding region. She witnessed Pope John Paul’s visit to Trinity’s campus in 1979 and was a television commentator for his visit to Denver for World Youth Day in 1993. She reflected on the influence of Pope Benedict after participating in his meeting with Catholic college and university presidents in Washington in 2008. She writes on a wide range of issues for the Huffington Post, where her blog post, Confessions of an Altar Boy Wannabe, addressed the issues of women in the Catholic Church. Read her full bio and her Trinity blog. Contact: president@trinitydc.edu and follow her on Twitter @TrinityPrez

Sr. Camilla Burns, SND, PhD, ’60, Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies, offers a unique perspective on the Pope, having served in Rome as the Congregational Leader Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, 2002-2008. Prior to joining the Trinity faculty, she was a professor of biblical studies at Liverpool Hope University, and before serving in Rome, she was an associate professor and director of the Institute of Pastoral Studies, Loyola University Chicago. Her doctoral thesis focused on “The Heroine with a Thousand Faces: Woman Wisdom in Proverbs 1-9.” To reach her, contact Ann Pauley at pauleya@trinitydc.edu, 202-884-9725.

Sr. Mary Johnson

Sr. Mary Johnson, SND, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies, is the co-author of a groundbreaking new book, New Generations of Catholic Sisters: The Challenge of Diversity and is a recognized expert on the contemporary experience of religious women. Her scholarly interests include the sociology of religion, Catholic social teaching, women in the Church, and the demographics of the U.S. Catholic church, especially Catholic youth. To reach her, contact Ann Pauley at pauleya@trinitydc.edu, 202-884-9725.