Reese Kicks Off the William H. Shannon Lecture Series
Widely known expert on the Catholic Church in the U.S., Thomas Reese, S.J. will be presenting Pope Francis and the Challenge of Reforming the Church on Thursday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Forum of the Otto A. Shults Center. Reese will also present Listening to the Laity: Pope Francis and the Upcoming Synod on the Family on Friday, September 12 at 1:30 p.m. in Linehan Chapel of the Golisano Academic Center. Both lectures are free and open to the public. Nazareth College is located at 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, N.Y., 14618. For further information, contact Christine M. Bochen at (585) 389-2728 or at cbochen4@naz.edu.
Reese is a senior analyst for the National Catholic Reporter and brings a variety of experience by being a tax reform lobbyist, a public policy analyst, and a writer and editor. From 1998 to 2005, he served as editor-in-chief of America, a national Catholic weekly magazine published by the Jesuits in the U.S. He is the author of a trilogy on the Catholic Church that includes Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church (1996), he has written for a variety of publications, such as the Washington Post’s blog On Faith and the Huffington Post.
In May 2014, President Barack Obama appointed Reese to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent bipartisan group that makes policy recommendations to the president, the secretary of state, and Congress.
The Shannon Lecture Series honors William H. Shannon, former professor of religious at Nazareth College. Father Shannon advanced the educational mission of Nazareth College and contributed significantly to Catholic intellectual life, both nationally and internationally. This school year, the Lecture Series aim to answer the question posed by Father Shannon in his last book, “How can we get the voice of God’s people heard in the Church?” Reese’s interest in the public allows him to help the Nazareth Community explore how the Church of the Third Millennium will be the Church of the people of God.
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
