Stephen F. Schneck, Ph.D., an extensively published Catholic University of America faculty member, will speak at Fairfield University about the pivotal role Catholics will play in the 2012 presidential election, on Thursday, October 25, 2012, at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public, Dr. Schneck's talk, "American Catholic Citizenship: 2012," is Fairfield University's 19th annual Christopher F. Mooney, S.J. Lecture in Theology, Religion & Society. It will take place in the Dolan School of Business Dining Room.

"To be a faithful Catholic in today's American politics is to be somewhat homeless," said Dr. Schneck, director of the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies at The Catholic University of America. "Neither political party is wholly in accord with our Church's moral and social teachings and citizenship is ever an exercise of prudence. And, yet, the Catholic teachings on the dignity of the person, subsidiarity, solidarity and most especially our ideal of the common good are desperately needed in contemporary American political life."

Appointed as director of the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies in 2005, Dr. Schneck comes to the Institute from an academic career in political science. His recent work has focused on the role of religion in democracy. He has sought to enlarge the breadth of the Institute's work, in order to address a wide array of contemporary public policies through rigorous academic research. Under his leadership, the Institute has grown to more than forty fellows.

A well-known Washington-area public lecturer, with frequent media appearances, Dr. Schneck has also been honored for his teaching. He has been named Teacher of the Year three times at The Catholic University of America, and has received several other teaching awards. Schneck's research is in the field of political philosophy, with special emphases on 18th century American political thought and on contemporary continental political theory. Publications include works on American political thought (on the Constitution, or on figures such as Alexis de Tocqueville) as well as on contemporary continental authors. Among his many published works are two book length studies on Max Scheler and an edited work on Fred Dallmayr.

Presented by Fairfield University's Center for Catholic Studies, the Christopher F. Mooney, S.J., lecture is an annual event sponsored by the Office of the Academic Vice President and the Department of Religious Studies. The lecture honors the late Fr. Mooney, a prolific author and a former Fairfield University academic vice president.

All Center for Catholic Studies events held on campus are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Elyse Raby, administrative coordinator, at (203) 254-4000, ext. 3415, or visit www.fairfield.edu/cs/ .

Photo courtesy of The Catholic University of America.

Posted On: 10-11-2012 11:10 AM

Volume: 45 Number: 80