The Pope, Papal Politics and Apologies: Our Experts Can Help

Last month, Pope Francis made an historic trip to Canada. It was the first time in 35 years that a pope had visited an Indigenous community. It was also significant because it was deemed "a penitential pilgrimage" with the purpose of apologizing for the role of the Catholic Church in the abuse of Indigenous children in residential schools.

The visit was covered extensively by media from across the globe, and each story came with questions regarding papal policy, religious context and historical interpretation. That's where experts like Massimo Faggioli, PhD, a Villanova University professor who studies the history and administrative inner workings of the Catholic Church, answered the call.

As quoted in The Washington Post: "Massimo Faggioli, a professor of theology at Villanova University, said the pope 'smartly framed' the issue of the Church’s role in the residential school system 'inside a wider picture that he's been working on for many years now, which he calls 'ideological colonization'... 'He believes that, as Catholics, we're part of the historical problem, but we're also part of the solution...'"

Reporting on the Vatican, papal politics and the pope requires experts—and that's where Villanova can help.

Dr. Faggioli, among other University professors, is currently available to speak with media regarding the pontiff and the Catholic Church; simply click on his icon above to arrange an interview today.