Catholic Studies

As an integral part of the Ethics and Public Policy Center for more than thirty years, the Catholic Studies program explores the many connections between Catholicism and public life and seeks to clarify and deepen knowledge of modern Catholic social thought. We serve as a prominent reference point for government officials, members of Congress, and journalists seeking to understand the social doctrine of the Catholic Church and its application to public-policy questions. We argue for the robust moral and cultural foundations needed to sustain a society that is both free and virtuous.

EPPC Distinguished Senior Fellow George Weigel, who holds the William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies, is one of America’s leading public intellectuals and one of the most prominent Catholic thinkers in the world. His annual William E. Simon lecture provides a prominent forum for his work and has spawned influential essays, articles, and books.

EPPC’s Catholic Studies program runs the Tertio Millennio Seminar on the Free Society, an annual summer seminar on Catholic social teaching and the thought of Pope John Paul II.

EPPC Kate O’Beirne Fellow Mary Rice Hasson also directs EPPC’s Catholic Women’s Forum, which helps shape conversations in the Church and in the culture—about marriage and family, gender and sexuality, the role of women, religious liberty, and the dignity of human life—through expert commentary, presentations, scholarly articles, and in national and international conferences.

Other scholars affiliated with the Catholic Studies Program are EPPC Senior Fellow Francis X. Maier, EPPC Fellow Stephen P. White, EPPC Cardinal Francis George Fellow Mary FioRito, and EPPC Postdoctoral Fellow Gabrielle Girgis.

Please direct all inquiries about the Catholic Studies Program to:

Ella Ramsay
Catholic Studies Program Coordinator
202-715-3496
[email protected]

Program Publications

View all

Pilgrims of Hope

Stephen P. White

A new year is a time of optimism and hope, a time for a fresh start. For many people, the…

Articles

The Catholic Thing / January 9, 2025

Stacked Decks, “Conversations in the Spirit,” and the Catholic Future

George Weigel

Various cultures—English, Turkish, Chinese—claim to have invented the maxim, “The fish rots from the head down” (a favorite in your…

Articles

Syndicated Column / January 8, 2025

On the Ninth Day of Christmas

Francis X. Maier

In our house, we cling to the Christmas season like survivors of a torpedoed steamer.  The tree stays up until…

Articles

The Catholic Thing / January 3, 2025

Jubilee 2025: New Year’s Resolutions and Resources

George Weigel

Jubilee 2025 began on Christmas Eve 2024, with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s in Rome, and…

Articles

Syndicated Column / January 2, 2025

On the Feast of Stephen

Stephen P. White

Duke Václav I, sometimes called Václav the Good, ruled over Bohemia during the first half of the tenth century. Christianity…

Articles

The Catholic Thing / December 26, 2024

Embassy Vatican: Some Demystifications

George Weigel

A change of presidential administrations typically leads to changes in U.S. diplomatic personnel abroad, especially at the ambassadorial level. This,…

Articles

Syndicated Column / December 18, 2024

The Problem with Comfort and Joy

Francis X. Maier

Year in and year out, the weeks of Advent and Christmas are a time for carols.  In our home, they…

Articles

The Catholic Thing / December 18, 2024

Program Media

View all

George Weigel on Faith and Culture

The Catholic Conversation / December 10, 2025

George Weigel on the Martyrs of Communism

Hudson Institute / November 15, 2024

George Weigel discusses John Paul II, Human Work, and the Work of the Church

Ethics and Public Policy Center / November 13, 2024

Mary Rice Hasson, Francis Maier, and Noelle Mering on Man, Woman, and the Order of Creation

Franciscan University of Steubenville / October 24, 2024

Mary FioRito discusses Catholic Concerns in the 2024 Election

The Drew Mariani Show / October 25, 2024

George Weigel discusses Religious Freedom, Just War, and Sovereignty of Nations Yesterday and Today

Angelicum / October 22, 2024

George Weigel on why he’s skeptical of the synod

Jesuitical / October 18, 2024