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Catholic Church and the World

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The Catholic Church has developed teachings on justice and peace that address global challenges of economic and social development, democracy and human rights, conflict resolution, and interreligious dialogue. Through research, teaching, and outreach activities the Berkley Center addresses the changing role of the Church and the world, with a focus on the building a Culture of Encounter, one of the priorities of Pope Francis.

Our Experts

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Thomas Banchoff

Director
Department of Government and Walsh School of Foreign Service, Vice President for Global Engagement

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José Casanova

Senior Fellow
Professor Emeritus

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David Hollenbach

Senior Fellow
Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of Theology and Religious Studies

Project Spotlight

Silent Peace Vigil with Sign for the Anniversary of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Atomic Bombs

The Church and Nuclear Issues

From the very beginning, nuclear weapons have been controversial. In response to this grave global threat the Berkley Center explored the policy, ethical, and moral challenges involved in moving toward a world without nuclear weapons.

Current and Past Projects

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Education and Social Justice Project

The Education and Social Justice (ESJ) Fellowship provides students with the opportunity to conduct in-depth examinations of innovative educational initiatives, with a focus on the work of Jesuit secondary and post-secondary institutions.
Antique Globe on Stand

The Jesuits and Globalization

Over three years the Berkley Center’s Tom Banchoff and Jose Casanova led an interdisciplinary project on the Jesuits and globalization. The project convened an international group of scholars to explore the historical contributions of the Jesuits to…

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Videos

March 9, 2026

Catholic Women’s Leadership to Advance the Common Good

Duration: 1 hours 3 minutes

February 20, 2026

Democracy and the Culture of Encounter

Duration: 1 hours 17 minutes

November 4, 2025

Equality Justice and Peace A Catholic Vision for Reconciliation in Israel Palestine Today

Duration: 1 hours 2 minutes

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Events

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Publications

Brochure February 20, 2026

Women Faith Leaders Fellowship 2025-2026 Brochure

The Women Faith Leaders Fellowship is a 10-month professional fellowship that cultivates leadership and advocacy skills among Catholic sisters in Africa, accompanying them in their work to champion progress for women and girls.

Other Publications

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Blog Posts

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December 10, 2025

Ignatian Spirituality as Reparative Practice

This Berkley Forum asks: What can Ignatian spirituality contribute to this work? If Pope Francis was right, it should help us reorganize our lives so that we can participate more fully in God’s restorative action. How can this spiritual tradition, which is foundational to Georgetown’s mission, become a source of both personal and social transformation?
Examples of the Person I Want to Be

September 26, 2025

Examples of the Person I Want to Be

Emma van den Dijssel reflects on her experience as a 2024-2025 Global Citizenship fellow and the IAJU Assembly in Bogotá, Colombia.

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Interviews

Discover the firsthand experiences of faith leaders, activists, and peacebuilding practitioners working on issues ranging from development and education to conflict resolution and foreign policy.

For over a decade, Berkley Center scholars and students have been conducting interviews with individuals working at the intersection of religion and world affairs. These discussions offer unique insights into the inner workings of a wide spectrum of professions touched by religion with interviewees ranging from the highest levels of leadership of international organizations to on-the-ground practitioners. Explore individual interviews here or follow links to our interview collections below:

Recent Interviews

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