Vatican Reporters to Speak at Holy Cross

WORCESTER, Mass. – On Monday, October 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rehm Library Vatican reporters Robert Blair Kaiser and John Allen will present "From Vatican II to the Next Papacy," a joint lecture addressing the coverage of news stories in the Vatican and the issues surrounding the next conclave. The lecture is free and open to the public. Kaiser and Allen will be available to sign copies of their books.

Acclaimed for his Time magazine coverage of Vatican II, Robert Blair Kaiser spent ten years in the Society of Jesus before pursuing a career in journalism. He is the author of numerous magazine articles and eight books, including Clerical Error: A True Story (Continuum, 2002), a memoir which chronicles his years as a correspondent during Vatican II. Kaiser resides in Rome where he works as a contributing editor for Newsweek magazine.

John Allen currently serves as Rome bureau chief for the National Catholic Reporter. His written work has appeared in publications around the world. His weekly internet column "The World from Rome" is considered one of the best sources of insight into current Vatican affairs in the world. His most recent book is titled Conclave: The Politics, Personalities and Process of the Next Papal Election (Doubleday, May 2002). Allen has appeared on numerous television programs and will be the lead analyst for the Fox News network during the next papal conclave.

This lecture, on the 40th anniversary of Vatican II, is sponsored by the Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture at the College of the Holy Cross.