THE CATHOLIC PROJECT

Clergy and Laity Together

An initiative from The Catholic University of America to foster
effective collaboration between the clergy and the laity of the Church
in the wake of the sexual abuse crisis.

Watch Video

National Study of Catholic Priests

Well-being, Trust, and Policy in a Time of Crisis

The largest priesthood study in over 50 years
looking at the Church's response to abuse.
Watch the presentation

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Current Projects

National Study of Catholic Priests

National survey of Catholic priests and bishops about the impact of the abuse crisis

National Eucharistic Revival

Catholic U. is fully engaged with the USCCB's call for renewed devotion to the Eucharist

Synod on Synodality

Catholic University participated in a synod series in the Spring of 2022

Diocesan Bankruptcy

Sharing Marie Reilly's work on diocesan bankruptcy

What We Do

The Catholic Project brings together clergy and laity to address the challenges that the Catholic Church faces in the U.S. As the bishops’ university, Catholic University is uniquely situated to bring about needed change in accordance with its mission, “to discover and impart the truth through excellence in teaching and research, all in service to the Church, the nation and the world.”

The Catholic Project addresses accountability, transparency, evangelization, reform, and renewal. The facets of our work include education and formation, research, events, and media.

Our Work

News & Commentary

Unpacking news and information

Sara's column
What You Need to Know about the Kate Middleton Drama and Our Humanity
Sara Perla writes for OSV on the Kate Middleton drama on social media and what it shows about human nature. “The better part of our nature, the part that wants… Read More
Stephen's Column
How to Build a Healthy Culture
Stephen White of Catholic University reflects on the meaning of culture and asks how either side in the culture wars defines “winning”: “In culture, as in the Church, growth and… Read More
Stephen's Column
A Long Way to Go
Stephen P. White of Catholic University writes five years after the 2019 summit in Rome on clergy abuse: “Surveying these three cases – Barros, Zanchetta, and Rupnik – raises concerns… Read More
Stephen's Column
Lows and Highs of Good Citizenship
Stephen P. White of Catholic University writes on the responsibilities of citizenship. “The good citizen worships God because that is what the creature owes his Creator in justice. In worshiping… Read More
Stephen's Column
Nature, Grace, and Plum Brandy
Stephen White of Catholic University reflects on the lessons of the Tertio Millennio Seminar: “Our seminar does nothing to teach Catholic social doctrine more effectively than by giving our young… Read More
Stephen's Column
Some Hopeful, Tentative, New Year Predictions
Stephen White of Catholic University makes predictions about 2024 in the Church and the U.S.: “For all this, January is also a good time for prognostications. Now is as good… Read More
Uncategorized
A Catholic Project Making a Difference (Podcast)
Stephen White of Catholic University was featured on a podcast with Robert Royal of The Catholic Thing this week. PODCAST: A Catholic Project Making a Difference (with Stephen White)
Stephen's Column
The Holy Innocents
Stephen White of Catholic University reflects on the feast of the Holy Innocents, held during the octave of Christmas. “Jesus was born into a dangerous and troubled world, but His… Read More

Collaboration Between Clergy & Laity

Over 50 years ago, Vatican II articulated the role of the laity in the Catholic Church in a document entitled Lumen Gentium. All members of the Church, not just the clergy, “contribute toward the renewal and building up of the Church.” Lumen Gentium says pastors should “willingly employ” the “prudent advice” of the lay faithful, and “confidently assign duties to them” in service to the Church. With the help of the laity, “pastors can more clearly and more incisively come to decisions regarding both spiritual and temporal matters.“

The Catholic University of America is uniquely situated to be a place where laity and clergy can come together in a spirit of mutual respect and charity to address the most challenging issues of our times. We believe, in the words of Lumen Gentium, that by drawing on the contributions of all its members, “the entire Church . . . may more effectively fulfill its mission for the life of the world.”

Our Mission

A new state of affairs today both in the Church and in social, economic, political and cultural life, calls with a particular urgency for the action of the lay faithful.
—  St. John Paul II,   Christifideles Laici, 3

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