Leadership

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Catholic Common Ground Initiative is guided by an Advisory Committee and is composed of clergy, religious, academics, business leaders, and others dedicated to intrachurch dialogue. Scroll down for the full list of advisory committee members.

STAFF

The Catholic Common Ground Initiative maintains its identity and programming through the hard work and dedication of four staff members, some of which work at Catholic Theological Union and others who serve the wider church in different capacities.

Rev. Michael Place, S.T.D.

Chairman of the Advisory Committee

Fr. Place is a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and has held several important academic and professional positions, including serving as the president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association. He worked on Cardinal Bernardin’s personal staff for nearly fourteen years.

Steven P. Millies, Ph.D.

Director

Steve Millies is associate professor of public theology and director of The Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. His most recent book, Good Intentions: A History of Catholic Voters’ Road from Roe to Trump, was published by Liturgical Press in 2018.

Peter Cunningham

Associate Director, the Bernardin Center

Peter Cunningham received a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Marquette University. Prior to becoming Associate Director, Peter served as Administrative Assistant and Programs Coordinator of both the Bernardin Center and Center for the Study of Consecrated Life.

Advisory Committee

FOUNDER
Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, D.D. †

CHAIR
Rev. Michael D. Place, S.T.D.
Franciscan Health
Mishawaka, IN

MEMBERS

Kevin Glauber Ahern, Ph.D.
Manhattan College
New York, NY

Robert C. Bordone
The Bordone Group
Cambridge, MA

Most Rev. John Michael Botean, D.D.
Romanian Catholic Eparchy of St. George’s in Canton
Canton, OH

Dcn. Paul Covino
Assumption College
Worcester, MA

Peter Denio
National Leadership Rountable on Church Management
Washington, D.C.

Most Rev. Timothy L. Doherty, S.T.L., Ph.D.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana
Lafayette, Indiana

Sr. Sharon Euart, R.S.M., J.C.D.
Resource Center for Religious Institutes
Silver Spring, MD

Darren Henson PhD
Chicago, IL

Rev. Francis J. Hoffman, JCD
Relevant Radio
Green Bay, WI

Nichole M. Flores, Ph.D.
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA

Richard R. Gaillardetz, Ph.D.
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA

Sr. Doris Gottemoeller, R.S.M., Ph.D.
Mercy Education Collaborative of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH

Diana L. Hayes, J.D., S.T.D., Ph.D.
Stone Mountain, GA

Most Rev. Martin D. Holley, D.D.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
Washington, D.C.

Sr. Mary Johnson, S.N.D.de N., Ph.D.
Trinity Washington University
Washington, D.C.

Most Rev. Gerald F. Kicanas, S.T.L., Ph.D.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson
Tucson, AZ

Diana Macalintal
TeamRCIA
San José, CA

Sheila M. McLaughlin
Chicago, IL

Steven P. Millies, Ph.D.
The Bernardin Center for Theology and Ministry at Catholic Theological Union
Chicago, IL

Daniel R. Murray, J.D.
Jenner & Block, LLP
Chicago, IL

Br. Seoirse Murray
Holy Resurrection Monastery
St. Nazianz, WI

Ms. Brenda Noriega
Diocese of San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA

Thomas L. P. O’Donnell, L.L.B.
Boston, MA

Michael O’Loughlin
America Media
Chicago, IL

Sr. Catherine Patten, RSHM
Provincial Superior Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary
Tarrytown, NY

Most Rev. Ricardo Ramírez, C.S.B., D.D.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces
Las Cruces, NM

Sr. Katarina Schuth, O.S.F., S.T.L., Ph.D.
The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity of the University of St. Thomas
St. Paul, MN

Rev. Msgr. Dennis F. Sheehan, S.T.D.
Sacred Heart & Our Lady’s Collaborative
Newton, MA

Lisa Sowle Cahill, Ph.D.
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA

Rev. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D.
Magis Center
Garden Grove, CA

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., D.D.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
Newark, NJ

Amelia J. Uelmen, J.D., S.J.D.
Georgetown University Law Center
Washington, D.C.

Most Rev. Michael W. Warfel, D.D.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Great Falls-Billings
Great Falls, MT

Rev. D. Reginald Whitt, O.P., J.D., J.C.D.
University of St. Thomas School of Law
Minneapolis, MN

Past Members

R. Scott Appleby, Ph.D.
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN

Sidney Callahan, Ph.D.
The Hastings Center
Garrison, NY

Peter J. Casarella, Ph.D.
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN

Hon. Robert P. Casey, J.D. †

Rev. Brian E. Daley, S.J., D.Phil.
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN

Rev. Cyprian Davis, O.S.B., S.T.L., Ph.D. †

Ana María Díaz-Stevens, Ph.D.
East Stroudsburg, PA

Sr. Kathleen Dolphin, P.B.V.M., Ph.D.
Dubuque, IA

Thomas J. Donnelly, J.D. †

Rev. Virgilio Elizondo, S.T.D., Ph.D. †

Mary Ann Glendon, J.D., LL.M.
Harvard Law School
Cambridge, MA

Most Rev. Wilton D. Gregory, S.L.D.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA

Paul J. Griffiths, Ph.D.
Duke Divinity School
Durham, NC

Rev. J. Bryan Hehir, Th.D.
Harvard Kennedy School
Cambridge, MA

Jerome Hickey †

Rev. John E. Hurley, C.S.P., D.Min.
New Evangelization Strategies
San Francisco, CA

Rev. Robert Imbelli, S.T.L., Ph.D.
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA

Sr. Elizabeth A. Johnson, C.S.J., Ph.D.
Fordham University
Bronx, NY

M. Cathleen Kaveny, J.D., Ph.D.
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA

Rev. Ronald Lewinski, S.T.L. †

Ann C. Lin, Ph.D.
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI

Most Rev. Oscar H. Lipscomb, Ph.D.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile
Mobile, AL

Cardinal Roger Mahony, D.D.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

Most Rev. James W. Malone, D.D. †

Most Rev. Patrick J. McGrath, J.C.D.
Roman Catholic Diocese of San José
San José, CA

Brian J. Murphy
Latz & Company
Chicago, IL

Rev. Msgr. Philip J. Murnion, Ph.D. †

Hon. John T. Noonan, Jr., LL.B., Ph.D. †

Michael Novak †

Margaret O’Brien Steinfels
New York, NY

Most Rev. Edward J. O’Donnell, D.D. †

Sr. Catherine M. Patten, R.S.H.M., Ph.D.
Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (Eastern American Province)
Tarrytown, NY

Most Rev. Donald E. Pelotte, S.S.S., Ph.D. †

Most Rev. Daniel E. Pilarczyk, S.T.D, Ph.D.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH

Gerald Shea
Washington, D.C.

Rev. Msgr. John Strynkowski, S.T.D.
Brooklyn, NY

Barry F. Sullivan †

John J. Sweeney
Washington, D.C.

Most Rev. Rembert G. Weakland, O.S.B., Ph.D.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI

Most Rev. Gabino Zavala, J.C.L., D.D.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA