A Public Panel: The Case for Religion Journalism

A Public Panel: The Case for Religion Journalism

Join us at the St. John Henry Newman Catholic Church, Toronto, 89 St. George Street, for an engaging discussion on the importance of religion journalism. Our panel of experts will delve into the significance of covering religion in the media and how it impacts society. Whether you're a journalist, student, or simply curious about the role of religion in today's news, this event is for you. Come ready to learn, ask questions, and be part of the conversation. A social will follow at the Newman Centre.

PRESS RELEASE

A public panel Aug. 14 will feature several award-winning veteran journalists who will discuss the state of religion journalism today, its needfulness for society and its pertinence in the current media landscape.

The panel titled, “The Case for Religion Journalism,” will be held at St. John Henry Newman Catholic Church Aug. 14, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by light refreshments at the Newman Centre at the University of Toronto.

The event has been organized in the context of the “God in the City” intensive Catholic journalism course, offered by Canadian Catholic News (CCN) in Toronto, Aug. 10-16.

Paul Schratz, editor of The B.C. Catholic, will moderate the panel that will include Barb Fraze, Michael W. Higgins and John Longhurst.

Fraze, who served as the longtime international news editor for Catholic News Service, is a recipient of the St. Francis de Sales Award, the highest distinction in Catholic journalism. She worked for the secular press prior to shifting into faith-based journalism.

Longhurst received the Order of Canada, one of the highest distinctions conferred by the Canadian government, for his contributions to Canadian society as a religion journalist. He currently freelances for the Winnipeg Free Press, Religion News Service and CBC Radio. He also authored several resources on religion reporting for journalists.

Higgins is a documentarian, biographer, columnist and highly regarded Canadian public intellectual. He is currently the Basilian Distinguished Fellow of Contemporary Catholic Thought at St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto, and serves as a columnist and religion commentator for Canadian media, including The Globe & Mail and the CBC. He is the author of several books, most recently, “The Jesuit Disruptor: A Personal Portrait of Pope Francis.”

Michael Swan, award-winning journalist and former associate editor of The Catholic Register in Toronto, will be the respondent. Swan currently freelances as a religion journalist for the news website Canadian Affairs.

Host or Publisher Laura Ieraci