Prominent lineup of speakers available to address the pope's summary of two recent synods on the family

Contact: Kevin Wandra, 404-788-1276 
 
SAN FRANCISCO, March 18, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- A group of prominent spokespersons will be available to discuss Pope Francis' papal exhortation, which will express the Holy Father's thoughts on the controversial 2014 and 2015 synods of bishops on the family. The document is expected to be released tomorrow on the Feast of St. Joseph, and will potentially address such discussions as prohibiting communion for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics; the relationship between charity and truth; the need for evangelization and conversion; the challenge of providing adequate marriage preparation in a secularized world; and the demands of authentic pastoral care, including how the Church can provide it to those who have same-sex attraction, among other topics.

The list of available spokespersons includes:

• Dr. Janet E. Smith, Ph.D., co-editor of LIVING THE TRUTH IN LOVE: Pastoral Approaches to Same-sex Attraction and holder of the Father Michael McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.
   
• Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, author of BEHOLD THE MAN: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality and one of the most sought-after Catholic speakers.
   
• Dr. Stephan Kampowski, co-writer of THE GOSPEL OF THE FAMILY: Going Beyond Cardinal Kasper's Proposal in the Debate on Marriage, Civil Re-Marriage and Communion in the Church.
   
• Dr. Christopher Kaczor, Ph.D., co-author of THE SEVEN BIG MYTHS ABOUT MARRIAGE: What Science, Faith and Philosophy Teach Us About Love and Happiness and a professor of philosophy at Loyola Marymount University.
   
• Dr. Edward Sri, Augustine Institute theology professor, author of MEN, WOMEN AND THE MYSTERY OF LOVE and content director for BELOVED, the new video-based marriage preparation program (Augustine Institute).
   
• Father Paul Check, executive director of Courage International, Inc., a ministry that provides support for Catholics who experience same-sex attraction.
   
• Dr. Pia de Solenni, theologian, ethicist and cultural analyst, who serves as the Associate Dean of the Augustine Institute (Orange County), located at Christ Cathedral.
   
• Father Joseph Fessio, founder and editor of Ignatius Press, which is the primary English-language publisher of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's writings and the publisher of Catholic World Report. Fr. Fessio wrote his dissertation under the direction of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (then-Professor Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger).
   
• Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press.

For more information, or to request an interview with one of the aforementioned spokespersons, please contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or KWandra@CarmelCommunications.com) of Carmel Communications.