9/12/02--The opening event for the Boston College initiative The Church in the 21st Century is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18, 7:30 p.m., in Robsham Theater. The event, "From Crisis to Renewal: the Task Ahead," will feature an introduction by Boston College President William P. Leahy, SJ, and keynote address from Kenneth L. Woodward, Religion Editor at Newsweek Magazine.

The Church in the 21st Century Project was formed as a response to the clerical sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, and is meant to explore related issues while providing a forum and resources to assist the Catholic community in transforming the current situation into an opportunity for renewal.

"News stories in recent months have left many Catholics angry and confused, feeling betrayed, and asking serious questions about the meaning of their faith as well as their relationship to the hierarchy and the Church," Leahy said in an interview. "I think it is imperative for Catholics to engage in a process of prayer and reflection, but also to have serious discussion about significant issues facing them and the Church."

Boston College Law School will be involved in a number of programs during the initiative, including the upcoming Law Review Symposium regarding the tort liability of the church and religious institutions. "This crisis, while bringing terrible heartache to so many people, is also a chance for the church to respond and create momentum for positive change," said BC Law Dean John H. Garvey. "As one of the most respected Catholic universities in the country, Boston College should and will be a leader in providing a forum to examine and discuss these issues. The Law School will be an active participant in that effort."

Special Assistant to the President Robert Newton and Director of the Institute for Religious Education & Pastoral Ministry Mary Ann Hinsdale will direct the initiative, working with an advisory board of faculty, administrators, students, and alumni. The Church in the 21st Century will sponsor public lectures at BC and in other parts of the country; seminars for the campus community and alumni; "issue papers" by scholars and for the general public; and the creation of courses in areas such as ecclesiology and sexuality.

For more information on The Church in the 21st Century, please visit the Website at http://www.bc.edu/church21.