THE CHURCH UP CLOSE

Covering Catholicism in the age of Francis

Rome, September, 5-11, 2016

Religion news occupies an increasingly important place in today's journalism, and many media professionals are seeking keys to unlock a complex institution that sparks enormous public interest: the Catholic Church. Building on its successful monthly seminars for Rome-based Vatican correspondents, the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome once again offers The Church Up Close, a one-week seminar in English for journalists who cover the Vatican from afar.

Previous seminars were attended by journalists from media outlets such as The New York Times and USA Today (USA), The Guardian, The Times, The Financial Times and BBC (UK), The Record (Australia), The Southern Cross (South Africa), The National Post, CBC and El Universal (Venezuela), Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Switzerland) and Radio Renascença (Portugal).

Combining conferences, interactive workshops, personal encounters, and on-site visits, the seminar is designed to give journalists an array of tools to enhance the quality of their coverage of today’s Roman Catholic Church. Here is what participants receive:

• A basic sense of the lay of the land at the Vatican;
• A serious, in-depth analysis of specific hot-button issues;
• A personal introduction to some of the key players in Rome; a taste of the rich complex history and culture that lies behind contemporary Church affairs;
• A chance to reflect, in an ideal setting, with journalists from around the world, on the fascinating relationships between religion and the media.

Conferences: Conference sessions deal with issues of culture and religion (inter-religious dialogue, marriage laws, science and faith, bioethics), the Church and the media (public opinion, Vatican coverage,  transparency) and the nature and structure of the Holy See (its organization, and role in international politics).

Encounters: Personal encounters create a unique opportunity for journalists to experience the Church Up Close. Participants have the chance to meet with key curial officials and leaders from pontifical councils and congregations to expert analysts loaded with a wealth of experience in Church communication and Vatican journalism.

On-site Visits: This crash course on the Church in Rome will naturally include visits to places like St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, the Historic Center of the Rome, and special events with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, such as a Wednesday Audience and a Sunday Angelus!

WHEN  Monday, September 5 – Sunday, September 11, 2016

WHERE  The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross
                Piazza di Sant’Apollinare 49, 00196 Rome, Italy

COST The seminar will cost €875 (Travel and Lodging not included). A list of nearby hotels will be provided to each seminar participant upon registration. Interested participants have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship.

WHO The Church Up Close is organized by the School of Communications of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and the Association ISCOM (www.iscom.info). The seminar is sponsored by Our Sunday Visitor Institute and counts on the collaboration of the Italian Associazione di Vaticanisti (the independent association of journalists accredited by the Holy See).

MORE INFORMATION: churchupclose [at] pusc [dot] it
WEBSITE: http://www.church-communication.net
Program for 2016 will be updated in coming months; currently, the website includes information from previous editions)

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