The Church, the Press, and Abortion: Catholic Leadership and Public Communication

By Michael A. Russo

A paper by Michael A. Russo, fall 1990 fellow, addresses the interrelationship between the Catholic Church and the news media in the U.S. abortion debate. Russo tells the story of three Catholic Bishops and how they frame their moral teachings for the pulpit and the press. He also examines how journalists who cover religious and moral topics present these issues in the news. This interaction between the church and the media has produced a third dimension – that of theology and politics in the public sphere, writes Russo. This paper aims to promote better understanding between those representing the church and those representing the media.

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