America is pleased to announced the naming of John Carr as our new Washington Correspondent. Mr. Carr, whose first column will appear in the March 11 issue, will offer regular analysis and commentary, in print and online, on key issues and events in the nation’s capital. His print column will be called “Washington Front,” a name that will be familiar to America’s long-time readers. “Washington Front” appeared in the magazine for more than 25 years; its various authors included the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, Mary McGrory.
John Carr has spent decades at the intersection of faith and public life. For more than twenty years, he served as Director of the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Department on Justice, Peace and Human Development, where he assisted the bishops in sharing and applying Catholic social teaching on a broad range of national and international issues. Carr retired from the U.S.C.C.B. last year to accept a residential fellowship on religion and politics at Harvard University and to develop new ways to encourage greater knowledge and dialogue on Catholic social thought and educate lay men and women for leadership in public life.
We are bringing back the position of “Washington Correspondent” in order to strengthen our analysis of national policy and politics through the lens of Catholic social teaching. John Carr brings a wealth of experience at the front lines. He has a well-earned reputation for his commitment to human life and human dignity and is known for building bridges across ecclesial and political divides. His broad knowledge, experience and relationships will be great assets for Americaas we cover the complicated links between Catholic faith and public choices in 21st century Washington.
According to the Washington Post, “Carr’s career is a road map for how Catholicism and politics have mixed in Washington for a generation” and NPR last week called him “one of the most influential political voices on Capitol Hill from the faith community.” Before his time at the Bishops’ Conference, Carr served as Secretary for Social Concerns for Cardinal Hickey in the Archdiocese Washington and in his home Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis. He has also served as director of the White House Conference on Families and the National Committee on Full Employment.
