Manhattan College Welcomes Pope Francis to New York City

Brother Jack Curran, FSC, vice president for mission, Erica Rebussini ’17, English major, Lois Harr, director of Campus Ministry and Social Action, and Mahamoud Diop ’17, international studies major, welcome the Holy Father and thank him for affirming our community’s Lasallian values. This video is also featured as part of Catholic Charities’ Charity Has No Boundaries campaign.

Preparing for the Pope

We’re proud to have many members of the Manhattan College community involved in the Pope's visit to New York City, and we will be sharing content across many channels before, during and after the visit.

In-Person

Students, faculty and staff will share their personal reflections and photographs from events.

• President Brennan O’Donnell, Brother Jack Curran, FSC, vice president for mission, and Brother Michael Shubnell, FSC, retention services coordinator, attended the evening prayer service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral led by Pope Francis on Thursday, Sept. 24.
• Mehnaz Afridi, Ph.D., assisant professor of religious studies and director of the College’s Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith (HGI) Education Center, is invited to attend the multi-religious service at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum on Friday, Sept. 25.
• Forty students, faculty and staff members are attending the Pope’s Mass at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Sept. 25.
• Tom Moran ’74, chairman and CEO of Mutual of America, will be delivering a prayer in Irish at the Pope’s Mass on Friday, Sept. 25.

On Campus

• The College is hosting Sustainable September: Pastry & Pope Francis on Friday, Sept. 25 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the Student Commons, Room 5A. All are invited to watch a live telecast of Pope Francis’ historic address to the United Nations.

Around the World

Manhattan’s faculty experts and administration will weigh in on the papal visit to give a global context to this historic event.

Mehnaz Afridi, Ph.D.

Assisant Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the College’s Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith (HGI) Education Center

Afridi will be interviewed on Verizon FIOS 1/RNN in Westchester County on Friday, Sept. 25, 11:30 a.m., at the multi-religious service at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

Kevin Ahern, Ph.D.

Director of the Peace Studies Program and Assistant Rrofessor of Religious Studies

Ahern was interviewed by NY1 on Sunday, Sept. 20. He participated in a roundtable discussion on the papal visit and current issues affecting the Catholic Church, after Pope Francis celebrated Mass in Cuba. The discussion will air this week.

He wrote an analysis on the papal visit for the French Bishops’ Conference. He discusses what to expect from the visit and how the visit could shape next year’s presidential election.

He spoke with Al-Jazeera America about Pope Francis’ stance on climate change.

He appeared on NY1's Inside City Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 23, airing at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. He discussed the Pope’s trip thus far, his background and his influence on the Church, especially in Latin America.

Paul Dinter, Ph.D.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies

Dinter will appear on Verizon FIOS 1/RNN in Westchester County on Thursday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m.-7 p.m. He’ll speak on the papal visit and the Catholic Church in an historical context.

Natalia Imperatori-Lee, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Religious Studies

Imperatori-Lee appeared on NY1 on Thursday, Sept. 17 speaking about Pope Francis’ visit to Cuba and how he’s emerged as a diplomat in the softening of relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

Brennan O’Donnell

President of Manhattan College

O’Donnell joined more than 170 Catholic university leaders across the world in signing a statement of support to work collaboratively on the vision laid out by Pope Francis in Laudato Si', On Care for Our Common Home.

The Association of Catholic Colleges & Universities (ACCU) is encouraging all to post on social media about their papal visit experiences using the hashtag #HigherEdWithPope, which will contribute to a comprehensive Storify page.