Skip to Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life Full Site Menu Skip to main content
Georgetown University Logo

Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life

John Carr headshot

John Carr

Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life

John Carr is the founder of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University. He served for over 20 years as director of the Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, directing the Conference’s public policy and advocacy efforts on major domestic and international issues as well as sharing Catholic social teaching on human life and dignity, solidarity, faithful citizenship, and care for creation. He previously served as Secretary for Social Concerns for the Archdiocese of Washington under Cardinal Hickey, Executive Director of the White House Conference on Families under President Carter, and Director of the National Committee for Full Employment under Coretta Scott King. John has also served as a Washington columnist for America and a residential fellow on religion and politics at the Institute of Politics of Harvard University. At Georgetown, John is a member of the Committee on Investments and Social Responsibility (CISR). He is a member of the board of the Law School of the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota; a founder of the Circle of Protection which advocates for low-income families; and the former chair of the board for Bread for the World. John is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. He and his wife Linda are parents of four children and six grandchildren.

Learn More About John Carr