Kim Daniels
Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life
Kim Daniels is the director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University and an adjunct professor in Georgetown’s Department of Theology and Religious Studies. She was appointed by Pope Francis as a Member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication in 2016, and in that role was an advisor to the organizing committee for the February 2019 Vatican Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church. In August 2021 Kim was also appointed a member of the Synod 2021-2024 Communications Commission. She is also a consultor to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, and has advised the U.S.C.C.B. and other Catholic institutions on a broad range of issues where Church teachings intersect with public life, including immigration, human life and dignity, religious liberty, and care for creation.
Selected Speaking Engagements
May 25, 2022
Interview, Kim Daniels - What synodality means for the church, Field Hospital Podcast (U.S. Catholic)
March 1, 2022
Panelist, The Francis Factor at Nine Years: Synodality and Solidarity, Reform and Resistance, Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life
May 13, 2021
Lecture, Trusting the Church, Its Communication, and Its Communicators, Inspiring Trust Conference (Pontifical University of the Holy Cross)
February 26, 2021
Panelist, Refugees, Immigrants and the Pandemic, Integral Human Development in the Digital Age Conference (International Institute for Ethics and Contemporary Issues, the Ukrainian Catholic University, and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs)
February 7, 2021
Panelist, Healing as Church and Nation: Remembering, Recognizing and Reimagining the Common Good, Catholic Social Ministry Gathering
November 19, 2020
Presenter, Faith and Polarization in 2020, Council on Foreign Relations
November 17, 2020
Presentation, “Writing Editorials and Opinion Pieces to Contribute to Civic Dialogue”, Conference for the Major Superiors of Men
November 12, 2020
Panelist, Towards Fraternity: Reflections on Fratelli Tutti, Portsmouth Institute for Faith and Culture
May 5, 2020
Panelist, The Papacy Confronts Coronavirus, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs
Selected Writing
Book Chapters
“Kim Daniels: Co-Director, Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, Georgetown University, Washington DC” in Rising: Learning from Women’s Leadership in Catholic Ministries, ed. Carolyn W. Woo (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2022), 125-129.
“Trusting the Church, its Communication, and its Communicators” in Inspiring Trust: Church Communications & Organizational Vulnerability, ed. Jordi Pujol, Juan Narbona, and José María Díaz (Rome: Edizioni Santa Croce, 2021), 131-146.
“Beyond Politics: Everyday Catholic Life” in Breaking Through: Catholic Women Speak for Themselves , ed. Helen M. Alvaré (Huntington: Our Sunday Visitor, 2012), 159-168.
Articles
What can bring together pro-life Republicans and progressive Democrats? Expanding the child tax credit. (2022, America)
Pope Francis has increased leadership roles for women in the church. But there’s still work to do. (2021, America)
The Four Waves of the U.S. Catholic Abuse Crisis (2018, Church Life Journal)
Teaching
Course Title: Pope Francis, Catholic Social Thought, and Public Life: Principles, Policies, Politics
Course Semester: Fall 2022
Course Number: THEO 085 - 01
CRN: 38135
Pro-life Movement at a Crossroads Event
January 18, 2022
January 22, 2022, marks the forty-ninth anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in all 50 U.S. states. This term, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the most important abortion case in…
Communion, Catholics, and Public Life: Where Do We Go From Here? Event
July 28, 2021
In June 2021, U.S. Catholic bishops vigorously debated and then voted to proceed with a document on “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church.” This discussion and decision have generated considerable conflict, confusion, and…
Immigration Challenges and Choices: People, Principles, and Policies Event
April 15, 2021
The United States has a new president with new policies on immigration and refugees. There is a new Congress with old divisions. Developments on the U.S.-Mexico border and violence against Asian Americans and immigrants raise old fears and new…
Life, Young Latinos, and COVID-19: Where Do We Go From Here? Event
March 30, 2021
A year after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the United States and the world, many are reflecting on the past year and where we go from here. It has raised questions about whose life is protected and valued by our health care system, which workers…
Young Catholics and the Biden Administration: Moral Principles and Policy Priorities Event
March 11, 2021
The election and inauguration of the second Catholic president of the United States has put faith front and center in a new administration and Congress governing amid a pandemic, a reckoning on racial injustice, an economic crisis, and a deeply…
President Biden, U.S. Bishops, and Pope Francis: How to Promote Catholic Principles in a Divided Church and Nation Event
February 1, 2021
On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden, the second Catholic president in U.S. history, began Inauguration Day at Mass with his family and the nation’s leaders at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, DC. Just after the swearing…
Latinos, Young People, and the 2020 Election: What Happened? Why? What Now? Event
December 1, 2020
This online conversation examined how Latino voters and young voters of faith helped shape the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign. Four leaders came together to discuss how the Trump and Biden campaigns reached out to young voters…
Faithful Citizenship: Moral and Political Choices for Catholics in the 2020 Election Event
October 20, 2020
Two weeks before the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the Initiative brought together respected leaders with diverse perspectives to examine the moral and political choices Catholics are facing in the midst of a global pandemic, economic crisis…
Religion and Race Event
October 13, 2020
The killing of George Floyd sparked a renewed racial justice reckoning in our nation. The national response to police violence against Black Americans has affected our country and communities in a way previously unseen in a generation. These recent…
Fratelli Tutti Event
October 5, 2020
“In this storm, the façade of those stereotypes with which we camouflaged our egos, always worrying about our image, has fallen away, uncovering once more that (blessed) common belonging, of which we cannot be deprived: our belonging as brothers and…
Faith, Latinos, and the 2020 Campaign Event
September 30, 2020
Latino voters could be decisive in the November elections. As the United States faces an ongoing pandemic, an economic crisis, and calls for racial justice, both campaigns are reaching out to Latino voters, one of the largest voting blocs in the…
Election 2020: Left, Right, or Politically Homeless? Event
September 8, 2020
In the middle of a challenging presidential campaign, the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and the Archdiocese of Washington’s DCCatholic Young Adult Ministry Theology on Tap program partnered to help young U.S. Catholics think…
Justice and Faith, Family and Community Event
June 11, 2020
This Latino Leader Gathering for young Latino Catholics responded to twin crises faced in Latino communities right now: the injustice and racism revealed by the death of George Floyd and the outrage it has created, as well as the disproportionate…
Laudato Si' After Five Years Event
May 29, 2020
Five years ago, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si', the first papal encyclical to focus on care for creation as a central moral obligation. His groundbreaking letter brought together the call to protect the environment and to defend the “least of these”…
The Papacy Confronts Coronavirus Event
May 5, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected religious and spiritual life in innumerable ways, challenging ancient traditions and practices. Shortly before Easter, Austen Ivereigh, biographer of Pope Francis who writes for the Tablet, Commonweal, and America…
Moving Beyond a Life on Hold Event
April 27, 2020
This Salt and Light Gathering for Catholics under 40 invited young Catholics to reflect on how the COVID-19 crisis has changed everything from how we work, play, and socialize to how we worship God and serve our neighbors. Many young people are…
A Leadership Conversation on the Abuse Crisis Event
February 27, 2020
This conversation was jointly hosted by the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and Leadership Roundtable and was a follow up to the Initiative’s Convening on Lay Leadership for a Wounded Church and Divided Nation, held June 4-5…
A Revolution of the Heart Event
January 28, 2020
Dorothy Day’s compelling faith, call to nonviolence, and care for the poor offer crucial lessons in these difficult days. Her fascinating story, complicated choices, and challenging witness are brought to life in the powerful new film Revolution of…
The Francis Factor Today Event
November 21, 2019
More than six years ago, Jorgé Mario Bergoglio was elected the first Jesuit and Latin American pope. In choosing the name Francis, he signaled his priorities: “a poor Church for the poor,” peace, and care for God’s creation. Through his humble ways…
Nationalism, Post-liberalism, and Pope Francis Event
November 20, 2019
Rising economic inequality and dislocation, eroded communal ties, and rapid cultural change have helped lead to the rise of nationalist movements and ideas in the United States and around the world. These economic and cultural developments have also…
Where Are We Now? Where Do We Need To Go? Event
November 4, 2019
In his 2019 Letter to the U.S. Bishops, Pope Francis reminds us that “we are not solitary pilgrims, for ‘If one member suffers, all suffer together.’” The twin crises of clergy sexual abuse and leadership failure in the Catholic Church have led to…
Keeping Faith in Demoralizing Times Event
October 9, 2019
This Salt and Light Gathering for young Catholic leaders in public life explored how to live with faith, hope, and charity at a time of division in the United States, crisis in the Catholic Church, and paralysis in Washington, DC. Four remarkable…
A Path Forward: Conversation and Dialogue on Clerical Sexual Abuse Event
March 24, 2019
The Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life has organized a series of dialogues on the clerical sexual abuse crisis and lay leadership to address the anger and anguish haunting our family of faith. This conversation and dialogue brought…
Civil Dialogue in a Divided Nation, Lay Leadership in a Broken Church Event
February 8, 2019
This Dialogue, conducted at a Georgetown University Board of Regents meeting, featured panelists Mark Shields, weekly political analyst for PBS NewsHour and syndicated political columnist; Emma Green, staff writer on politics, policy, and religion at…
Stand for Life, All Life, Every Life: Resisting the Throwaway Culture Event
January 15, 2019
Abortion remains one of the most contested issues in American life. The experiences and voices of pro-life women are too often ignored because they challenge our stereotypes and preconceptions. This timely Dahlgren Dialogue featured women leaders…
Emerging Leaders on Polarization in a Broken Church and Nation Event
December 4, 2018
Where can we find hope and ways forward in tough times? Clerical sexual abuse and its cover-up have caused justified anger and anguish among Catholics, and some are using the suffering of victims to pursue their own ideological agendas. Meanwhile…
Courageous Faith: Archbishop Óscar Romero, Saint and Leader Event
October 10, 2018
On October 14 the Church canonized Archbishop Óscar Romero, a courageous pastor and advocate for the poor who was assassinated in 1980. Gunned down while saying Mass, Romero will be El Salvador’s first saint. His brave witness to his faith and…
Crisis of Faith? Event
September 17, 2018
A Salt and Light Gathering for young Catholic professionals under 40.
This is a time of crisis for the Catholic Church. The horrific Pennsylvania grand jury report on clerical sexual abuse and revelations about Cardinal McCarrick have led to outrage…
Overcoming Polarization in a Divided Nation Through Catholic Social Thought Event
June 4, 2018
At a time of polarization in the United States and divisions in the Church, Catholic Social Thought offers affirmative ways to work together to defend human life and dignity, pursue justice and peace, and advance the common good in our country.
Four…
Though Many, One: Overcoming Polarization Through Catholic Social Thought Event
June 4, 2018
On June 3 through 6, the Initiative hosted an unprecedented leadership Convening, “Though Many, One: Overcoming Polarization Through Catholic Social Thought,” which brought to Georgetown 100 emerging and established Catholic leaders with diverse…
Resisting the "Throwaway Culture": Pope Francis’ Message on Human Life and Dignity Event
September 29, 2014
The second Salt and Light Gathering, meant for Catholic public policy professionals under 40 years old, this event explored Pope Francis’ challenge to resist a “throwaway culture” and its implications for young leaders in public life.
The Francis Factor Event
October 1, 2013
The first six months of Pope Francis' leadership were marked by interest and excitement among Catholics and many others around the world. How were the simple ways and powerful words of the new pope impacting American public life? The inaugural…
Kim Daniels joins John Carr as Co‑Director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University Feature
Dear friends, supporters, and partners of the Initiative,
I am happy to share the good news that Kim Daniels is joining me as Co-Director of the Initiative. We made this important announcement today at the start of our dialogue on President Biden…
Second American gets Vatican communications post Feature
Kim Daniels is a former spokesperson for the president of the US bishops’ conference, where she served both Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Archbishop Joseph Kurtz.
She’s also a founder and former director of Catholic Voices USA. She is currently a…
Neglected Voices in the Clergy Sexual Abuse Crisis Video
The Catholic clergy sexual abuse crisis is an ongoing wound that has caused immense anguish and pain for abuse survivors and their families and friends, as well as the entire Catholic community. Church leaders have taken steps to respond, but much…
Why Do Pope Francis and Catholic Social Thought Matter Now? Video
This discussion on "Why Do Pope Francis and Catholic Social Thought Matter Now?" featured Fr. Robert Boxie of Howard University, Dr. Michelle González Maldonado of the University of Scranton, Dr. Russell Moore of Christianity Today, and Rev. Jim…
The Consistent Ethic of Life after Dobbs Video
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision on abortion has generated enormous conflict, some confusion, and calls for new responses and policy choices on an issue that has deeply divided Americans for decades.
For advocates of a consistent ethic of life…
The Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church Panel 1 Video
The Russian war against Ukraine has underscored the critical importance of ecumenical collaboration in the service of peace and justice. The year 2020 saw Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's endorsement of a landmark statement, "For the Life of the…
“So What Did I Miss?” Video
Two years ago, in March 2020, the Initiative hosted its last in-person Public Dialogue. In these two very tough years, the United States has experienced:
- A global pandemic with nearly a million lives lost in the United States, lockdowns, closed…
The Francis Factor at Nine Years Video
Nine years ago, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a Jesuit archbishop from Argentina, was introduced to a surprised world as Pope Francis. He bowed his head and asked us all to pray for him as he began to lead with humble ways, powerful words, and a call to…
Pro-life Movement at a Crossroads Video
January 22, 2022, marks the forty-ninth anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in all 50 U.S. states. This term, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the most important abortion case in…
Lifting Up the Voices of Female Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse Video
For more on this event, visit: https://bit.ly/2ZrccCv For more on the Berkley Center, visit: https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu October 25, 2021 | In a newly released historic report on the rates of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in France,…
Communion, Catholics, and Public Life: Where Do We Go From Here? Video
In June 2021, U.S. Catholic bishops vigorously debated and then voted to proceed with a document on “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church.” This discussion and decision have generated considerable conflict, confusion, and…
Immigration Challenges and Choices: People, Principles, and Policies Video
The United States has a new president with new policies on immigration and refugees. There is a new Congress with old divisions. Developments on the U.S.-Mexico border and violence against Asian Americans and immigrants raise old fears and new…
Life, Young Latinos, and COVID-19: Where Do We Go From Here? Video
A year after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the United States and the world, many are reflecting on the past year and where we go from here. It has raised questions about whose life is protected and valued by our health care system, which workers…
Young Catholics and the Biden Administration: Moral Principles and Policy Priorities Video
The election and inauguration of the second Catholic president of the United States has put faith front and center in a new administration and Congress governing amid a pandemic, a reckoning on racial injustice, an economic crisis, and a deeply…
Latinos, Young People, and the 2020 Election: What Happened? Why? What Now? Video
This online conversation examined how Latino voters and young voters of faith helped shape the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign. Four leaders came together to discuss how the Trump and Biden campaigns reached out to young voters…
Faithful Citizenship: Moral and Political Choices for Catholics in the 2020 Election Video
Two weeks before the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the Initiative brought together respected leaders with diverse perspectives to examine the moral and political choices Catholics are facing in the midst of a global pandemic, economic crisis…
Religion and Race Video
The killing of George Floyd sparked a renewed racial justice reckoning in our nation. The national response to police violence against Black Americans has affected our country and communities in a way previously unseen in a generation. These recent…
Fratelli Tutti Video
On Saturday, October 3, Pope Francis traveled to Assisi to the tomb of St. Francis to pray and sign his new encyclical Fratelli Tutti.
On Sunday, October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, his encyclical on human fraternity and social friendship…
Faith, Latinos, and the 2020 Campaign Video
Latino voters could be decisive in the November elections. As the United States faces an ongoing pandemic, an economic crisis, and calls for racial justice, both campaigns are reaching out to Latino voters, one of the largest voting blocs in the…
Election 2020 Left, Right, or Politically Homeless Video
In the middle of a challenging presidential campaign, the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and the Archdiocese of Washington’s DCCatholic Young Adult Ministry Theology on Tap program partnered to help young U.S. Catholics think…
Justice and Faith, Family and Community Video
This Latino Leader Gathering for young Latino Catholics responded to twin crises faced in Latino communities right now: the injustice and racism revealed by the death of George Floyd and the outrage it has created, as well as the disproportionate…
Laudato Sí After Five Years Video
Five years ago, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si, the first papal encyclical to focus on care for creation as a central moral obligation. His groundbreaking letter brought together the call to protect the environment and to defend the “least of these”…
The Papacy Confronts Coronavirus Video
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected religious and spiritual life in innumerable ways, challenging ancient traditions and practices. Shortly before Easter, Austen Ivereigh, biographer of Pope Francis who writes for the Tablet, Commonweal, and America…
Moving Beyond a Life on Hold Video
This Salt and Light Gathering for Catholics under 40 invited young Catholics to reflect on how the COVID-19 crisis has changed everything from how we work, play, and socialize to how we worship God and serve our neighbors. Many young people are…
2020 Cardinal O'Connor Conference - Panel & Closing Video
2020 Cardinal O'Connor Conference on Life panel discussion on "The Consistent Life Ethic and the Law." Panelists are introduced by conference director, Madeleine Ostertag (COL'20): Catherine Glenn Foster, J.D., President and CEO of Americans United…
Revolution of the Heart: Special Screening of Major Film on Dorothy Day for Young Leaders Video
Dorothy Day’s compelling faith, call to nonviolence, and care for the poor offer crucial lessons in these difficult days. Her fascinating story, complicated choices, and challenging witness are brought to life in the powerful new film Revolution of…
Fall 2019 Dahlgren Dialogue Video
The Dahlgren Dialogues are a series of substantive conversations with experienced leaders in the context of prayerful reflection on current topics at the intersection of faith and public life. Co-sponsored with the Initiative on Catholic Social…
Nationalism, Post-liberalism, and Pope Francis Video
Rising economic inequality and dislocation, eroded communal ties, and rapid cultural change have helped lead to the rise of nationalist movements and ideas in the United States and around the world. These economic and cultural developments have also…
Where Are We Now? Where Do We Need To Go? Video
In his 2019 Letter to the U.S. Bishops, Pope Francis reminds us that “we are not solitary pilgrims, for ‘If one member suffers, all suffer together.’” The twin crises of clergy sexual abuse and leadership failure in the Catholic Church have led to…
Keeping Faith in Demoralizing Times Video
This Salt and Light Gathering for young Catholic leaders in public life explored how to live with faith, hope, and charity at a time of division in the United States, crisis in the Catholic Church, and paralysis in Washington, DC. Four remarkable…
Faith, Race, and Politics Video
In a polarized nation, faith, race, and politics can be divisive topics on their own. Bringing them together can be explosive. This Public Dialogue sought to explore the intersections of faith, race, and politics in the United States in ways that can…
Lay Leadership for a Wounded Church and Divided Nation Video
This Public Dialogue focused on the often-overlooked costs of the clergy sexual abuse crisis on the Catholic Church’s credibility and impact on public life in the United States, asking how we can repair the Catholic community’s capacity to defend…
Faith and the Faithful in the 2020 Campaign Video
The place of faith and the roles of the faithful in U.S. politics are often misunderstood or neglected; generate confusion and conflict; and create challenges for religious communities and political leaders. The early stages of the 2020 U.S…
A Path Forward: Conversation and Dialogue on Clerical Sexual Abuse Video
The Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life has organized a series of dialogues on the clerical sexual abuse crisis and lay leadership to address the anger and anguish haunting our family of faith. This conversation and dialogue brought…
Civil Dialogue in a Divided Nation: Lay Leadership in a Broken Church Video
This Dialogue, conducted at a Georgetown University Board of Regents meeting, featured panelists Mark Shields, weekly political analyst for PBS NewsHour and syndicated political columnist; Emma Green, staff writer on politics, policy, and religion at…
Stand for Life, All Life, Every Life: Resisting the Throwaway Culture Video
Abortion remains one of the most contested issues in American life. The experiences and voices of pro-life women are too often ignored because they challenge our stereotypes and preconceptions. This timely Dahlgren Dialogue featured women leaders…
Emerging Leaders on Polarization in a Broken Church and Nation Video
Where can we find hope and ways forward in tough times? Clerical sexual abuse and its cover-up have caused justified anger and anguish among Catholics, and some are using the suffering of victims to pursue their own ideological agendas. Meanwhile…
Courageous Faith: Archbishop Óscar Romero, Saint and Leader Video
The Church canonized Archbishop Óscar Romero, a courageous pastor and advocate for the poor who was assassinated in 1980. Gunned down while saying Mass, Romero will be El Salvador’s first saint. His brave witness to his faith and courage to stand up…
Crisis of Faith? Scandal, Pope Francis, The Synod, And Young People Video
This is a time of crisis for the Catholic Church. The horrific Pennsylvania grand jury report on clerical sexual abuse and revelations about Cardinal McCarrick have led to outrage and calls for action. Appalled at the abuse of vulnerable children and…