St. John's News

St. John’s University Administrators and Faculty Featured in TV, Radio and Print Interviews During Papal Visit

April 16, 2008

Pope Benedict XVI will visit the United States for the first time in his Papacy April 15-20, 2008. The importance of this trip has been documented by media outlets throughout the world for weeks leading up to the Holy Father’s arrival and will continue through his stays in Washington D.C. (April 15-17) and New York City (April 18-20). 

The local New York media has turned to St. John’s University for expertise and insight and has featured several faculty members and administrators in print, television and radio interviews. 

Dr. Julia A. Upton, RSM, Ph.D., St. John’s University Provost, has been selected by WNBC-NY as a featured in-studio guest and will be offering live commentary during Pope Benedict XVI’s arrival at John F. Kennedy airport on April 18 and again during His Holiness’ masses at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (April 19) and Yankee Stadium (April 20). 

Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, STD, Professor of Theology, was tapped as an in-studio expert by several local media outlets and will be appearing in pre-taped interviews, as well as commenting live for Fox-5’s Good Day New York, Fox-5 NY News, and WCBS Channel 2 News during the Holy Father’s visit to New York. Rev. Ruiz was also interviewed by Newsday, BBC radio and has done several interviews for local Spanish language news outlets including Telemundo and Univision. 

Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., Vice President for Student Affairs, was featured along with St. John’s University freshman, Mohammed O. Sheikh, in a feature story regarding religious diversity at Catholic colleges and universities, while several other St. John’s students have been interviewed by various media outlets in anticipation of Pope Benedict’s arrival.  

St. John’s University President Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., will be speaking with New York City media in Washington D.C. upon the culmination of his meeting with Pope Benedict XVI and other Catholic Education Leaders on April 17 and was also featured on NY1 on April 7. 

The complete list of interviews by St. John’s University administrators and faculty is below.

March 24, 2008
Dr. Julia A. Upton, RSM, Ph.D.
WNBC-NY: Church Tries to Balance Doctrine with Modern Times

April 2, 2008
Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, STD
Univision

April 7, 2008
Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., President of St. John’s University
NY1: President’s of Area Catholic Colleges to Meet with Pope

April 14, 2008
Rev. James J. Maher, C.M. & Student
Newsday: Religious Diversity in Catholic Schools

Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, STD
Telemundo: Papal Visit (Spanish broadcast)

April 15, 2008
Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, STD
Newsday: Students don’t expect Pope to dazzle them

April 16, 2008
8 p.m.
Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, STD
NY1 Noticias (Spanish broadcast)

April 17, 2008
7 - 9 a.m.
Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, STD
Fox 5’s Good Day New York

April 17, 2008
5 - 6:15 p.m.
Professor Charles Clark
Prayer Channel

April 18, 2008
9:26 a.m.
Dr. Julia A. Upton, RSM, Ph.D., Provost
WNBC News 

5 - 7 p.m.
Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, STD
Fox-5 News

April 19, 2008
9 a.m.
Dr. Julia A. Upton, RSM, Ph.D., Provost
WNBC News 

2:30 - 7 p.m.
Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, STD
WCBS, Channel 2 News

April 20, 2008
9 - 11 a.m.
Rev. Jean-Pierre Ruiz, STD
WCBS, Channel 2 News

2:30 p.m.
Dr. Julia A. Upton, RSM, Ph.D., Provost
WNBC News