Jo Renee Formicola, professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs and globally recognized expert on political and religious topics that deal with the relationship between the Catholic Church and the American Government, was featured in USA Today, Reuters, Yahoo! News and Business Times on the historic meeting between President Biden and Pope Francis at the Vatican.

Formicola frequently provides commentary on church-state relations, especially those related to Catholicism, the papacy, and U. S. politics. She is the author of five books: Papal Policies on Clerical Sexual Abuse (2019); Clerical Sexual Abuse: How the Crisis Changed U. S. Church-State Relations (2014), The Politics of Values (2008); John Paul II: Prophetic Politician (2002) and The Catholic Church and Human Rights (1988). She is also the co-author of two other books: The Politics of School Choice (1999), as well as Faith-Based Initiatives and the Bush Administration (2003). She is a co-editor and chapter contributor to three other volumes: Taking Religious Pluralism Seriously (2005); Religious Leaders and Faith Based Politics (2001); and Everson Revisited (1997).

In an interview with USA Today's White House correspondent Michael Collins, she discussed comparisons between President Kennedy and President Biden. With President Kennedy "the big question was, 'is he a loyal enough American,'" Formicola said, adding, "For a lot of people today, the big question with Biden is, 'is he a loyal enough Catholic?'"

USA Today also explored with Formicola if the meeting could make a difference around the religious debate in the United States on whether the President should receive communion. 

"For Biden, it's a win because it says, 'Look, I’m a real Catholic. I'm meeting with the pope.'"

Formicola discussed with Reuters Vatican City reporter Philip Pullella how this meeting could move the conversation to social justice issues that are important to both of them. 

"The optics of the Pope meeting with Biden basically says to the American (Catholic) hierarchy: 'Listen, this man and I have the same agenda. … Don't expect that I am going to compromise my teachings on things like the environment and immigration."

In an interview earlier this year with Lisa Lerer of The New York Times, Formicola also explored the relationship between the Catholic Church and American lawmakers, including President Biden. She explained, "If one were to look at him as a Catholic and his attendance at Mass and the way he looks at life and death and everything else, culturally he’s like 1,000 percent Catholic. ... He's very, very Catholic, but when it comes to being political, he's much more pragmatic than Catholic."

Details will soon be available on Formicola's upcoming appearance on State of Affairs with Steve Adubato, where she will be analyzing the closely contested New Jersey Governor's Race, by visiting: SteveAdubato.org. Dr. Formicola was invited to appear on this highly praised weekly issue-oriented public policy television series, which explores critical issues being address with our state's top educators, government and industry leaders, and policy experts.

For more information and to read the related media coverage on Dr. Formicola's analysis of the presidential visit, please see: USA Today, Reuters, Business Times, Yahoo! News, and The New York Times. 

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