Pope John Paul II remembered at University of Michigan Wednesday

DATE: 4 p.m. Wednesday,
EVENT: “Pope John Paul II: A Retrospective.” The pope will be remembered by scholars and experts who have followed his work for years at a University of Michigan symposium.

“Pope John Paul II: A Retrospective” will bring together U-M and local leaders who have followed the pontiff’s role in helping to bring about the fall of communism as well as his other achievements. The speakers will include:

• Brian Porter, an associate history professor who has done extensive research on the Catholic Church and the fallen pontiff’s native Poland.

• Michael Kennedy, a sociology professor and former director of the U-M International Institute, who is a widely regarded and oft-quoted Poland expert.

• Genevieve Zubrzycki, an assistant professor of sociology, who focuses on religion, nationalism, culture and politics as well as social change and Poland’s leading role in the transition from communism to capitalism and democracy.

• Gabriele Boccaccini, an associate professor of New Testament and Second Temple Judaism with U-M’s Department of Near Eastern Studies.

• Anna Grzymala-Busse, a political science associate professor who has focused on political development and competition including the comeback of communist successor parties

• The Rev. Tom McClain, the pastor of St. Mary’s student parish near the U-M campus. The event is free and open to the public.

PLACE: 1636 International Institute, 1080 S. University Ave., Ann Arbor. For a map, visit: http://www.umich.edu/~info/inside.html?http://www.umich.edu/~info/central.html

SPONSOR: The U-M International Institute.

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