Helen Alvaré Interviewed on Pope Francis’ Legacy, Women in the Catholic Church, and More

Following the death of Pope Francis, ABC featured Professor Helen Alvaré in multiple interviews focused on the legacy of Pope Francis and the process of selecting a new pope. On April 21, Professor Helen Alvaré joined ABC News to discuss how Pope Francis provided increased roles and responsibilities to women within the Catholic Church during his papacy. In her comments, Professor Alvaré said that Pope Franics, ”really tried hard to put women in positions of responsibility and he succeeded in that.” She added that data from the U.S. indicates the Catholic Church beats “corporate America for the number of women in the C-suites” and that Pope Francis’ example has “been terrific.” The same day, Professor Alvaré also answered an array of questions on Pope Francis during a Good Morning America segment. 

Over the course of the next few weeks, Professor Alvaré gave several additional interviews, starting with one that included insights on how the cardinals would select the next pope. She then discussed the legacy of Pope Francis, remarking on a variety of subjects, including Pope Francis’ openness and how people across the world knew him “like a friend,” some of the most memorable moments of his papacy, his embrace of social media, and his emphasis on service to the poor. On May 7, Professor Alvaré gave two interviews, one discussing the process of choosing the next pope and a second on conclave traditions. Her last interview in the series came on Good Morning America, where Professor Alvaré provided insights on Pope Francis and the future of the Catholic Church. 

At Scalia Law, Professor Alvaré is the Robert A. Levy Endowed Chair in Law and Liberty. In addition to her teaching, scholarship, and other duties at the school, Professor Alvaré serves as a Member of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life (Vatican City), a board member of Catholic Relief Services, a member of the Executive Committee of the AALS’ Section on Law and Religion, and an ABC News consultant. She also cooperates with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations as a speaker and a delegate to various United Nations conferences concerning women and the family.