Archbishop Joseph Kurtz and Dr. Gregory Hillis.

Bellarmine University’s theology department will host a public conversation with Louisville Archbishop Joseph Kurtz on Wednesday, January 7, at 7 p.m.

The event in the George G. Brown Center’s Frazier Hall [campus map], which is open to the public, will focus on the Synod on the Family, a conversation among bishops about the Catholic church, society and family life. Kurtz attended the synod as a delegate last fall, and will return to Rome for the next gathering of the synod in October 2015.

Dr. Gregory Hillis, associate professor of theology, will lead the discussion with the archbishop. Hillis interviewed Kurtz about his impressions of Pope Francis for Bellarmine Magazine last winter.

Hills expects the conversation in Frazier Hall to focus on Kurtz’s experiences at the 2014 synod, his opinions on the issues at stake, what he expects to happen at the 2015 synod and his personal impressions of Pope Francis.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions at the event.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Kurtz as the fourth archbishop and ninth bishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville in 2007. The Archdiocese covers 24 counties and hosts a Catholic population of more than 200,000 individuals. As archbishop, Kurtz also leads the Metropolitan Province of Louisville, which oversees dioceses throughout Kentucky and Tennessee.

Kurtz currently serves as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Before coming to Louisville, Archbishop Kurtz served as bishop of Knoxville from 1999 to 2007. Born in Pennsylvania, Kurtz holds bachelor and master of divinity degrees from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia and a master’s degree in social work from the Marywood School of Social Work. Archbishop Kurtz was ordained a priest in 1972.