shaun casey, who is going to lead the charge to integrate our engagement with faith communities with our diplomacy and with our development work. 2005.shaun back in mike mccurry, who i see sitting back here, introduced us at a dinner. we became friends in that process, problem -- pilgrims on a similar mission, if you will. a professor of theology, who has always been interested in politics, and a politician who was always had a lifelong interest in religion. in fact, if i went back to college today, i think i would in comparative religion because that is how integrated it is in everything that we are working on and deciding siding and thinking about in life today. ,e have had many discussions and over the years i have come to appreciate shaun is a deeply thoughtful person who cares about the place of faith in our public life. i want to emphasize this to everybody because i know the question will be out there. a departure from -- is this a departure from the norm? > no. we approaches with a full understanding of thomas jefferson's understanding and admonition about the wall of separati

i met shaun casey in 2005. mike introduced us at a dinner.it is very interesting that politicians always have lifelong interest in religion. we have had many discussions together about these and over the years i have come to appreciate shaun casey is a deeply thoughtful person who cares about the place of faith in our public life and i want to emphasize this to everyone. we appreciate this with the full recognition of thomas jefferson's understanding and admonition and separation between church and state. but what we are doing is guided by the conviction that we have to find ways to translate the faith into efforts to unify for the greater good. that can be done without crossing any lines whatsoever. it sums up what shaun casey and i think this effort is really all about. it is a familiar gospel, of mark, which jesus says to his disciples, for even the son of man did not come to be served but to serve. to give his life as a ransom for many. it is the kind of exemplary effort that each of us needs to do our best for her. to answer the call of

christian ethicist and wesley theological seminary professor shaun casey is heading a new office that will try to engage religious leaders and the faith community in u.s. foreign policy. >>> widespread international concern this week over the disappearance of a prominent italian priest inside syria. father paolo dall' oglio lived in syria for three decades and promoted interfaith dialogue at an ancient monastery there. the syrian government exiled him last year because of his support for the opposition. dall'oglio had reportedly returned to help those affected by the fighting. some sources said he was kidnapped by an islamist group. the vatican was unable to immediately confirm those reports. >>> pope francis continued to generate discussion this week after his visit to brazil, where more than 3 million people turned out for his final mass. on the return trip, francis held an unprecedented 80-minute long press conference where he addressed several controversial issues, including gays. he said, quote, a gay person who is seeking god who is of good will, well, who am i to judge him? alt

shaun casey. [applause] >> thank you, mr. secretary, for your kind remarks. have asked me to help launch this initiative, and i'm thankful to you for the opportunity to contribute to your work as secretary of state. i see so many of my friends in this audience. i am not going to begin to call names or we would be here very long time, but i am deeply touched that you were here. i am blessed by the fruit of long and deep conversations i've had, so thank you and bless you for coming. i want to recognize my wife and my daughter, sarah, thank you for your love, patience, toleration that they have given to me over the years. [applause] yes, please. but i am deeply touched that you were all here. mr. secretary, several years ago, you and i started a conversation about the rich, diverse, complicated public complications that religious belief in practice. some believe that religion poisons everything, while others were saying that religion would save and solve everything. you do, however, that the reality was somewhere in between. i remember thinking at the time how u