HAMILTON, VA – Helen Alvaré, a noted champion of pro-life and pro-family causes, will be honored by the Catholic Distance University (CDU) at its annual Awards Gala on November 21, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia.
Alvaré, a Professor of Law at George Mason University School of Law, where she teaches Family Law, Law and Religion and Property Law, will be given the Founders Award. The announcement was made by Marianne Evans Mount, PhD, president of the university.
“It is a great honor to recognize Professor Alvaré for her lifelong work and accomplishments,” said Dr. Mount. “During her outstanding career, Helen has focused on the defense of the unborn and has courageously championed marriage in the public arena, providing a steady and strong moral compass during challenging times.”
Professor Alvaré is an advisor to the law school’s Civil Rights Law Journal at George Mason and the Latino/a Law Student Association, a consultor for the Pontifical Council of the Laity (Vatican City), an advisor to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), founder of WomenSpeakforThemselves.com and an ABC news consultant.
Richard Doerflinger, associate director of Pro Life Activities for USCCB, has described Professor Alvaré as “one of the most knowledgeable and effective advocates for life and marriage I have ever known, an ideal combination of style and substance” and “a leading spokeswoman for Catholic pro-life feminism.”
National Catholic Register (NCR) also noted that “many Catholics look to Alvaré as one of the Church’s most articulate and reasoned voices in the public square today.”
A speaker and a delegate to various United Nations conferences concerning women and the family, Professor Alvaré publishes regularly in news outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post and USA Today.
Prior to joining the faculty of George Mason, Professor Alvaré taught at The Catholic University of America; represented the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops before legislative bodies, academic audiences and the media; and was a litigation attorney for the Philadelphia law firm of Stradley, Ronon, Stevens & Young.
In addition to the Founders Award, CDU also will present the Bishop Thomas J. Welsh Award to a parish in the Diocese of Arlington.
November 21 Gala
The CDU Gala will be held at the Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel, 801 North Glebe Road, Arlington, beginning with a 5 p.m. Academic Convocation Mass to honor CDU’s 2015 graduates, followed by a 6:30 p.m. cocktail reception and a 7:30 p.m. dinner and awards ceremony. The program will be hosted by The Most Honorable Paul S. Loverde, Chairman of the Board of CDU.
About CDU
A pioneer in distance learning, CDU is the only Catholic university that operates totally online. It was founded in 1983 as the first catechetical institute in the United States to award the Catechetical Diploma and teach the Catholic faith to adults using distance education. In its early days, CDU operated as a correspondence school. Twenty years ago it became part of the web. Today CDU students are located in all 50 states and 68 countries. Using distance education, CDU offers accredited degrees in Theology and the Liberal Arts, including graduate degrees and certificates. The university also provides continuing education courses and certificates online and continues its active outreach to the incarcerated Church through correspondence courses. Bishop Paul S. Loverde is Chairman of CDU’s Board of Trustees, and Marianne Evans Mount, PhD, serves as President. For more information, visit www.cdu.edu
For more information, contact:
Mary Kate White
mwhite@cdu.edu
888-245-4238 x717
Catholic Distance University
120 East Colonial Highway
Hamilton, Virginia 20158
