Steubenville, Ohio, Sep 22, 2005 / 12:00 am (CNA).- In light of a continued national debate on the role of faith in political life, as well as scientific advances which the Catholic Church asks faithful to take pause at, Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio has announced an upcoming conference in which experts will tackle many of these key social and ethical issues head on.

The thirteenth annual National Conference of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists (SCSS) is slated to be held on the university’s campus from October 28^th through 29^th.

Dr. Stephen Krason, professor of political science and legal studies at the university and the president and co-founder of the SCSS, said that, "Within the Church in the US a lot of people involved in social questions as Catholics are actually more informed by secular thought than the genuine social teaching of the Church."

"Sometimes", he said, "it takes a concerted effort, even in a small way, to bring the truth to the fore."

The Society, which was founded in 1992 in an effort to apply authentic Catholic social teaching to some of society’s most pressing ethical questions, consists of over 300 Catholic teachers, scholars and social scientists.

The University said that over 60 presentations will be given throughout the weekend ranging in topic from euthanasia and life issues, legal practices and Catholic family life and cultural questions.

More information can be found at: www.catholicsocialscientists.org.

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