Mr. Tim Russert was to be the keynote at our annual Philip J. Murnion lecture in two weeks, Friday, June 27 at The Catholic University of America.  He was to speak about his insights and observations on common ground in our U.S. political process that could aid in the search for common ground in the Catholic church. 

In preparation for this event, about a year ago, I began looking into the person who is Mr. Russert.  Reading his best-selling book, Big Russ and Me and watching him on Meet the Press I discovered a man who sought to understand the other.  He did so in his professional life and matched it, as I came to learn, in his personal life as well.

He was described this way in an MSNBC press release:

“Lawrence Spivak, who founded ‘Meet the Press,’ told me before he died that the job of the host is to learn as much as you can about your guest’s positions and take the other side,” he said in a 2007 interview with Time magazine. “And to do that in a persistent and civil way. And that’s what I try to do every Sunday.”

As I came to be a big fan of the Sunday morning talk show I learned just how hard Mr. Russert worked at knowing the person as well as the issues that were being discussed on the show.  He was the perfect person to invite to discuss common ground at our anual lecture.  Here was a man who lived the spirituality of the Common Ground Initiative - seeking to know the other, a willingness to dialogue with those of different opinions, a depth of understanding about the issues, and a civility in discussion.  He could ask the tough questions yet never be disrespectful of his guests.

I am saddened after learning so much about this good man that his life had ended so soon.  I think the world has learned a lot through him about dialogue.  It would have been nice to hear a Catholic lay man who has dedicated so much of his own professional life to creating a space for civil conversation offer some reflections about how the church can strengthen its bonds of unity among its members.  But something tells me that all I need to do is look at the life he had led to uncover those insights.