The University of Notre Dame is about to launch a new, multi-year, scholarly initiative under the direction of Scott Appleby entitled: "Contending Modernities: Catholic, Muslim, and Secular" in Manhattan the weekend before Thanksgiving. It's held in connection with a football game to be played in Yankee Stadium (Notre Dame - Army ). While the football game isn't free (except on television), the academic events are. John McGreevy is speaking on the keynote panel, and I'm included in a later panel discussion. Later in the day, there is another academic panel featuring not only John, but also EJ Dionne, John Dilulio, Robert Putnam, and David Campbell on the status of Catholicism in American public life.I expect that this project will provide material for Commonweal articles for years to come!