Capps Emerson Memorial Lecture

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) and Susan Collin Marks of Search for Common Ground (R)

The annual Capps Emerson Memorial Lecture was held on Wednesday in the Rayburn House Office Building.

The featured speaker was Ambassador Thomas Melady, an ordained Catholic priest and former Ambassador to the Holy See, who spoke on the subject of maintaining civil discourse in heated political times.

The event is held in honor of former congressmen Walter Capps (D-Calif.) and Bill Emerson (R-Mo.), both of whom died while serving in the House.

Reps. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) and Lois Capps (D-Calif.) serve as the sponsors of the evening.

— Report by Christina Wilkie and photographs by Brendan Hoffman

Father Clete Kiley, President of the Faith & Politics Institute (L), former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican  Ambassador Thomas Melady; Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.)

Lou DeMattei, Sen. Patrick Leahy D-Vt.), Marcelle Leahy, Amy Tan

Debbie Dingell, Catherine Wyler

Nam Le, Francine Prose, Howie Michels

Scott Pastrick, Courtney Pastrick

Jim Lehrer, Clarence Page