Weisgerber, vice-president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops , will give a talk titled: "Bridging the Gap: Reaching Beyond Our Differences."

The Somerville Lecture in Christianity and Communications is sponsored by The Catholic Register and held annually at the Newman Centre in Toronto and at St. Jerome's University in Waterloo, Ont. It brings to the public square some of the latest and best thinking on the relationship between Christianity, media and the broader culture. It is named after Henry Somerville (1889-1953), the longest serving editor of The Register.

The archbishop of Winnipeg is a Saskatchewan native who studied at St. Peter's College in Muenster, Sask., and Saint Paul University in Ottawa, where he obtained licence degrees in philosophy and theology. He was general secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1990-1996 before being ordained bishop of Saskatoon. In 2000, he was appointed to his current position.

Weisgerber is also a member of the Roman Catholic/Methodist International Dialogue. In 2004-2005, he chaired a CCCB task force on clergy sexual abuse.

The lecture will focus on how modern public debate, even within the Catholic Church, has tended to polarize attitudes rather than lead to mutual understanding. Weisgerber will address how we can reach outside our safe territory to begin the long process of healing.

On Nov. 30, the lecture will be held at the Newman Centre, 89 St. George St., Toronto. The next day, Dec. 1, it will be held at St. Jerome's on the University of Waterloo campus in Waterloo, where the lecture is part of a series hosted by the St. Jerome's Centre for Catholic Experience. The start time for both free lectures is 7:30 p.m.

The Newman lecture will also be followed by a reception. For more information, contact (416) 934-3410, ext. 407.