The Woman Advising Pope Leo on World Crises
Vatican Access with Robert Duncan
Sister Helen Alford, president of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences, stands at the intersection of faith, economics, and global policy, working to articulate the Church’s social teaching in a rapidly changing world. In this conversation, she reflects on her vocation and intellectual formation, the core principles of Catholic social teaching, and the major crises shaping our time. The discussion explores how the Church engages with global challenges at the highest level—raising a central question: in a world facing crisis after crisis, does the Church’s voice still matter? Guest bio: Sister Helen Alford is a Cambridge-trained engineer and Dominican religious sister serving as president of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences, a role to which she was appointed by Pope Francis in 2023. She collaborates with leading Catholic and non-Catholic scholars across disciplines—including economics, law, and healthcare—to address pressing global issues.