Catholic Information Center

About the Catholic Information Center

The CIC describes itself as a unique Catholic intellectual hub serving the professionals who live and work in and around the Washington metro area. Through spiritual, intellectual, and professional formation programs, it offers Catholics the tools to lead integrated lives in which the richness of Catholic teaching bears on their professions and communities. Its mission statement commits it to making the Catholic Church 'alive in the hearts and minds' of the men and women of the nation's capital.

History and Founding

Founded in 1957 by Redemptorist Father James Coen at the invitation of Cardinal O'Boyle, the CIC began as a 'street parish' — a small noontime refuge with Mass, faith courses, and a library for downtown Washington workers, where spaghetti dinners drew thousands of inquirers and roughly 2,500 converts in the first two decades. Run by the Redemptorists for thirty-five years, the center was incorporated into the Archdiocese of Washington under Cardinal James Hickey in 1991–1992, with Opus Dei priests assuming leadership starting with Father Michael Curtin.

• 1957: Founded by Redemptorist Father James Coen
• 1991–1992: Incorporated into the Archdiocese of Washington; Opus Dei takes over
• 1998: Father C. John McCloskey III begins as director
• 2004: Father William H. Stetson succeeds McCloskey
• 2007: Father Arne Panula becomes director
• 2017: Father Charles Trullols named current director

The Chapel of St. Josemaría Escrivá

The CIC's chapel is the only sanctuary in the United States dedicated to St. Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, who was canonized on October 6, 2002. It seats roughly 84–100 people and the noon Mass typically draws 75 or more worshippers, a mix of local regulars and visiting travelers. The CIC describes the tabernacle as the closest to the White House.

• Gold tabernacle as the centerpiece
• Statues of St. Josemaría and St. Catherine of Siena flanking the altar
• Stained-glass image of St. Jean Vianney, patron of parish priests
• Image of St. Thomas More, patron of politicians
• Daily noon Mass and afternoon Eucharistic Adoration

Bookstore and Lifetime Reading Plan

The CIC's bookstore is one of the largest Catholic bookstores in the country, with all materials vetted for fidelity to the Magisterium and the Church's teachings. It carries works by authors ranging from St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Therese of Lisieux to G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc. Store hours are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

• Lifetime Reading Plan — ~100 recommended titles across a lifetime (about a third also available in Spanish)
• Bookstore open Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Intellectual and Cultural Programming

The CIC partners with Catholic organizations, think tanks, and institutes of higher education to provide comprehensive study courses, lecture series, panel discussions, and book launches on topics at the intersection of faith, policy, and culture. Its Lecture Series features industry experts, academics, and dozens of notable Catholic authors each year, in-depth discussions that have drawn coverage from outlets such as C-SPAN.

• Lecture Series and book launches
• Panel discussions on faith, policy, and culture
• Leonine Forum — fellowship for young professionals in Catholic Social Teaching (co-founded 2013)
• Panula Chair in Christian Culture — held by Mary Eberstadt
• John Paul II New Evangelization Award Dinner (annual, 700+ guests)

Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Mission

Spiritual direction is offered at the CIC by appointment. The pastoral mission emphasizes treating every visitor as a son or daughter of God and providing what they need for their spiritual journey — daily Mass, confession throughout the day, and the exposed Eucharist in afternoon adoration.

• Spiritual direction by appointment: [email protected] or 202.783.2062
• Pastoral priority on daily Mass, confession availability, and Eucharistic Adoration

Relationship with the Archdiocese of Washington and Opus Dei

The Catholic Information Center is a corporation of the Archdiocese of Washington, subject to all Archdiocesan policies for these corporations. By agreement between the Archdiocese and the Prelature of Opus Dei, the Director of the CIC is a priest of Opus Dei nominated by the Prelature and appointed by the Archdiocese. It is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization; its federal EIN is 52-1790727. The Center is officially non-partisan.

• Corporation of the Archdiocese of Washington
• Director is an Opus Dei priest nominated by the Prelature and appointed by the Archdiocese
• 501(c)(3) non-profit, EIN 52-1790727
• Officially non-partisan

Staff

The CIC's professional staff supports the chapel, bookstore, intellectual programming, development, and operations of the center.

• Fr. Charles Trullols — Director
• Fr. Mark Mannion — Assistant Chaplain
• Mitch Boersma — Bookstore Manager (and co-founder of the Leonine Forum)
• Mary Eberstadt — inaugural Panula Chair in Christian Culture
• Kevin Jones — Senior Director of Operations
• Colleen Prince — Director of Strategic Initiatives
• Angelica Tom — Programming and Development Manager
• Gerard P. McNair-Lewis — staff

Visit the CIC

The CIC is on the ground floor of the historic Investment Building at 1501 K Street NW, Suite 175, two blocks from the White House. It is closed on federal holidays that fall on weekdays.

• Address: 1501 K Street NW, Suite 175, Washington, DC 20005
• Phone: 202-783-2062
• Email: [email protected]
• Spiritual direction: [email protected]
• Development: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.cicdc.org