Heidi Schlumpf

Heidi Schlumpf is NCR senior correspondent. Her email address is hschlumpf@ncronline.org. Follow her on Twitter: @HeidiSchlumpf.

Schlumpf was previously NCR's executive editor and a national correspondent. As national correspondent, Schlumpf did in-depth coverage on the influence of money in the church, sex abuse, politics, women's issues, racism and young people in the church. Her work has included investigations into Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) and popular Catholic author Matthew Kelly. She previously wrote an opinion column for NCR for almost a decade.

Schlumpf has three decades of experience covering religion, spirituality, social justice and women's issues, having previously served as managing editor of U.S. Catholic magazine and as a reporter at Chicago's archdiocesan newspaper and secular newspapers in California and Wisconsin. Her work has been published by CNN Opinion, Sojourners and Huffington Post. She taught journalism as an associate professor of communication at Aurora University in Illinois.

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, she also earned a master's of theological studies from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern University, where she studied with feminist theologian Rosemary Radford Ruether.

She is the author/editor of three books, including Elizabeth A. Johnson: Questing for God (Liturgical Press, 2016), the Notre Dame Book of Prayer (Ave Maria, 2010) and While We Wait: Spiritual & Practical Advice for Those Trying to Adopt (ACTA, 2009).

Schlumpf is based in Chicago, where she lives with her husband, Edmund, and their two children, and where she is a member of St. Gertrude Parish.

By this Author

Attendees add prayer intentions and inspirational phrases to a display at the Student Leadership Summit, sponsored by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students in Chicago Jan. 2-6. (Courtesy of FOCUS)

FOCUS conference for students boosts 'spiritual multiplication'

Chicago - The five-day Student Leadership Summit, held by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, sought to train young Catholics and provide them tools for evangelization.

Dakota Flores

Families worried that children's health insurance will be cut

The state-administered program, which provides low-cost health insurance for 9 million children nationwide, lost its federal funding on Sept. 30, when it was not renewed. Families are facing difficult choices, and activists are doing what they can.

Morning Briefing

Morning Briefing: A threat of nuclear war; Catholic Worker news; nuns and "nones" find common ground

Morning Briefing

Morning Briefing: Troubles in Honduras, another cake-baking case and readying for the new year

Morning Briefing

Morning Briefing: The year in review, partial lifting of Muslim ban, a longtime lobbyist retires

Morning Briefing

Morning Briefing: Cardinal Law dies, "Blue Christmas" services, last-minute Advent inspiration

'God bless you, Father!' Parishioners support pastor who reveals he is gay

Fr. Greg Greiten was halfway through his homily, during which he shared that he is a gay, celibate priest, when a woman rose from her pew and shouted, “God bless you, Father!” The rest of the congregation at St. Bernadette Parish, where Greiten is pastor, responded with applause.

Morning Briefing

Morning Briefing: Christians and the Alabama Senate results; more criticism of the pope, happy Hanukkah

Morning Briefing

Morning Briefing: Anti-Trump news, no double-dipping for Christmas Mass, and Advent inspiration.

Church teaching is clear: 'Fake news,' other untruths are wrong, dangerous

Recent examples involving President Trump and the Washington Post raise the question: Is lying wrong? Is it still — as Catholics would say — a sin? 

Steven Millies, left, and Precious Blood Fr. Robert Schreiter discuss "Peacebuilding at a Time of Political Polarization" in an event sponsored by the Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago Dec. 1. (Catholic Theological Union)

Church can help build peace amid polarization, theologian says

Fr. Robert Schreiter, speaking at Catholic Theological Union, drew on his decades' experience in reconciliation around the world, applying the principles to the U.S. today.

Columbus mural at Notre Dame

Offensive murals must go, say Native American Notre Dame students and others

More than 450 students, faculty, staff and alumni have signed an open letter to the university president urging that 19th-century murals in Notre Dame's Main Building be removed. The heroic depiction of Christopher Columbus and stereotypical portrayal of Native American people are "highly problematic," they say.

Morning Briefing

Morning Briefing: What the pope didn't say in Myanmar; bishops concerned over net neutrality; and latest on sexual harassment

Catholic blogger accused of 'inappropriate, predatory' behavior

Women in the community around Sick Pilgrim, a Catholic blog for spirituality, have accused the blog's co-founder with nonconsensual touching and “inappropriate, predatory and exploitative” relationships. The co-founder denies the allegations.  

Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas (CNS/Reuters/Joshua Roberts)

Kansans urge Americans to learn from their economic mistakes

Nationally replicating the "trickle-down" policy in the GOP tax plan won't work, critics say, and Catholic leaders emphasize its unethical burden on low-income people.

Morning Briefing

Morning Briefing: Pope Francis' upcoming trip to Myanmar; perspectives on nuclear weapons; weekend gatherings and Thanksgiving thoughts.

Adoption can show us new way of belonging, connecting

Book Review: One of the many things that surprised me while adopting our two children was the sizeable number of evangelical Christians in the adoption community. 

Bishop George Murry (facing camera, right), chair of the U.S. bishops' Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, conducts an interview near the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington Oct. 2. (CNS/Tyler Orsburn)

Calls for concrete action for justice follow bishops' meeting

The U.S. bishops discussed immigration, racism and other social justice issues in Baltimore, but more needs to be done to effect change, say some bishops and observers. 

Salvatore Cordileone

Bishops' discussion of marriage document, pastoral plan strikes traditionalist tone

USCCB Fall 2017: A year and a half after the release of Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation​ Amoris Laetitia, the U.S. bishops have voted to create a document and pastoral plan on marriage and family life, scheduled to be ready in November 2019.

Harvey Sept. 8

Hurricane-ravaged dioceses still suffering, US bishops say

USCCB Fall 2017: Bishops from dioceses affected by hurricanes in the past few months provided updates to the assembled conference in Baltimore Nov. 14; their message was one of ongoing struggle and need, as well as solidarity and human kindness.

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