Biography
Francis X. Maier is a senior fellow in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, DC. His work focuses on the intersection of Christian faith, culture, and public life, with special attention to lay formation and action.
Mr. Maier served as senior adviser and special assistant to Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., for 23 years in Denver and Philadelphia. He previously served as editor in chief of the National Catholic Register newsweekly for 15 years, and earlier as a story analyst and screenwriter based in Los Angeles. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and New York University’s School of the Arts, he is a former fellow of the American Film Institute’s Conservatory for Advanced Film Studies.
In addition to his regular columns in The Catholic Thing, his bylined work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, First Things, National Review, The American Spectator, the New York Times Sunday magazine, Christian Science Monitor, and other national and foreign outlets. His book True Confessions: Voices of Faith from a Life in the Church (Ignatius) was published in February 2024.
In 2004, Maier and his wife Suann were appointed to the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II for their services to the Church, and in 2019 advanced in rank by Pope Francis.