Project impact
Father Herr's invitation to appear on national television
Father Herr's invitation to Vatican II
Herr initiated interest in the relation of mental hygiene to religion early on. In 1951, he gave a paper on this topic at the International Catholic Psychiatric Convention and another at the Jesuit Psychological Convention, both held in London, UK. At the later meeting, 50 leading Catholic psychiatrists met to discuss the formation of a permanent association. Herr was one of five individuals representing the USA.
After receiving funding for the project, he presented interim results at many conferences. One significant presentation was for the first meeting of the Academy of Religion and Mental Health in New York in 1960 to over 1000 attendees. Later that year, he gave a paper at the International Catholic Association of Psychotherapy and Clinical Psychology meeting in Milan, Italy.
Herr also presented together with Rabbi Hollander and Rev. Hoffman on their collaborative project. They were interviewed on the CBS TV program "Lamp unto my feet" broadcast from New York in 1962. Herr was invited to serve as an adviser on seminary training to Vatican II in Rome in 1965. He gave a talk about this work on the Vatican radio station while he was there.