Commentaries
Attending Mass led to my conversion to Catholicism
Chris White found plenty of scholarship steering him to the Catholic Church. But it was the liturgy's silent break from a noisy world, holy Communion and sense of reverence that mattered most.
To tell the truth — and what happens when we don’t
Father Eugene Hemrick wonders if people's anxiety or even suicide might be rooted in their frustration with not learning the truth and feeling duped. We all want honesty, and he suggests it starts with being truthful with ourselves.
Missing Monica, and staying prepared for ‘grief pockets’
It's been four years since Bill Dodds became a widower. Just when he was cruising through his pace of grieving/not grieving, he hit pockets of turbulent sadness. But he's learning to manage it.
Graduation speakers should embody virtue
A school's choice of commencement speaker can be a cause of controversy - or an opportunity to present a living example of righteousness.
Are we devoted to our digital devices, or to the divine?
Our technology can become an idol that separates us from God and from creation. By returning to the Lord, we are restored to wholeness, within and without.
Mind this moment, God’s precious gift of now
When Maureen Pratt looks back and laughs at her awkward moments, she knows that even when our steps falter, the Lord walks with us, offering his grace all along.
More than ’13 Reasons Why’ suicide can be prevented in teens
A new Netflix series explores teenage suicide, but doesn't stress the many resources available to treat youths who are at risk for self-harm, writes Maria-Pia Negro Chin.
Faith and family inform Justice Samuel Alito’s seat on the high court
Deacon Eric Banecker sits down with the U.S. Supreme Court justice who talks about his family roots, lifelong love for the Phillies and the serious implications of the same-sex marriage decision.
Calm conviction is needed in the face of James Comey’s firing
Instead of political outrage over the Trump-Russia-Comey affair, voter pressure on members of Congress to support a thorough investigation will be a far more effective brake on Trump's presidential behavior.
End of life comes with a slick marketing proposition
Human dignity demands we oppose any coercion to hasten the hour of death, as marketers of assisted suicide propose. Greg Erlandson calls on doctors to lift the mask of "choice" on mercy killing.