Commentaries
Three truths that parenting taught me about Lent
The simple fact of family members bumping up against each other's needs and flaws can teach us volumes about humility, forgiveness and faith, writes Laura Kelly Fanucci.
Gun violence is a bigger problem than armed teachers can fix
Richard Doerflinger applauds a range of solutions to the crisis of violence, but arming teachers isn't one of them. Instead, look deeper at the lack of father figures and alienation among boys, he advises.
For children’s sake, find the courage to combat gun violence
A guest editorial advises Catholics start with prayer to stop school shootings, that God may "burn in your heart the courage to stand up," said Greensburg, Pa., Bishop Edward Malesic. "We have to start taking action to stop this carnage."
‘Boys will be boys,’ or is it time to man up?
A couple disagrees over whether to cut their teenage sons some slack, or to rein them in. Deacon Paul and Helen McBlain advise honest discussions, and above all, prayer.
Catholics want better preaching, but are they listening?
A good Sunday homily is more than a one-way broadcast for priests and deacons, writes Father Thomas Dailey. He notes that Pope Francis has called for brief homilies and for listeners to open their hearts to God's Word.
Despair will not have the last word, Miami archbishop says of shooting
In the wake of the Feb. 14 school shootings in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 people dead, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami wrote this spiritual reflection on how we as Catholics deal with such terrible acts.
Wisdom for the digital age comes from the street of broken dreams
A homeless man's conversation with digital advertising pro Brett Robinson led to a random opening to the Bible and a lesson from God, via his humble messenger, on the value of knowledge over information.
In the mutual hostility of tribal America, we need our better angels
The bitter rifts in society and scandalous divisions in the church today point to something dysfunctional that is keeping us from seeking solutions together, writes Greg Erlandson. We must again learn to love one another.
Migration: ‘An act of love’ or license to hunt the unwanted?
In a Lenten act of standing with the poor, Effie Caldarola accompanied a working father in leg shackles, awaiting deportation. Americans favor border security and a humane immigration system, she writes.
Let Lucas break down our prejudices on Down syndrome
Richard Doerflinger writes of little Lucas Warren, the first-ever Gerber baby with Down syndrome. While most people like Lucas are eliminated before they are born, those welcomed into the world have much to teach us.