Commentaries

How to stay sober and still have fun at social gatherings

Recovering from addiction doesn't mean you have to shun parties, writes Adam Cook. With some advance planning, you can enjoy get-togethers while protecting your sobriety.

New media reshapes us and taps our religious memory

If we were "amusing ourselves to death" in the television era, then we may be reconnecting to our cultural memory in the internet age, speculates Brett Robinson. The Catholic Church is sitting on a treasure trove of memory that is waiting to be rediscovered.

Teens can be saints, too

Maria-Pia Negro Chin tells of the remarkable holiness of a woman who died in 1990 at age 18, whom the church proclaims "blessed." She is just one of many young models of holiness for teenagers today.

Soldiers know what they sign up for, from here to eternity

Whether it's a president's words of consolation or a monument to fallen soldiers, Richard Doerflinger knows there is no greater love than to die in service to another. He knows because his son was killed serving in Iraq.

Harvey Weinstein’s not alone, and his attitude is rampant

The Hollywood mogul accused predatory sexual bullying stands at the head of an industry that has helped to hypersexualize our nation, writes Greg Erlandson. Chastity is still the surest antidote to piggish behavior and the Weinsteining of America.

Vows defy modern logic, but offer eternal fulfillment

Lifelong promises clash with our culture of immediacy and individualism, writes John Garvey. But God blesses such sacrifice with perseverance and grace.

Life’s symphony remains unfinished here on earth

Autumn stirs us to reflect on endings, which in turn remind us that our journey in this world will only be completed in the next, writes Effie Caldarola.

New legal actions restore religious freedom and offer hope

Two announcements by the Trump administration, along with a recent settlement from the U.S. Department of Justice, provide protection for religious institutions impacted by the controversial "contraception mandate."

The courage to speak of racism in the family

Dialogue within families and communities is essential to tackling the very real problem of prejudice, writes Hosffman Ospino. If not addressed, the current polarizing climate will lead to further biases.

In today’s technology age, who is controlling whom?

What our magnificent breakthroughs in science really need is an innovative mastery, writes Father Eugene Hemrick, and an understanding of what real freedom means.