Commentaries
Like rain, the Holy Spirit falls on all, with gifts of many kinds
Father John Catoir relates an ancient way of looking at the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and what those gifts -- and our desires for holiness -- mean for discerning Christians today.
Young man’s overdose death stirs friend’s parents: Could it happen to us?
In their Marriage Matters column, Deacon Paul and Helen McBlain discuss the ways a husband and wife can deal with the scourge of drugs and their own adult children.
Signposts of discernment: How we know we’re doing God’s will
We all want a sense of certainty that we are following God's will, writes Effie Caldarola. While we may not receive an interior vision as did St. Teresa of Kolkata, we can list signs of an interior "sense of rightness."
‘We only tip citizens’: The racism of making judgments by skin color
Hispanic people -- including hard-working U.S. citizens -- have borne the malignancy of racial hatred by white Americans for many years, but have not lost faith in the goodwill of most Americans, writes Moises Sandoval.
A simple twist on being a good Samaritan
Saying a short prayer when we hear a police siren in the distance may seem like a pious act but it is much more -- it keeps our hearts open to those in need even though they aren't our physical neighbor, writes Father Eugene Hemrick.
An albatross of nostalgia, hanging on the Church of Philadelphia
Eric Banecker enjoys showing off the signs of America's birthplace in Philadelphia, but he knows the monuments of the church's dynamic 20th century are for the past -- not the present to which God is calling us to holiness today.
Where’s the enthusiasm for being Catholic?
Contented Catholics seem not to be notice that the quality of Catholic service is declining and the level of commitment to Catholic institutions needs to become fired up, writes Jesuit Father William Byron.
The gift of empathy moves us to action
Effie Caldarola writes that when confronted with human needs before us, empathy demands not that we turn away and say, "I've got things to do," but to stay and ask, "What can I do?"
Blessed Teresa: Witness of modern-day holiness
The process for making a saint in the church is easier than it used to be, and John Garvey is grateful because soon-to-be St. Teresa of Kolkata was a real, recent and a relevant model of sainthood for us all.
Taking the ‘Ride’ of our lives
In his On the Record column, Charlie Martin listens to Twenty-One Pilots' hit song "Ride." Its lyrics are enigmatic but he sees in this reggae-infused version of hip-hop some signs of how to live the great adventure of life.