Commentaries

6 tips for making St. Valentine’s Day special year-round

Sure, you can give the gift of chocolate, but Bill Dodds has suggestions for gifts your loved one or friend will really appreciate. They'll love you for it.

No matter the issue, conversion of hearts follows advocacy

After the jubilant March for Life and meetings with lawmakers, Anna Capizzi had mixed feelings, especially after the order barring immigrants. She calls for frank conversations with people who are in our lives but differ in opinion.

The underside, and the road ahead, of making America ‘great’ again

It isn't hard for Father Eugene Hemrick to acknowledge America's past greatness as well as its glaring flaws. Greatness comes ultimately from God's desire for human equality and dignity, and from people working for justice.

The freedom of self-employment means more responsibility

Erick Rommel advises young people to seek work, even if self-employed, in which we feel comfortable with our actions and with the people around us. After all, everyone relies on the support of others.

Mom lost her baby in miscarriage, and just can’t recover

In their Marriage Matters column, Deacon Paul and Helen McBlain discuss the emotions -- and the resources offering help -- of a mother's most bitter loss, and how it affects her husband and other children.

Catholics should bring a sense of perspective to politics

For some advocates, each political victory is a triumph, each defeat a moment of despair. They push away friends and foes, rejecting incremental progress as betrayal. Catholics must take the long view of eternity, writes Richard Doerflinger.

Reality check: Global arc of human progress is rising

Amidst humanitarian crises and despite dictatorships, epidemics, a global economic crisis and more, billions of people have risen from extreme poverty and found many other benefits in the past 30 years, writes Carolyn Woo.

Why Catholics uncomfortable with ‘Amoris’ aren’t ‘dissenters’

Catholics are unsettled at the idea of being at odds with the church regarding divorce and remarriage, writes psychologist Hilary Towers. Many have experienced divorce and they want their children to know the beauty of the church's call to sexual integrity and marital fidelity.

What are you doing for others?

"The MLK Day of Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems and moves us closer to Dr. King's vision of a beloved community."

You can lead a boy to homework, but you can’t make him think

How then, is a concerned parent going to find the ignition switch that will start the learning engine that lies hidden between the ears of his or her developing child?