Commentaries
Why wait? Do that spring cleaning in winter
A little bit at a time, Maureen Pratt is getting her house in order by sorting, cleaning and letting go. That same approach can work for losing weight, job searching or spiritual discernment. And you don't need a New Year's resolution.
Climate change: A Catholic issue
Effie Caldarola hopes it's not an ominous sign that the climate change page on the White House's website is gone. She suggests steps everyone can take to lessen the impact of a warming world and rising seas.
Call to greatness, in God’s plan, was heard loud and clear
Temple University student Matt Vanderveer had a life-changing experience at a recent national conference for Catholic collegians. He became fired up for his faith and found a purpose, thanks to SEEK2017.
Catholics face tough choice in political parties: lust or avarice?
Richard Doerflinger knows choosing one's political party can be a dilemma. But ask yourself: Do I want to lobby my church to see things the way my party does or lobby the party to come closer to the church's vision?
Trump and the forgotten America of the Fourth World
John Garvey finds one reason for President Donald Trump's victory: middle-class Americans looked not for charity -- whether from government or church -- but for their dignity, after their towns were left behind by the global economy.
Seeing the church in America through Hispanic Catholic eyes
If you want evidence of how U.S. Catholicism and the Hispanic experience go hand in hand, Hosffman Ospino suggests looking around at the faces of young Latino Catholics in so many parishes across the country.
Homicides take the heart out of us, but education remains the key
Father Eugene Hemrick bemoans the many killings in his home city of Chicago. We should promote peace and peacemakers in our schools, he argues, and we should teach prayer as a way of appreciating the Giver of Life.
How to repair relationships after damage of addiction
The founder of an addictions recovery organization offers four essential tips to salvaging relationships torn by people living with addiction. It's a serious beast, but with guidance and patience, peace may be found.
Don’t go it alone, accept help from others
Many of us believe we need to solve our own problems, otherwise we appear weak, writes Maria-Pia Negro Chin. We have a hard time asking for or accepting help, but doing so opens us to receiving mercy through human hands.
In power outage, the power of candlelight and closeness emerges
Being constantly on the go leaves no time to enjoy tranquility, writes Father Eugene Hemrick. To ensure that connection, sometimes we need to be stopped and cast into an atmosphere that encourages stillness.