Commentaries
Youth presence at annual pro-life event shows commitment
Don't tell Karen Osborne today's teenagers are all lazy and self-centered. She sees for herself at the March for Life and in parish life the amazing things they do.
What to do when Joe College can’t write or think
Jesuit Father William Byron notes that four in 10 U.S. college students graduate with insufficient skills to manage white-collar work. They're especially poor in communication, critical thinking and creativity -- and making a good impression.
Caregiving isn’t easy, and neither is receiving care
Sometimes the person receiving care makes it hard on the loved one offering it, writes Bill Dodds. He and his late wife knew well the reasons why.
Marriage is not an ideal
Russell Shaw writes that the choice of words describing Catholic teaching on marriage – is it a norm or an ideal? – may sound abstract but it has urgent implications.
Maintaining ‘hominess’ is the best way to counter homlessness
A moment after Father Eugene Hemrick got a warm dose of cultural and family identity, he faced the absence of it watching homeless people. He wishes they shared his strong sense of home and connection.
Catholic schools save taxpayers $2.28 billion
A new public database shows the money taxpayers spend on public education in Pennsylvania, but it doesn’t include the billions of public dollars not spent on children who attend Catholic schools.
Making sure our words and actions help, not hurt
Karen Osborne's stint as a marathon volunteer may have been annoying, but to the runners her efforts were unforgettable. Life's little moments of generosity make others, and ourselves, better.
Inoculating families to the virus of materialism
Jesuit Father William Byron looks to the World Meeting of Families and sees that in our wealthy society, material abundance constitutes a threat to all families, even those of modest means, of becoming possessed by their possessions.
Nonviolence as the ultimate path to peace
The words of Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount were heeded by Martin Luther King, writes Father John Catoir. They give encouragement to those who also remain steadfast in the fight against injustice.
The pinching of middle Americans
Deacon Paul and Helen McBlain, in their “Marriage Matters” column, explore the consequences of a middle class family’s worsening struggles to pay their bills as they’re caught between the rich and poor.