Commentaries
When Christians anywhere suffer, so do we all
Attacks on Christians throughout the world are on the rise, especially in the Middle East. U.S. Catholic bishops can insist that our country's leaders make the protection of at-risk Christians abroad a foreign policy priority for the United States.
Old age is a gift, not a calamity
Father William Byron gave a retreat this month for his elderly Jesuit brothers in which he quoted a confrere: "I view old age as a time of life which exemplifies in countless ways a great principle of our existence: the principle of growth through diminishment."
Change your language, change your world
Columnist Karen Osborne knows it can be hard to switch from negative language to positive language. Start today. When you hear yourself saying "don't," "can't" or "won't," turn it into "can" and "will." It's not easy, but it's worth it.
Greeting the new year with energy means slowing down
Feeling as if you'd like to hibernate the rest of the winter? Columnist Maureen Pratt knows the feeling. She offers a few tips to reenergize and raise our spirits as we end one year and look toward another.
On semi-auto pilot: A distinction without a difference
A reader chastised columnist Steve Kent for "spreading lies" in a recent column that called for a reversal of the gun culture in America. He incorrectly wrote the person who killed a Transportation Security Administration agent and wounded others at a Los Angeles Airport did so with an automatic rifle. It was in fact a semi-automatic rifle.
A 140-character look at two popes
Because communicating today is simple and inexpensive, we often mistakenly believe those words have little meaning, writes columnist Erick Rommel. That belief is incorrect. You can still learn a lot about a person in just a few words. Take for instance the Twitter messages of two people, Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI.
Helping your loved one give up the keys
Bill Dodds was lucky. The columnist's parents knew when it was time for them to quit driving. They stopped without being asked. There are better ways to discuss this challenging topic with elderly loved ones than swooping in one day and confiscating the car keys.
In world leadership, what we should ask for this Christmas
The enthusiasm over Pope Francis's pontificate and the funeral of Nelson Mandela reflect a hunger for leaders who live what they preach, who are servant leaders leading with humility and love.
Kairos can open a teen’s heart to God, if you let him
High school senior Melanie DeFrancisco describes a Kairos retreat as life-changing. In her own words, she tells how the amazing and unique experience has touched and changed her own life. She believes God is calling teenagers and everyone to open the door and let him come into our lives and change them for the better.
Look into the faces of poor people
While writing a check to charity or donating canned goods are important, they don't replace reaching out to people in need with a hand of friendship, a listening ear and a commitment to work together with them to make changes in society.