Commentaries
Fr. Martin responds to Archbishop Chaput’s critique
Jesuit Father James Martin offers his thoughts on the archbishop's CatholicPhilly.com column that presents church teaching regarding care for same-sex Catholics -- and the archbishop replies to this response.
The fine thing about friends
A broken arm recently reminded Maureen Pratt how dependent we are upon each other. With many feeling isolated in the age of social media, cultivating friendships through active listening, prayer and reflection has become more important than ever.
Humility, the mother of all virtues, gently leads us to joy
Neither false modesty nor morbid self-hatred, the ability to be seek the truth while desiring only God's will nourishes the spiritual life, writes Father Eugene Hemrick.
The upside to playing in a minor league
Reflecting on his school's NCAA Division III standings, Catholic U. president John Garvey observes that athletes and fans alike can find greater satisfaction in sports when they play for one another, and for the fun of the game.
Biblical wisdom for expectant, ‘older’ mothers
Being pregnant over the age of 35 gave Elise Italiano Ureneck a chance to catch up with (and learn from) women who had significant experience in the field: Sarah, the mother of Isaac, and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.
The sin of anti-Semitism resurfaces
Violence against Jewish people is on the rise in Europe and America, and Greg Erlandson warns that Catholics must guard against anti-Semitism and not give intellectual cover to those who invoke its slanders.
A few thoughts on Sunday Mass attendance
Empty pews are a call to focus on the corporal works of mercy, improved liturgies and homilies, and a relational approach to ministry that favors real authentic conversion over big numbers, says Father Eric Banecker.
When ‘going home again’ becomes a lesson in humility
Effie Caldarola enjoys a Labor Day parade in her old hometown, and finds few people today remember the prominent leaders of the past. Humility is accepting each fleeting, God-filled moment, she writes.
In praise of today’s seminarians
If you’re feeling down about the future of Catholicism in the U.S. as crises continue to roil the church, note that seminaries haven't emptied. Young men are stepping up in love, and a grateful George Weigel is impressed.
When you see goodness all around, there’s reason for hope
It's hard to find hope in the church or ourselves. The source of hope, and what our eyes should remain open to, is that God loves us, that Christ saves us and that he is very much alive, writes Katie Prejean McGrady.