Commentaries
In gratitude for creation — and bird droppings
What happens when bird feeders proliferate in the neighborhood? Effie Caldarola thanks God for the beauty of creation, while her husband cleans up the inevitable end result.
Lamentations for the Christians of the Middle East
Columnist John Garvey thinks the ancient Israelites would recognize the plight of today's Christians in the Middle East, who are persecuted by a resurgent Islamic militancy.
Finance councils: Serving the parish as stewards
Finance council members are "essential to the vitality of the parish," and 114 such individuals attended a recent workshop to hone their skills.
In Baltimore, a lesson in blame
Columnist Carole Norris Greene distinguishes the thugs from peaceable Baltimore residents, and acknowledges some bad cops among good police officers.
While hoping for Romero’s sainthood, learn from his life
Father Gus Puleo reviews the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero before his beatification May 23, the lessons of his martyrdom and the power of the living Word of God.
Four words that can make a difference
"I made a mistake." If we all used those words more often, the world might be a happier place, says writer Erick Rommel.
Digging through life with the hands of Christ
As people picked through the rubble after Nepal's earthquake, Effie Caldarola got to thinking about the work of human hands and what they're meant to do.
Papal letter on environment spawning ugliness already
An editorial points out the shameful campaign against Pope Francis and his letter on the environment even before its release. Belittling the pope is wrong, and we're better than that.
Finding a glimmer of hope when life seems hopeless
In the face of the country's problems with poverty and violence, Karen Osborne remains convinced that hope fixes things. Solutions can come when we extend the lifeline of hope.
‘I’m too tired’ is a worn-out excuse
Maureen Pratt isn't buying the excuses people make for not fully and joyfully living their lives. She suggests dropping excuses, getting positive and inviting the Holy Spirit to take over.