Commentaries
The war on the poor, and agents of relief
On the front lines of this war, defending the poor, is the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. As regular as turkey and football on Thanksgiving, this time of year brings criticism of that agency for doing what the church should be about.
JFK anniversary inspires memories, sadness and regret
The anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination leaves me saddened on many levels. Like other Americans who were alive at the time, I keenly remember how devastated the country was. Looking back, I see how the young JFK was growing in his presidency and imagine what he might have accomplished.
‘Tis the season to calm down
The days of Thanksgiving and Christmas are crucial for we who desire to be better, do better and reflect all the good that God has given us. We are celebrating a marvelous gift, one given freely, with complete love. Simply put, if we take the holidays too seriously, we will seriously miss the point.
Breaking the silence between parents and teenagers
A movement that originated in the Philadelphia area a few years ago called "Speak Up!" aims to summon teenagers out of emotional separation from their parents and create a welcoming environment where youngsters can be heard by parents.
Looking for heroes in real-life nightmares
The annals of World War II literature are full of heroes who challenge us to question how we would have responded to that real-life nightmare. So here's one more hero: Blessed Restituta Kafka, the only nun in Europe sentenced to execution by beheading at the hands of the Nazis -- pray for us.
It’s time to reverse the gun culture in America
Let's admit firearms for recreational use, but what justification is there for automatic weapons? Some say we need automatic weapons to protect ourselves against a government. Where does this disbelief in the functioning of a democracy leave us? It is well past time to unwind the gun culture in America, or accept it and wonder if the next trip to the mall, school or airport will be your last.
Waiting for the next Edison, Jobs or Zuckerberg
The next big inventions may come from teenagers, simply because their curious minds and ability to question the world and how it runs lends itself to solving the societal and technological needs and problems that lead to great inventions.
Teen daughter is pregnant, parents are at odds over what to do
Marriage columnists Deacon Paul and Helen McBlain discuss the case of a couple whose teenage daughter becomes pregnant. It’s a dilemma parents have faced before, but after the shock and anger, the way going forward must be walked carefully and prayerfully by all parties involved.
When being right means doing wrong
Part of being a parent involves responsibility. That means protecting and providing for a child. But as children grow, parents must help them transition from a person who is provided for into a person who can provide for herself, a person responsible enough to do the right thing.
To give thanks for our own good
November brings a favorite celebration for many of us: a special day set aside to consider our blessings and give thanks. Meister Eckhart noted that if the only prayer we ever offer is, "Thank you," that would be good enough. If we make of our life a prayer, then giving thanks would be the foundational act from which everything else flows.