Commentaries
Where image is everything, spectacle of Christmas endures
Jolly old St. Nick, Rudolf with his red nose, Charlie Brown's friends on stage and George Bailey’s guardian angel all stir our sense of kindness, illumination and insight, and most prominent is the Nativity scene, writes Father Thomas Dailey.
Rather than curse our life’s situation, seek hope in Christ
The fault in relationships that don't satisfy or jobs in which we're stuck lies not in "our stars." Rather, the cure for the dismay many people feel this time of year is hope amidst darkness, writes Father Eric Banecker.
Tell those family stories – they link old to young
Sister Constance Veit points to studies that show young people, despite their screens, really are listening and learning when their elders tell relatable, funny tales. And Christmas is the best time for them.
The reformed liturgy, 50 years later
Even as some long for a nostalgic past where the liturgy was celebrated poorly in Latin, today's Mass in the Ordinary Form can be celebrated so that the awe of the divine presence is palpable, writes George Weigel.
Investing in the future of our local church
Sarah Hanley explains how the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia combines investment management and fundraising services to ensure that our faith will be available for generations to come.
Power of patience tops the speed of today’s tech
Our technological progress compels us to answer texts and emails instantly. But sitting alone quietly in a room can lead to great creativity, writes Brett Robinson on a theme of Advent.
Advent’s challenge: Set aside rancor, and listen
Catholics have grown adept at berating each other, writes Greg Erlandson. The Advent liturgies are speaking to us, if only we have ears to hear their messages of reform and hope. Can we slow down and listen?
30 million U.S. Hispanic Catholics here and now
The percentage of Hispanics who self-identify as Catholic is declining, according to a recent survey. It is time to engage them in the building of the church before more alarms go off, writes Hosffman Ospino.
Bishops strive for unity in a time of division
Unity within the church takes hard work, so an editorial recognizes the value in spending less time in "sidebar conversations that serve to separate" and more time orienting to the cornerstone of the church, Jesus Christ.
On big families and happy, educated women
Why would professional women raise many children who will support other people’s retirement? John Garvey presents a researcher and mother of eight who is answering that question, with hope.