Commentaries
When teens think suicide, there’s much we can do
Suicide among teens and young adults (ages 15-24) is high and rising, writes Maureen Pratt. Adults' experience with hard times and willingness to talk with teens can help them see life is worth living.
Congressman Cummings reminded us of integrity
Carole Norris Greene remembers the late Baltimore-area U.S. representative who died Oct. 17 as a man who moved among his constituents and asked their opinions -- offering a legacy to emulate.
Greta Thunberg spoke, and Catholic reaction fell flat
Catholics' taunts during the teen environmental activist's recent U.S. visit were a "poor witness in the public square," writes Elise Italiano Ureneck. An rising number of faithful youth see what their elders do not.
Safe injection sites fail the medical ethics ‘sniff test’
Philadelphia's plan to create a legally sanctioned drug consumption facility violates common morality principles that guide medicine, writes bioethicist Steven Bozza. In the process, the sites sacrifice human dignity to an agenda of expedience and profit.
When a crying baby on a flight brings out our best
As Katie Prejean McGrady witnessed people stepping up to help a mother and her fidgety baby, she saw that it takes small acts of hard work to care for the people around us. That is the little way of love.
Don’t let Halloween scare you
Dispense with the hand-wringing over ghouls and goblins, and see the "holy day" for what it is: a yearly community festival for young and old to greet their neighbors, advises Greg Erlandson.
We should all aspire to John Henry Newman’s intellectual honesty
The 19-century British convert and cardinal, who will be canonized on Oct. 13, paved the way for the Second Vatican Council through his authentic and humble embrace of the Catholic faith in the modern world.
Paying a just price for carbon emissions
In response to rapid and dangerous global warming, carbon pricing creates economic incentives for producers and consumers to reduce their carbon emissions, writes Carolyn Woo. The Vatican-endorsed mechanism places the costs on those who are most responsible for the problem.
The well, and the future, are drying up
Climate change from our reckless exploitation of nature has turned a time-honored source of water into dust for Moises Sandoval's family ranch. Unbelief and inaction in the face of nature's warnings will result in more losses, unless we have a change of heart.
New ministry offers care for the caregiver
"Nourish for Caregivers" offers emotional, spiritual and practical support to those who dedicate themselves to supporting the elderly and persons with disabilities, writes caregiver consultant Aimee Gustitis.