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William A. Proefriedt
When I was an English teacher in public high schools in the decade from 1957 to 1967, one issue I took to heart was the question of my own role in affecting the values of my students. There was hardly a piece of American or English literature in the high school curriculum that didn’t lead to t
Columns
Lorraine V. Murray
When I walk into the side garden and spot my three rose bushes, their branches tangling merrily in the wind, I’m reminded of how precious everyday faith is. Especially faith in our own capabilities. Faith in renewal. And faith in doubtful outcomes. When my husband and I first moved into our ho
Books
James F. Keenan
In preparation for his work Alan Wolfe the director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College helped design a public opinion poll about American views on sex morality work children God and money The poll was conducted in March 2000 and published in a special
The Word
John R. Donahue
At the end of his magisterial survey of the quest of the historical Jesus in the 19th century Albert Schweitzer recalled Jesus rsquo command to every Christian to follow him and added quot to those who obey him whether they be wise or simple he will reveal himself in the toils in the conflic
Poetry
Andrew Krivak

“From dust you come and shall return”

Joseph Claude Harris
Bishop James Hoffman of Toledo, Ohio, recently cancelled more than $1.38 million in delinquent debts owed by 24 parishes and institutions in his diocese. The parishes had incurred these obligations by not paying assessments—for example, for insurance coverage secured on their behalf by the dio
John E. Coons
This generation has witnessed many proposals for school choice, but only a few have taken root in law and practice. What do states such as Wisconsin and Ohio understand that remains opaque to their sisters? Though the 10-year-old Milwaukee program is effective and popular, its vital insight has so f
FaithThe Word
John R. Donahue
Christians today overly concerned about impressive gates and religious identity may find some surprising table companions at the messianic banquet.
News
Mary Anne Huddleston
The data in the Rev. Andrew Greeley’s paper, "Rating the Clergy" (Am., 5/7), came as no surprise to many of us. His proposed solution, however, did give me pause. In paraphrase, Father Greeley makes four suggestions for improving the situation: 1. Seminaries should realize their
Of Many Things
George M. Anderson
Visiting Cemeteries might seem an odd way to spend a vacation. As an obsessive, lifelong English major, however, I have an interest in the final resting places of those who made notable contributions to literature. During a week’s respite in the Boston area, I accordingly spent several hours a
Books
Paul Mariani
We know Kathleen Norris now by three books all of them well received all published in the last eight years They are Dakota A Spiritual Geography 1993 The Cloister Walk 1996 and Amazing Grace A Vocabulary of Faith 1998 There have also been three books of poems small volumes published a
James F. Keenan
When I was about six years old, I went to my dad and asked him, “Where do babies come from?” He told me to take a look at the guppies in our fish tank. My mom says I stood transfixed in front of the fish tank for several hours each day for a week.Seven years later I tried asking my dad t
Columns
Thomas J. McCarthy
My wife asked me the other day what I considered the time in my life when I felt most spiritually rich. She knew the answer, because I’ve talked about it many times: senior year in high school. But she wanted to deepen an ongoing discussion we’ve been having about the lackluster state of
Faith in Focus
Michael Heher
Recently I received a flyer in the mail inviting me to a clergy workshop that promised to help me "cope creatively." It’s being conducted by a friend of mine, a priest of faultless intentions, and will be given by a presenter known nationally as an expert on what the brochure calls &
News
From AP, CNS, RNS, Staff and other sources
Continuing Archival ControversyA group of Catholic and Jewish scholars established to study World War II archival material already published by the Vatican has suspended its work. In a letter dated July 20, the scholars said that in order to continue working together they would need "access in
Joseph Jensen
The story is told of the Irish woman, 40 years married and the mother of seven, who left church after hearing a sermon from a young priest on marriage and motherhood and remarked, "Sure and I wish I knew as little about it as he does." Having spent the last 17 years working on Bible transl
Editorials
The Editors
However generous individual Americans may be toward those in need, as a nation we do not rank high when it comes to providing development assistance to poor and hungry people in other lands. This is one of the observations made by the Washington, D.C.-based Bread for the World Institute in its annua
Letters
Our readers
"Here Comes the..."As I read the article by Thomas Sweetser, S.J., (7/2) on behalf of his 50 fatigued pastors, I couldn’t help but feel sad that this group apparently can no longer differentiate between a job and a vocation. A job can be quantified by the hours, but a vocation—
News
From AP, CNS, RNS, Staff and other sources
Archbishop Weakland Says He’s Not Disobeying PopeArchbishop Rembert G. Weakland of Milwaukee declared, in a message read in all parishes on July 15, that he is not disobeying the pope by going ahead with the renovation of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. The archbishop expanded on tha
Ralph A. OConnell
When I began to think about psychiatry as a medical specialty in 1963, I was vaguely aware of a tension between the church and psychiatry. Bishop Fulton J. Sheen suggested on his weekly television show that Catholics would not need a psychiatrist if they made a good confession. G. K. Chesterton had