'Peaceful political transfer is under tremendous threat.'

Avery Dulles: Disciple of Jesus

A woman religious ponders her call

Going to the Source Re David Gibson’s article on Catholics and biblical literacy (“A Literate Church,” 12/8): As a Catholic who frequently takes part in text study with Jewish communities, I find it depressing how rare it is to find Catholics (either priests or laity) who make an e

The recent stories in the press about a new level of official recognition that soldiers bring their war traumas back with them and often hurt themselves or others as well as the recent articles in America about military chaplains have put me in mind of my own work with the military In the fall

John Tierney s column in the N Y Times Science pages 12 30 08 describes the new psychological findings that people who are religiously devout have more self-control than others It s old news that religious people tend to do better in school live longer have more satisfying marriages and

This morning s Morning Edition had a segment on writer Elizabeth McCracken and her new book about her first child who died in utero It is the kind of story that will make pro-choice advocates re-think their position and is a perfect example of how we in the pro-life community can change the cul

Blogger extraordinaire Rocco Palmo has a link to an article in the Guardian about the succession at the cathedra in Westminster the primatial see of England The article has a historical reference so wrong it is comical Catholic enthusiasts - whom some might call conservatives though these

A good friend has raised the issue of Just War theory regarding the fighting in Gaza specifically the issue of proportionality This is one of the most difficult and complicated moral issues and I confess that I have been unable to construct anything like a definitive reply to the query but here a

In September 2003 Cuba s bishops issued their last major statement on the position of the Church in modern Cuba It contained penetrating commentary deploring the lack of liberties the clampdown on private businesses the penetration of church groups by state agents and a repeated call for cle

Amidst the coverage nbsp of the muted celebrations of the Cuban Revolution s 50th nbsp birthday nbsp some good news Cardinal Jaime Ortega of Havana and four other bishops were able for the first time since 1959 to celebrate Mass on Christmas Day in several Cuban jails Some of the prisoners we

T S Eliot and W B Yeats both wrote poems about the visit of the three kings They re notable for the stark challenges they pose Eliot s poem particularly in the last verse shows the whole world of the three kings challenged radically just by the birth of Jesus Yeats has them seeking the

Cambridge MA As you know I contribute one of these reflections just about every two weeks I try to be regular in doing so and for that purpose also try to write the reflection edit it check it and post it all within one hour rsquo s time Readers posting comments mostly kind are adept a

There is no getting around it if you grew up as a Protestant or an Anabaptist Mary is often a confusing figure Not I would say an essentially divisive figure not a troubling figure but confusing The confusion stems from how to accept Mary There is a sense that Roman Catholics say too much a

Most news outlets have their top ten list of news stories for the past year or predictions for the new year so here is my list for the top five news stories from 2008 that will continue to shape the intersection of religion and politics in 2009 1 Pope Benedict XVI rsquo s visit to the United Stat

Try out your crystal ball over at Pontifications Tim Reidy

In these end-of-year days nbsp which the BBC does not call the Octave of the Nativity of Our Lord the broadcaster invites well-known people to guest-edit its flagship radio news program Today This morning it was the turn of my old boss the Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Cormac Murph

From the Associated Press The leader of Maine s Roman Catholics has taken the unusual step of threatening to punish an outspoken advocate for people who were sexually abused by priests possibly by denying him communion Paul Kendrick of Freeport has been banned from the Cathedral of the Immacu