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John Stack conquered the lecture hall, entering it like an ancient prophet: with a ruddy, tanned face; an out-of-control, black but graying beard that sprouted defiantly, Karl Marx-like, in a hundred directions; uncombed graying hair swirling like a collection of Midwestern twisters atop his head. H
Faith in Focus
In the week before my ordination 35 years ago, America published an article I had written entitled “Why I Want to Be a Priest” (6/8/68). I recall the circumstances in which I wrote it. Many friends with whom I had entered the Society of Jesus in the late 1950’s had come to differen
Books
Several years ago when I visited the shrine and retreat house of the Valley Missionary Program in Coachella Valley Calif I knew that something exceedingly unusual had happened Out in the Mojave Desert economically disadvantaged Mexican immigrants had built a stunningly beautiful spirituality c
Of Many Things
Theodore Roosevelt High School stretches for nearly a block along Fordham Road in New York City’s borough of the Bronx. It was built in the late 1920’s for a student population of 2,500 to 3,000. Most of these were the children of Italian-American, Irish-American and Jewish families. &nb
Columns
Afriend recently passed on to me an article in which the author, a priest, argues that we need to reromanticize priesthood and religious life and give people something beautiful to fall in love with. I find it to be an inspired idea, given recent revelations and events, and a troubling idea. Rarely
FaithThe Word
We may not be able to explain the miracles, but we cannot overlook one very important element in each story—God works marvels through ordinary people.
Katie graduated from college last year with a degree in elementary education. Her degree did not include any college theology courses, but she had volunteered in parish ministry for a year or two while she was in college. After graduation Katie was hired as a lay ecclesial minister (youth ministry c
Books
Timing is everything Many of the elements of a sophisticated theology of the laity and recommendations for church reform featured in Paul Lakeland rsquo s new book originated earlier and elsewhere But never before have they been put together in such a compelling way and more to the point at such
Of Many Things
Walking down a dark street in the Bronx is not something most Manhattanites do without a good reason, but I had one. I was on my way to visit POTS—the acronym stands for Part of the Solution. In embryo form, POTS began some three decades ago to serve low-income residents in that section of New
After some three years living at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem and many conversations with Israelis and Palestinians, I find it difficult to avoid a pessimistic response to their question, “Is anybody listening?” Simply put, nobody is listening, at least nobody who has p
Film
God is a multiple choice quiz. Which God will we choose? One turns nosy old women into pillars of salt, slips serpents down the togas of Egyptians and sets Satan loose on his best friend just to see how he will stand up under the boils and windy advice of neighbors. Another rains down Wonder Bread i
FaithThe Word
Today’s readings reveal once again that God chooses ordinary people and confers on them extraordinary responsibility.
Books
In the winter of 1951-52 Caroline Gordon had a vision of the triumph of Catholic writing in the United States Flannery O rsquo Connor rsquo s novel Wise Blood which Gordon had recently read in proof was about to be published A manuscript novel sent to her by a Louisiana convert seemed even more
News
U.S. Bishops Discuss Church Problems, Two Major TextsThe U.S. Catholic bishops discussed serious problems facing the U.S. church and voted on new directories for catechetics and deacon formation at their June 19-21 spring meeting in St. Louis. Three of their five half-day sessions were closed to the
The first time I fully realized the moral stakes at a commencement was over 10 years ago. For a brief moment I was to share the stage with none other than George Bush the Elder. It was after the triumph of the first Persian Gulf war, an exercise I found myself opposing along with a paltry 10 percent
It scarcely needs repeating that the future of Catholicism in the United States will be shaped by Hispanics, who at 34 million are already the most numerous minority in the country and constitute a majority of Catholics in many dioceses. The religious affiliation of these Hispanics will largely dete
Letters
War Theory
This letter is in reference to Unjust War, Good Outcomes (5/19), by John F. Kavanaugh, S.J. The recondite philosophical analysis of just war theory in the case of Iraq ranks close behind the angels dancing on the pin issue. Why not ask how many Iraqis need to be raped and have their tongues cut out before some soreheads can feel better about losing the last election?
Is it really correct to use morality and just war theory to protect evildoers while they kill and torture thousands of innocents? Is it good sense to search so hard for a rationale to condemn those with the better spirit while injustice runs rampant?
Why not look at other alternatives, such as whether war is even the best term to describe the Iraqi action before getting carried away with war theory? Or how about rationalizing on the basis of the lesser of evils theory?
John M. Michels
FaithThe Word
There are so many people searching today, people hungering for instruction, good people who are looking for direction.
Books
The title of this collection of 11 essays offers the hope that some consensus has developed on the way religion should coordinate with government Alas the question is too complex There is not even consensus on the meaning of the ldquo public square rdquo But these essays written by experts of