Every time I see a movie (which is a lot) and a priest or a nun appears on screen (which is not a lot) I steel myself for the worst. Though directors, screenwriters and actors have of late been able to furnish moviegoers with convincing portrayals of, among other difficult subjects, middle-aged toba

Even if there were no Ex Corde Ecclesiae or U.S. bishops’ Application, those involved in higher education in Catholic and Jesuit universities would be examining the mission and the direction of our institutions. Publications like Michael J. Buckley’s The Catholic University as Promise an

When was the last time you picked up a long and thorough study by a professional historian that you couldn rsquo t put down Ruth Harris rsquo s new book published to critical acclaim by the academic and literary communities may well do the trick for you It provides an elegantly written intellig

Samuel Clemens rsquo s birth in 1835 and his death in 1910 coincided with successive appearances of Halley rsquo s comet providing an apt image for the periodic reappearance of Mark Twain on the U S literary cultural horizon Two recent books on Clemens adopt different approaches in order to provi

As I sat down to enjoy a breakfast cup of coffee recently on an out-of-town trip, I was caught off guard by a question that would challenge any early riser: How does it feel to preside over the demise of Jesuit higher education? Like it or not, I must admit that my questioner is not alone. There are

If American voters do not feel threatened by the presence or imminence of a war or a depression, they can turn their attention to higher things when pollsters phone. In mid-March, a bipartisan poll asked its respondents to name the most important issues with which the next president must deal. &quot

New York Says Goodbye To Cardinal O’ConnorThousands filled St. Patrick’s Cathedral for one service after another as New Yorkers said their final goodbyes to Cardinal John J. O’Connor. The 80-year-old cardinal, who died on May 3 after an eight-month battle with cancer, was archbisho

Samuel Clemens rsquo s birth in 1835 and his death in 1910 coincided with successive appearances of Halley rsquo s comet providing an apt image for the periodic reappearance of Mark Twain on the U S literary cultural horizon Two recent books on Clemens adopt different approaches in order to provi

For years my shaving mirror has tried to convince me that I look just like Paul Newman: baby blues, wavy hair (with just a sprinkling of salt amid the pepper), sharp, assertive chin and that drive-the-ladies-wild roguish grin, with just a touch of worldly wisdom revealed in the perfectly etched line

Secret BlessingThe article by John O’Malley, S.J., (4/8) gives rise to the hope that our best kept secretthat the church is an institution that lives in history and has changed - will finally be appreciated. What a blessing a dedicated church historian is.Thomas A. ShannonWorcester, Mass.None

Developments in Catholic theology during the second half of the 20th century have not always found their way into the standard curriculum of our schools and colleges Ethics education has especially suffered This book is an attempt to rectify that Edited by Judith A Dwyer executive vice president

In 1852 Sir Edward Creasy rsquo s famous classic Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World indicated how certain major military engagements determined the social cultural religious and political nature of subsequent history In What If Robert Cowley founding editor of the award-winning MHQ The Qu

In May and June, with the Bush versus Gore contest possibly a yawn, political buffs can turn south for a real horse race. This is a new and exciting picture for Mexicoa field of six running for the presidency, three of them with a good chance: Francisco Labastida for the Revolutionary Institutional

In the March 4 issue of America His Excellency, Bishop Donald Trautman, offered certain reflections regarding a letter that I had sent on October 26 of last year to His Excellency, Bishop Maurice Taylor, in his capacity as Chairman of the Mixed Commission for English-language liturgical translations

Woe to those who produce Jesus movies, for their worries will be many. The first task of a producer is to cast a credible Jesus. Such an actor must look at least something like the Everyman edition of Jesus: big, mysterious eyes, brown hair and full beard (with the notable exception of Willem Dafoe

The death of cardinal John O’Connor of New York on May 3 marks the end of an era in the American Catholic Church. Without question, he was the most powerful American cardinal of his generation. New York makes a bully pulpit for any archbishop with talent and chutzpah, and Cardinal O’Conn

"Religious liberty is at the very heart of human rights, making the other personal and collective liberties possible," Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, the Vatican’s Permanent Observer at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, said on April 8 in an address to the members.