While most Americans remain religious, the fundamental belief that religion and politics should operate in separate spheres remains strong in the United States.
Explainer
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Why does the Catholic Church object to IVF? It’s more complicated than you think.
Scientific advances have allowed enormous breakthroughs in overcoming infertility—but not without some vexing ethical questions.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Explainer: What is the Zaire rite—and why is Pope Francis talking about it now?
Pope Francis has held up the Congolese liturgy as a model for similarly inculturated rites in other parts of the Catholic world.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
The Church of Maradona: Understanding the left-wing saint of soccer
The passionate reaction to Maradona’s death was a sign of his transcendence and quasi-religious appeal.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Timeline: The allegations against former Cardinal McCarrick
A timeline of the key moments that led to the rise and fall of Theodore McCarrick
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Top 5 Takeaways from the McCarrick Report
Today, the Vatican released an unprecedented, 400-page report on who exactly knew how much about McCarrick’s misconduct and how he was able to rise through the ranks.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Who knew about former Cardinal McCarrick’s alleged sexual abuse? Tomorrow, we might find out.
The Vatican’s McCarrick report comes out Tuesday. Here’s what we can expect.
Posted inExplainer, Politics & Society
Explainer: Has it always taken this long to count every vote? Yes and no.
There is nothing unprecedented in recent decades about close presidential elections—in fact, they’re almost always close these days—and there is also nothing new in a delay in finding out the winner.
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Explainer: The history behind the Knights of Columbus and its founder, Father Michael McGivney
Father Michael McGivney, was beatified on Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Conn. What is his legacy?
Posted inExplainer, Faith
Explainer: Where did Halloween come from—and should Catholics celebrate it?
Halloween’s roots lie deep in pre-Christian rituals—but also in the long heritage of All Saints Day.