The papalization of the church reached its most robust form in the first half of the 20th century, but it might be seeing its twilight under Pope Francis.
Faith and Reason
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
We need to talk about ‘life of the mother’ exceptions in abortion law.
Have we considered how to handle the ethical dilemmas that overturning Roe v. Wade will cause when states pass abortion laws so restrictive they will endanger the lives of mothers?
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
Why Priests Keep Getting Murdered in Mexico
No Latin American country is more dangerous for Roman Catholic priests than Mexico. The murder of men and women in pastoral ministries—particularly Roman Catholic priests—has become part of daily life.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
What Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart reveals: The Eucharist is about friendship
The writings of St. Ignatius Loyola and the traditional Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart highlight a specific aspect of the Eucharist: friendship.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
Catholic hospitals, religious freedom and reaching across the aisle: A dialogue between a priest and an A.C.L.U. director
Catholic health care ministries are at odds with the American Civil Liberties Union on many issues. But are there areas where the two can agree—or collaborate?
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
Ukraine, World War III and Pope Francis’ roadmap for the church
The world is at war, but we must think about the post-war world. We should not repeat old mistakes and underestimate the spiritual energy of the world’s religions.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
Should Catholics worry about bishops disagreeing in public? Or is this part of Pope Francis’ plan?
One year into a three-year global synodal process, we should not expect hot-button issues and their promoters to vanish, nor for public disagreements among Catholics to cease.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
Thomas Merton can still teach us a lot about nuclear war
Faced with anxieties we have not experienced since the Cold War, perhaps it is time to return to Thomas Merton’s writings on nuclear weapons and the Christian responsibility to advocate for peace in a nuclear age.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
The unholy ideology driving both Putin and Patriarch Kirill in the Russia-Ukraine war
The war is not about Russia capturing Ukraine; it is about Russia challenging the Western world, which Mr. Putin and Patriarch Kirill both regard as evil.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
The ‘Great Resignation’ and the spirituality of work
Since the spring of 2021, millions of Americans have left the workforce, and many may not intend to return. Humanity’s complex relationship with work is worth revisiting in light of today’s so-called Great Resignation.