Ritu Arya stars as Lena in director Nida Manzoor’s ‘Polite Society’

Filmmaker Nida Manzoor’s vision of the modern Muslim woman: funny, rebellious—and imperfect

by Kevin Christopher Robles May 26, 2023

Nida Manzoor’s goal is to show that the culture surrounding Islam is as three dimensional and dynamic as any other faith’s.

two characters in succession staring at each other in a church

Arts & Culture, Ideas

‘Succession’ Behind the Scenes: How a Jesuit church (and priest) were cast for a pivotal episode

by Dennis Yesalonia May 21, 2023January 11, 2026

I enjoyed being in “Succession,” but should our church have been used for this abrasive show?

An umbrella positioned below an array of images representing technical distractions

Arts & Culture, Ideas

The secular scripture of ‘Deep Work’ and ‘Atomic Habits’: Making the most of the time God gives us

by Joe Hoover, S.J. April 18, 2023

The best “time maximizing” methods can lead us to a space where God can maximize our souls and inhabit everything we do.

A man and woman sit close together and share an intimate moment in a play rehearsal .

Arts & Culture, Ideas

‘Love’ gives a theatrical voice to the homeless with humor and heartbreak

by Rhoda Feng March 27, 2023

“Love,” a new play by Alexander Zeldin, is not a grim report on poverty nor a blistering call for social reform, but simply lets the poor speak their own stories.

Faith, Ideas

Marketing isn’t a dirty word in church: Why we should be comfortable ‘selling’ spirituality

by Nikolaas Sintobin, S.J. February 17, 2023

Traditional Catholic networks have evaporated, and professional marketing of our faith is needed to fill the void.

Men and women siting on large wheels in the desert at sunset at the Burning Man festival

Arts & Culture, Ideas

Sex, drugs and God at Burning Man

by Bryan McCarthy February 17, 2023

For someone with the right ears and eyes, Burning Man provides opportunities to become more engaged and more intentional in faith.

Pope Francis is pictured after answering questions from journalists aboard his flight from Iqaluit, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, to Rome July 29, 2022.

Ideas, Politics & Society

Popes on a Plane: How the Boeing 747 changed the Catholic Church and the papacy

by Jim McDermott February 3, 2023

Prior to 1964, no pope had left Italy for 150 years. The advent of the 747 and long-haul flights enabled popes to finally visit the world, and the world to visit the pope.