Contemporary Catholics on Traditional Devotions
This series focuses on the world of devotions in the life of contemporary believers. America asked a number of Catholics to speak about a favorite devotionits history, its place in the writer’s life and its possible role in the life of contemporary believers. In this seventh part of the series
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Contemporary Catholics on Traditional Devotions
In the current practice of the Catholic Church in the United States, people are free to receive Communion either in the open hand or on the tongue. Although I have not conducted a survey, my impression from presiding at both student and parish liturgies is that the practice tends to vary largely alo
A Pro-Choice War
By the time this column appears, the war in Iraq may be, for the time being, over. But as I write, we are in the thick of it. It started with bad omens: early prisoners of war, deaths by friendly fire, colliding helicopters, an American seemingly killing his fellow soldiers by hand grenades. A wild
Common Good, Lives at Risk: Oregon and the Nation’s Fiscal Crisis
After a decade of the greatest economic expansion in the nation’s history, state governments are drowning in tidal waves of red ink, placing safety net services, the common good and the lives of vulnerable persons at risk. Although far from alone, Oregon is a prominently cited example. With it
You Can’t Fight Fire With Bullets
After I graduated from high school, I became a professional firefighter in Kansas City, Mo. Going through drill school, I learned that some fires can be extinguished only by taking away their fuel. In some cases, uncontrolled fire can be stopped most effectively when it encounters blackened ash.It w
Of Many Things
Of Many Things
My memory of the one role I ever had in a high school play has largely faded, but I do recall the director, a young English teacher who brought to his task great energy and commitment. Living in my Jesuit community is another energetic and committed young English teacher, Chris Derby, S.J., a Jesuit
Letters
Letters
View of Jesus
Your Of Many Things column on March 17 referred to Jesus Before Christianity, by Albert Nolan, O.P. For six years in the late 1970’s, my family and I lived in Cape Town, South Africa, during which I did a three-year certificate program at the Kolbe School of Theology.
One of our three main teachers…
Editorials
Rules of Engagement
‘Fog of war” is a notorious euphemism for the unanticipated consequences of armed conflict. As active-duty and retired officers have attested during the first weeks of the Iraqi war, the battle plan changes the moment armed forces go into combat. As Iraqi Fedayeen have disguised themselv
Faith in Focus
Offer It Up? Right!
Whenever I hear someone say, “Offer it up,” I remember Sally. Sally had a fondness for sweets, but they weren’t good for her. Every time she spied me sneaking a cookie or candy bar, she would stare intently at me, hoping I would feel guilty and share. “Offer it up,” I w
Books
Sir Chameleon
In 1970 at the age of 56 Alec Guinness by then one of the best-known character actors in the world sat for a formal portrait Michael Noakes the artist recognized the overwhelming challenge of the task ldquo How does one paint what lies beneath the surface of the skin rdquo asks biographer
Faith as Wellness Technique?
Not long ago I heard several chaplains of a major U S children rsquo s hospital speak on ldquo spirituality and medicine rdquo After a review of recent scientific studies linking prayer faith and physical health one of the speakers gasped ldquo When I hear such exciting news all I can say
Adolescent Mariner
Yann Martel won Britain rsquo s most prestigious literary award the Man Booker Prize for Life of Pi a book that reinvents the lost-at-sea novel in quite striking terms Martel himself has been storm-tossed in a controversy about whether he inappropriately employed the premise of a 1981 story by M
The Word
Alleluia!
One of the most impressive scenes in the movie ldquo The Wizard of Oz rdquo is Dorothy rsquo s entrance into the Land of Oz At that moment the original sepia tones of the film become brilliant Technicolor Tornado-beaten earth gives way to a boldly colorful magical land where everything is stra
News
Signs of the Times
Charity Groups Protest Military Oversight of Iraqi AidThe Catholic Church’s top charity officials are protesting coalition military plans to oversee humanitarian aid distribution in Iraq, seeing it as part of a worrying trend in recent years toward militarizing aid. Two weeks into the U.S.-led
Politics
Faith
Culture
Vatican
Scripture
Podcasts