Of Many Things
How does my faith shape my approach to politics? It gives me hope.
While it is immensely helpful, even necessary, one does not need to have a specifically Christian hope in order to find any hope in politics. We need only look to our national history.
Your Take
Did Biden’s speech on MAGA Republicans fail?
While welcoming Mr. Biden’s message, Matt Malone, S.J., argued that it did little to sway Americans who voted for Donald Trump in 2020. Here are readers’ responses.
Editorials
The Editors: The three most important lessons from the synod (so far)
We should not be surprised when any notion of the church as a perfect society is not embraced by people who have real wounds and struggles.
Short Take
Republicans and Democrats agree that democracy is in trouble. They just don’t agree on its definition.
Republicans were as likely as Democrats to say that democracy is in trouble. Does this mean we have achieved a consensus without realizing it?
Dispatches
Water crises by the numbers
U.S. municipal water and wastewater systems are buckling after decades of neglect.
Cardinal Grech: The synod ‘needs time’ on the question of married priests
In the second part of this exclusive interview, Cardinal Grech reveals in new depth the plans for the continental and Roman phases of the global synodal process.
Meet the Dorothy Day, the latest addition to New York’s Staten Island Ferry fleet
Dorothy Day famously never wanted to be called a saint; how might she have responded to the idea of having a Staten Island ferry named after her?
Belgian bishops create prayer liturgy for same-sex couples
Belgian bishops have created a prayer liturgy for same-sex couples, which cites Pope Francis’ “The Joy of Love,” and states that same-sex relationships can be a source of joy.
Mississippi’s water crisis is part of a larger story: systemic racism and government neglect
America’s water systems have been neglected and underfunded for decades. Jackson, Miss., and other mostly Black communities are among the first to face the consequences.
Features
We traveled to four Catholic parishes across the country to make a documentary. These are their stories.
In the fall of 2021, America Media’s video team hatched an idea: What would it look like if we traveled to four parishes across the United States during the course of one year and assessed their similarities and differences? Here is a snapshot of what we found.
The church forbids ‘human composting’ at death. But what about ‘green’ burials?
The movement for natural burial is growing and is slowly becoming more mainstream in the United States, but the practice is as old and widespread as our species.
Faith and Reason
Conversation: How should Catholics think about gender identity and transgender persons?
This summer, amid a growing debate about gender identity in the United States, America asked two professors of theology to revisit the 2019 Vatican document on “‘gender theory in education.”
Faith in Focus
Across the U.S., Catholic pilgrims are walking together for racial justice
Modern Catholic Pilgrim, the company organizing these pilgrimages, aims to reform the culture of the American Church—and even secular society—through the spiritual practices of hospitality and pilgrimage.
100-Word Faith Stories: (Very) short essays about unexpectedly experiencing God in the world today
These (very) short essays about unexpectedly experiencing God in the world today include feelings of joy, sadness, laughter, anger and anything in between.
Ideas
Kurt Vonnegut would still be amused.
The absolute refusal to accept handed-down truths—whether in politics, science, religion or art—was a constant in Kurt Vonnegut’s life and work.
Books
Jane Austen’s greatest lesson? Becoming the person God created you to be
Jane Austen’s literary genius lies in the fact that she crafts stories that impart the most pressing of human concerns in what seem at first the most mundane of experiences. It makes her a valuable guide to life.
Review: Predicting (and preventing) the next civil war
Barbara F. Walter offers a handy guide for predicting where political instability is most likely to occur—and it is usually when that country is moving away from democracy.
Review: Two scholars on Covid, mortality and the meaning of friendship
While a new book of letters between Jack Miles and Mark C. Taylor uses the early months of the pandemic as the background and occasion for their letters, the friendship they display is vastly more interesting.
Review: What modern Catholicism gets wrong about the doctrine of atonement
The doctrine of atonement has fallen into disfavor in some theological circles and into general neglect in Catholic life. Margaret Turek’s new book offers insights about the doctrine’s importance.
Poetry
Fellowship
a son hot from the womb but cold to his kiss
D., Gardening
One world more than our wounds have earned.
Last Take
In Memoriam: John W. O’Malley, S.J.
James Martin, S.J., offers a personal remembrance of John O’Malley, S.J. the dean of Catholic historians and a mentor to generations of Jesuits, priests, religious men and women and Catholic laypeople.
Faith
Across the U.S., Catholic pilgrims are walking together for racial justice
Modern Catholic Pilgrim, the company organizing these pilgrimages, aims to reform the culture of the American Church—and even secular society—through the spiritual practices of hospitality and pilgrimage.
We traveled to four Catholic parishes across the country to make a documentary. These are their stories.
In the fall of 2021, America Media’s video team hatched an idea: What would it look like if we traveled to four parishes across the United States during the course of one year and assessed their similarities and differences? Here is a snapshot of what we found.
The Editors: The three most important lessons from the synod (so far)
We should not be surprised when any notion of the church as a perfect society is not embraced by people who have real wounds and struggles.
The church forbids ‘human composting’ at death. But what about ‘green’ burials?
The movement for natural burial is growing and is slowly becoming more mainstream in the United States, but the practice is as old and widespread as our species.
Conversation: How should Catholics think about gender identity and transgender persons?
This summer, amid a growing debate about gender identity in the United States, America asked two professors of theology to revisit the 2019 Vatican document on “‘gender theory in education.”
100-Word Faith Stories: (Very) short essays about unexpectedly experiencing God in the world today
These (very) short essays about unexpectedly experiencing God in the world today include feelings of joy, sadness, laughter, anger and anything in between.
Cardinal Grech: The synod ‘needs time’ on the question of married priests
In the second part of this exclusive interview, Cardinal Grech reveals in new depth the plans for the continental and Roman phases of the global synodal process.
Meet the Dorothy Day, the latest addition to New York’s Staten Island Ferry fleet
Dorothy Day famously never wanted to be called a saint; how might she have responded to the idea of having a Staten Island ferry named after her?
In Memoriam: John W. O’Malley, S.J.
James Martin, S.J., offers a personal remembrance of John O’Malley, S.J. the dean of Catholic historians and a mentor to generations of Jesuits, priests, religious men and women and Catholic laypeople.
Politics
Faith
Culture
Vatican
Scripture
Podcasts