No News... When Pope Benedict allowed wider use of the Latin Mass last July, he explained that he did not expect as a result any extensive return to the Tridentine rite. Rather, he said, he intended to heal rifts with traditionalist groups and allow young people attracted to the rite to experience i

In an ideal world, a presidential election campaign would be a time to consider competing visions of the most important challenges that now confront the United States. How to respond to the continuing threat of international terrorism assuredly is one of those challenges. Unfortunately our present p

Vatican Diplomat Questions Relations With Israel With new problems over visas for foreign priests and the long, ongoing negotiations needed to resolve the tax status of Catholic institutions in Israel, the Vaticans former ambassador to that country said, To be frank, relations between the Catholic

Michael Moore’s film “Sicko” uses social commentary to hold health care in the United States up to shame. Though Moore neither adequately diagnoses nor prescribes treatment for the patient he observes—our health care system—his film prods viewers into thinking seriously

When protesters in Belgrade converged on the patriarchal headquarters of the Serbian Orthodox Church last April, they were angry about proposed liturgical reforms. The reforms included an instruction to priests to recite aloud some previously silent prayers and to leave the holy doors in the icon sc

A report from an ecumenical congress in Europe

Much of Mexicos drug-related violence has roots in the United States, our peoples insatiable demand for illegal drugs. State of Siege, a report by the nonprofit Washington Office on Latin America, notes that the United States shares responsibility for drug-connected violence because the level of con

Facing the Truth Of Many Things, by Drew Christiansen, S.J., (10/29) is a perfect example of why I subscribe to America. It was beautiful writing about a very painful subject that we all must face someday, the end of a parents life. What is really important in life is the individual human spirit and

Our live in grandchild teamed up with my husband and pressured us into acquiring an adorable Cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy Yesterday a Cavalier was pictured in a N Y Times Business section story reporting that there are 44 8 million pet dogs in America Their owners help to support a 38 bi

If you haven t done so already be sure to check out editor in chief Drew Christiansen s discussion of The Stillborn God with sociologist Jose Casanova Mark Lilla s new books has received a number of approving reviews and was excerpted on the cover of the New York Times magazine But both