The struggle of low-wage workers in the United States for survival stands in striking contrast to the booming economy. The stock market, occasional setbacks notwithstanding, has roared to dizzying heights. Business profits have soared. Yet minimum-wage jobs pay 30 percent less in real, inflation-adj

 Since 1938, when the newly passed Federal Labor Standards Act established the first minimum wage at 25 cents an hour ($2.89 in 1998 dollars), eight presidents have signed into law increases of varying amounts. The minimum wage has provided a safeguard against some of the more egregious forms o

Labor Priest Gets Medal of FreedomMsgr. George G. Higgins, since the 1940’s one of America’s most noted labor priests, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom during White House ceremonies on Aug. 9. For more than 60 years now, he has organized, marched, prayed and bled for the social

The turn in spirit is inevitable, a sudden ambivalence. Longing for a few hours without the kids, I rush around the house preparing the children for a day with a care provider other than myself. With eager anticipation I spread the peanut butter and jelly. I wash the breakfast dishes, pack extra clo

Joyful InspirationThe June 17 issue has been a source of pure joy for me. The cover with its colors and, I hope, authentic maternity clothes and the singing and dancing of all parties is so true to Jewish life. Miriam looks like a Jewish girl. Elizabeth must have been able to give her cousin true wo

My reading habits have recently taken a surprising turn. Despite the Jesuit training that introduced me to such recondite authors as Karl Rahner, Edward Schillebeeckx and Hans Urs von Balthasar (don’t theologians have great names?), I now find myself reading books no longer than 10 or 20 pages

Not long ago a friend asked if I could recommend a good book on Ignatian spirituality He was an intelligent college-educated young man interested not simply in deepening his prayer but more specifically learning about what could be called the specifics of the way of Saint Ignatiusfor example t

Not long ago a friend asked if I could recommend a good book on Ignatian spirituality He was an intelligent college-educated young man interested not simply in deepening his prayer but more specifically learning about what could be called the specifics of the way of Saint Ignatiusfor example t

Revision of the General Instruction of the Roman MissalThe new General Instruction of the Roman Missal, published in Latin and released on July 28 in Washington, D.C., in an English study translation, introduces numerous minor changes in the way Mass is to be celebrated.It also makes a clear legisla

The Chinese had no pocketsno place to carry quot a pocket-comb a folding foot-rule a cork-screw a boot-buttoner a pair of tweezers a minute compass a folding pair of scissors a pin-ball a pocket-mirror a fountain pen quot or any other such American-made product Moreover the Chinese we