There is a sense of relief in Boston, and in the rest of the country as well, now that the Archdiocese of Boston has finally settled the suits filed against it by the victims of sexual abuse. For 19 months, Boston has unfairly been perceived by many people as paradigmatic of the American church&rsqu

The evening sun is perceived as still setting when in fact it has already dipped below the horizon. Something similar happens in other contexts. A historic period, for example, may actually have ended before the people it shaped quite realize it has gone.   An instance of this is suggested almo

The lights went out at 4:11 p.m. on Aug. 14, along with the telephones, computers, television sets, air conditioning and all the other essentials of modern life that we take for granted. They are just there, dependable, and yet in truth it is we who are dependent. At first we are simply surprised. T

The prospects are dark for the world’s refugees and asylum seekers. Ever more stringent security measures in the wake of terrorist attacks have led to higher and higher barriers in countries that once welcomed them. These less-than-welcoming countries, moreover, are among the wealthiest: the U

Faced with the suffering caused by World War 60 years ago the Catholic bishops of the United States founded the War Relief Services. That organization evolved into Catholic Relief Services, which can now look back on a proud heritage of supporting disaster relief efforts throughout the world during

In June 2002 the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in California, rocked the nation with a broad ruling against the constitutionality of including “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. Last February, however, the same court rewrote and greatly narrowed its decision