Gina Hens-Piazza began writing America’s Word column with the start of the new liturgical year on the first Sunday of Advent, Nov. 30.
Cover Story
Posted inMusic
Praise and worship: the modern soundtrack of the U.S. Catholic Church
Across denominations, praise and worship music can be found both in Sunday morning church services and on Spotify playlists.
Posted inFaith in Focus
I found the heart of Christmas in the remains of an old English cathedral
The Coventry Cathedral is the birthplace of a Christmas carol featured on the latest season of “Hark!”—America Media’s podcast on the stories behind our favorite Christmas carols.
Posted inFeatures
Lessons from Catholics who have faced great suffering—but remained pilgrims of hope
Here are three stories of Catholics who did find sustenance from God in times that felt hopeless.
Posted inFeatures
U.S. Catholics are facing an authoritarian threat. The church has been here before.
The Catholic Church in the United States today is facing a crucial test. Will Catholic leadership accommodate and adapt itself to authoritarian power? Or will it offer leadership to give hope, oppose authoritarian abuses and defend human freedom?
Posted inFeatures
With God in Vegas: A visit to the newest archdiocese in the United States
Over the last 30 years, the archdiocese has seen the number of registered Catholics triple, from 250,000 in 1995 to 750,000 in 2025.
Posted inFeatures
The ‘unapologetically Catholic’ couple bringing prayer and health care to Texas’s uninsured
Acting as doctors within borders, the Thompsons are at the forefront of the health care crisis in the United States, helping the walking wounded who arrive on their doorstep.
Posted inFaith and Reason
The Jubilee year should be dangerous
We need a “dangerous memory” of the church’s sin to unearth a Jubilee that heals the church and, through it, wider society.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
Veiling as a metaphor in the art of Corita Kent
For Corita Kent, the presence, modification or absence of the veil in her wardrobe throughout her lifetime signaled moments of transition and resilience. Her manipulation of materials onto the fabric of the silkscreen also communicated such moments.
Posted inPodcasts
Deep Dive: Inside the Swiss Guard, protectors of the pope
In this deep dive episode of “Inside the Vatican,” the team reports from the Swiss Guard’s barracks on how the historic corps is navigating the tension between tradition and reform.