Giacomo Puccini, the composer of “La Bohème,” “Tosca” and “Madama Butterfly,” has been called the world’s most popular songwriter, and with good reason.
History
Posted inArts & Culture, Catholic Book Club
Willa Cather, the author of great American Catholic novels—who wasn’t Catholic
Few writers have ever captured in fiction the American religious sense that underlies so much of our history more than Willa Cather.
Posted inArts & Culture, Film
Beyond ‘Conclave’: What really happens when a new pope is elected?
With an all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, “Conclave“ genereated a lot of Hollywood buzz. It has also raised some questions: How is a pope really elected? Does the movie get it right?
Posted inArts & Culture, Catholic Book Club
‘There’s no such thing as a bad boy’: Father Flanagan and Boys Town
For over a century, Boys Town has been serving at-risk youths, inspired by the founding vision of the Rev. Edward J. Flanagan.
Posted inFaith, Features
Vatican II—and its media coverage—has a lesson for today’s synod: Don’t expect immediate results
A look back at the Second Vatican Council through the coverage offered by America and Commonweal offers two lessons: First, we should not expect the journey of the church after the Synod on Synodality to be smooth sailing. Second, the church is very much capable of getting through such turmoil, and emerging stronger from it.
Posted inArts & Culture, Catholic Book Club
Paul Horgan, the Catholic polymath you’ve never heard of
Paul Horgan was a favorite of critics for his fiction and non-fiction alike during his long life—but his work deserves greater appreciation today.
Posted inPolitics & Society, Vatican Dispatch
A brief history of Timor Leste, the most Catholic country in Asia
Pope Francis is the first pope to visit Timor Leste since the country won independence in 2002.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
For Catholics to overcome our differences, we must embrace the ‘grace of self-doubt’
The God who has subordinated himself to the human condition in the historical figure of Jesus is the perfect exemplar of epistemic humility, and hence discipleship of Jesus entails the free acceptance of the grace of self-doubt.
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Review: Falling out of love with ideology during election season
Jason Blakely’s new book, “Lost in Ideology,” is “quite simply the best guide to today’s dominant ideologies,” writes William Cavanaugh. “Blakely is concise, sympathetic, insightful, critical and fair.”
Posted inArts & Culture, Ideas
Batman, Bruce Wayne and the complexity of the superhero’s psyche
In “Batman: The Caped Crusader,” we explore the mystery of heroism.