The Catholic Church has communicated with its flock throughout the centuries by means of papal bulls. But what on earth is a papal bull?
History
Posted inArts & Culture, Music
Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ embraces country music, Black history and religious imagery
With “Cowboy Carter,” her eighth studio album, Beyoncé not only explores the longed-for and carelessly and/or intentionally erased Black past in country music, but also moves the genre forward into a hopefully more expansive future.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
The Catholic Church doesn’t need transitional deacons.
Eliminating a seminary diaconate is not only possible but necessary for envisioning a mature and fully formed diaconate for the future.
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
Cardinal Cupich: 3 ways the synod’s ‘conversations in the Spirit’ can revolutionize the church
The reflections of Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., convinced me that Pope Francis’ reframing of the scope and meaning of synods will have staying power, because it opens up a new model for the church.
Posted inFaith, The Good Word
A lesson from FDR: Vulnerability is a risk. But it’s also a grace.
A Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, by Father Terrance Klein
Posted inArts & Culture, Catholic Book Club
The sometimes-savage perfection of Catholic parody
Parody, Ernest Hemingway said, is a step up from writing on the wall above the urinal. He was wrong.
Posted inArts & Culture, Catholic Book Club
Baseball, Brooklyn and Seoul: It’s finally time for Opening Day.
Opening Day is a reminder that there are, to quote Bill Veeck, only two seasons: winter and baseball.
Posted inArts & Culture, Vantage Point
Los Angeles and what makes a great city
From 1957: Los Angeles is a large city. In some ways it is an important city. But it is not (yet) a great city.
Posted inArts & Culture, Vantage Point
From 1973: Walker Percy on Wilfrid Sheed
In 1973, the famous novelist (and sometime America book reviewer) Walker Percy offered this long review of Wilfrid Sheed’s ‘People Will Always Be Kind.’
Posted inFaith, News
The keeper of the Vatican’s secrets is retiring. Here’s what he wants you to know.
The Vatican has been trying for years to debunk the idea that its vaunted secret archives are all that secret. But a certain aura of myth and mystery has persisted — until now.