For a brief period in the 19th century, Mexico was ruled by a Hapsburg prince installed by France and named emperor. The story is told brilliantly in Edward Shawcross’s new history, ‘The Last Emperor of Mexico.’
History
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
A brief history of the Catholic Church’s teaching on mercy and sin
A close look at the Catholic moral tradition around sin, mercy and confession shows that it developed from its inception pathways to holiness that were collective, merciful, hospitable, inclusive, exemplary and grace-filled.
Posted inFaith, Features
Our Spiritual Drink: A History of Wine and the Catholic Church
How the Catholic Church—from Jesus to Dom Perignon to modern monks—has helped perfect the art of winemaking
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Revisiting the magic and mystery of Thomas Mann
A look back at Thomas Mann’s ‘Reflections of a Nonpolitical Man’ and ‘The Magic Mountain’ reveals an author perpetually in exile—literally and figuratively.
Posted inArts & Culture, Music
Two versions of Canada’s oldest Christmas carol tell very different stories about the Nativity—and Indigenous people
Jesuit missionary Jacques de Brébeuf worked with the Indigenous Huron people for years and wanted to give the people a carol of their own, in their own language.
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Pietro Di Donato’s ‘The Penitent’ tells the story of Maria Goretti’s tragic death from her perspective—and her murderer’s
Pietro Di Donato wrote ‘The Penitent’ because he thought it to be a profoundly human story—though both the murderer and the victim became larger than life in reality.
Posted inFaith, Vantage Point
Dorothy Day’s obituary from 1980: ‘All Was Grace’
After Dorothy Day’s death in 1980, her biographer William Miller wrote her obituary for America, noting that “the amazing thing about her life was the improbability of it all.”
Posted inArts & Culture, Catholic Book Club
The four martyred churchwomen of El Salvador dare us to be saints
More than four decades after their murders, the four churchwomen of El Salvador remain powerful examples of faith and commitment to the Gospel.
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Review: The rhythm of the week — and how it became central to American life
David Henkin explores the history and development of the week as a unit of time—the only one that has no basis in astronomical rhythms.
Posted inFaith, Of Many Things
Ending where I began: After 10 years as editor in chief, Matt Malone’s last word
Through all the triumphs and tragedies of the church in its American pilgrimage, we kept the faith; we helped others to find their faith again.