As we give thanks for John Courtney Murray, S.J., we should probably temper our gratitude and be mindful that “the Murray project,” as it is sometimes called, brings with it some caveats.

At this juncture in American political and religious history, John Courtney Murray has something to say for the Catholic Church trying to recover a sense of itself in the public square.

“[I]t’s not the end of the fight. Ahead of us is another challenging battleground. We’re now joining the battle in prison along with many brave protestors, less visible yet essential in the fight for democracy and freedom for HK.”

China has gained international prestige because of its relations with the Vatican. The Holy See should now seek to obtain more concrete results from its deal with Beijing.

Could French president Macron’s moves to counter the threat of homegrown Islamic extremism in the end “boomerang,” leading only to greater alienation of Muslim youth from French society?

“We Catholics are not in the battle for religious freedom for sectarian purposes,” George Weigel says. “We are in this for everyone.”