nbsp Thomas J Reese S J senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University and nbsp former editor in chief of America and author of Inside the Vatican nbsp sent us along this helpful primer--designed nbsp for the media but informative for everyone--for the upcoming co

Karen Smith our indefatigable editorial director is also a painter nbsp who has written several sensitive art reviews for our Culture section including this week s review of Fernando Botero s searing Abu Ghraib series nbsp In our online Culture section this week she turns her attention to a

Robert Mickens sent us this tip about a new report that he says has produced extensive evidence that last-minute changes were made to the English translation of the Roman Missal without the knowledge or approval of the competent bishops rsquo conferences and in violation of the Vatican rsquo s own

After hearing this homily recommended by no less than six people unbidden over the last few days I post nbsp it forthwith nbsp nbsp Here is Archbishop Timothy Dolan s homily on the anniversary of the birth of Dorothy Day nbsp He is speaking at St Joseph s Church in Greenwich Village in New

Within the first nbsp few minute of his primetime interview on NBC former president George W Bush seemed to nbsp have already startled Matt Lauer nbsp nbsp President Bush recounted that after his mother Barbara miscarried a child she showed the infant to her teenage son nbsp ldquo Her

What happened to the Democrats emphasis on reaching out to the religious left as they did in 2008 nbsp That s what David Gibson at Politics Daily wants to know Of the many reasons cited for the Election Day shellacking administered by Republicans to President Obama and the Democrats perhaps

To add some video to Austen Ivereigh s comprehensive coverage of Pope Benedict s trip to Spain here is some video of the consecration of the Sagrada Familia Basilica on Sunday

Culture news Tim Reidy our online editor nbsp gets right to it in his insightful review of the new Danny Boyle film 127 Hours What is that scene like nbsp Unless you yourself have been trapped in a crevasse you ll know the nbsp scene I m talking about in this very well reviewed new movie b

Hallelujah nbsp Last week the Opera Company of Philadelphia surprised holiday shoppers at Macy s in downtown Philadelphia which many old-time Philadelphians still nbsp refer to by the name nbsp of the original storied nbsp store on that site nbsp Wanamaker s with the Hallelujah Chorus from Hand

From the USCCB website Bishop Bishop Gerald F Kicanas of Tucson Arizona Vice-president of the U S Conference of Catholic Bishops testified before Congress on the ethical imperative for reform of the U S immigration system He spoke before the House Subcommittee on Immigration Citizenship Re