As secretary general of Caritas Jerusalem, Claudette Habesch sees first hand the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the lives of individual Palestinians and their families. Her organization is a Catholic charity and a member of Caritas International. After speaking at the United Nations I
Of Many Things
An illustrated, 70-page advertising supplement lies inside my New York Times most Thursdays when I check my mailbox at America House. Called HOMES, it carries the subtitle “The Finest Luxury Properties in Manhattan and Around the World.” I live, however, not at America House on West 56th
Of Many Things
November, with its feast of All Saints and the memorial of All Souls, reminds us of the dead who have played a role in our lives and whose presence we deeply miss. They may be friends or relatives or—in my case—parishioners, like those whom I knew well at my former parish in Washington,
Faith in Focus
"My prayer during the bombing of Baghdad was that I would be ready to die,” said Cathy Breen. “The air in the city was filled with black smoke, both from the bombs themselves and from the oil fires that had been lit.” Cathy, a Catholic Worker who lives at Mary House on Manhattan&rs
Of Many Things
St. Patrick’s Cathedral—no, not the famous one on Fifth Avenue in New York City, but the original one of the same name in lower Manhattan—is not far from where I live, and from time to time I stop by to enjoy its soaring space and historical associations with the Jesuit order. Offi
Of Many Things
Public libraries dot the landscape of Manhattan, and hardly a week goes by that I don’t pay a lunchtime or after-work visit to the one near America House to take out or return books. Although it is the closest, it is not the only one I visit. Walking home, I pass the city’s research libr
Of Many Things
Movies have long been one of my passions, but considering the ticket prices—an average of $10—first-run films in New York City seldom find me in their audiences. As a child, I rarely missed the Saturday features at my hometown’s sole theater, the Milo, located across from the court
Of Many Things
Walking south through Manhattan from America House on weekdays—this remains my preferred way of getting home. But on days when the weather does not lend itself to walking, I take the subway. The F train is only a short distance from our front door, and on boarding I generally see a majority of
Faith in Focus
Art plays a key role in America, from the cover itself to the illustrations on the inside. My awareness of this role was heightened during a recent visit to Abraham House, an organization in the Bronx that assists prisoners with their reintegration into the community. At the same time, it provides a
Of Many Things
One of my first activities on arriving at America House each morning involves a pair of scissors. An inveterate clipper, I keep an eye out for newspaper articles that deal with the kinds of social justice matters that are my focus for the magazine. The clippings are then filed according to issues li