Perspective
What comes after the pandemic?
While we are still in the midst of the worst pandemic of the past century, with almost 200,000 people dead in our country alone, Pope Francis is thinking about what […]
Columns Archive
Perspective
‘Hark! The herald angels
Our American culture is prone to make-believe. Fairies, mermaids, hobbits and gnomes are all popular pretend creatures in books, movies and gardens, capturing people’s imaginations. Real, spiritual creatures, such as […]
Perspective
You’re meant to be an eagle, not a chicken: a reflection on baptism
When I was doing full-time parish ministry, one of my favorite activities was performing baptisms. I put the word in the plural, for I hardly ever baptized one baby at […]
The Sunday Gospel
Trust in the Lord and call upon Him
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Matthew 20:1-16a The last section of the Book of Isaiah provides this weekend with its first reading. Virtually none of the prophets of ancient Israel […]
Perspective
New life in Catholic education
The start of the 2020-21 school season, however frustrating and uncertain, will miss about 150 Catholic schools that did not make it through the pandemic. It is hard not to […]
Perspective
A necessary shake-up
We were newlyweds, and as a late wedding gift, a priest friend invited us to attend our bishop’s annual fundraising gala. A black-tie affair, my husband needed a tuxedo and […]
Perspective
COVID-19 vaccine myths
Several popular myths about COVID-19 vaccines have been gaining traction on social media in recent months, particularly in regard to messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines being developed by Moderna, Sanofi, Pfizer […]
The Sunday Gospel
Bear witness to God’s love by loving, and forgiving, others
Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Matthew 18:21-35 The Book of Sirach is the source of this weekend’s first biblical reading. Sirach’s author was Joshua, the son of Sirach. He should […]
Perspective
Can we disagree less disagreeably?
St. Paul was no shrinking violet when it came to arguing his position. Yet in the Letter to the Ephesians, he urges his readers to “to live in a manner […]
Perspective
On being a fool for Christ
In the first reading from Thursday of the 22nd week of the year, St. Paul writes: “Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by […]
A more human society
Confusion and conflict on abortion
We know what major opinion polls tell us about abortion. Americans are about evenly divided in being “pro-life” or “pro-choice.” Many think it’s wrong but should be a woman’s choice. […]
The Sunday Gospel
Being part of Christ’s body, the Church, can include correction
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Matthew 18:15-20 For the first reading this weekend, the Church gives us a passage from the ancient Book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel’s name in Hebrew, in […]