The Sunday Gospel
God calls the unworthy
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 5:1-11 The Book of Isaiah is the source of the first reading this weekend. Written before the Babylonian conquest, this prophecy was composed when, […]
Columns Archive
Perspective
The struggle for hearts and minds will continue
In advance of the Supreme Court’s much-awaited decision on the Mississippi law that would ban most abortions after 15 weeks, the abortion wars have heated up again. When pro-lifers rallied […]
A more human society
Should Catholic health care survive?
In January, five Catholic medical and professional associations came together to establish the Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance. Its board members represent the Catholic Medical Association, National Catholic Bioethics Center, […]
Perspective
The lie projected onto the National Shrine
It was an appalling sight. As the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life was taking place on the inside of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception […]
Perspective
The prophets lead all peoples to salvation in Christ
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 4:21-30 The Book of Jeremiah provides the first reading for this weekend. This book is regarded as one of the major Hebrew prophetic works […]
Perspective
Frost fair: creating something new in the dead of winter
The latest book by Sam Usher stopped me in my tracks. I’ve devoured the children’s books brilliantly illustrated by this Chicago dad, and the title of his new release immediately […]
Perspective
COVID-19 and scientism
At the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, I was puzzled about how our reactions to it divided along party lines. There is no obvious reason why Democrats should fear sickness […]
Columns
The ethics of pig to human organ transplants
Early this year, a Maryland man suffering from severe heart failure underwent a new experimental procedure, receiving a pig heart transplant. His medical team had determined he would be a […]
The Sunday Gospel
Our response to God’s love and salvation
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 1:1-14, 4:14-21 The Book of Nehemiah furnishes the first reading for this weekend. Although some Old Testament books tell the history of the people […]
Perspective
Bridging divides shoulder to shoulder
The anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot that humiliated Congress and horrified a good portion of our nation has gone more or less as one might have predicted during these […]
Perspective
A missed opportunity to amplify the beauty and generosity of adoption
During his first general audience of 2022, Pope Francis gave a rather lovely catechesis on St. Joseph and adoption — the sixth such address in a series about the foster-father […]
Perspective
‘The Ten Commandments’ and our pathetic attention span
I like to watch old movies. Over the past several months, I’ve watched (or re-visited) a number of Alfred Hitchcock thrillers, some screwball comedies from the thirties and forties, and a couple of […]