Perspective Archive

Attention Catholic young people, by which I mean everyone under 30: Pope Francis has written you a letter. Called “Christ Is Alive,” it is a historic document in that it […]

There is something remarkably universal about most Catholic parishes in the U.S.: Our parishioners come from everywhere. The Catholic Church is 2,000 years old, is a presence in every country, […]

A Lenten quiz: Which came first, God’s creation of the world or God’s covenant with Israel? If we think in terms of mere chronology, the answer is obvious. If we […]

This past year at one of the morning Sunday Masses that I attended, one of the altar servers was kneeling during the consecration and violently fell forward, smashing her face […]

‘The Best of Enemies’ NEW YORK (CNS) — “The Best of Enemies” (STX) is an appealing fact-based drama that promotes humane values and Gospel-guided behavior. On that basis, many parents […]

Guest Commentary by Mary McClusky Easter is a time of great joy, hope and celebration, so why does the Church emphasize our sinfulness and great need for mercy on the […]

At a cafe in Chicago, I was chatting with a British former journalist and economist who is currently director of social responsibility and sustainability at a large European company. We […]

Socrates famously stated that the unexamined life is not worth living. After 2,500-ish years, those words still ring true. However, the Christian Event (the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus […]

Though I reside in Santa Barbara, I am in Los Angeles a good deal for meetings and other events. When I’m in the city, I like to walk the downtown […]

When Pope Francis talks about evangelization, his poster child may well be an immigrant in North Dakota. Sister Brenda Hernandez Valdes, a 34-year-old Daughter of Immaculate Mary of Guadalupe, lives […]

I have a short list of scary prayers. Scary prayers are prayers where even the very words you say seem to convict you. Most prayers are prayers of petition, prayers […]

I remember a conversation I had with a married Catholic couple a few years ago. They were feeling lost and desperate over their inability to conceive a child. They were […]