Perspective Archive

Seventy-five years ago, on Jan. 27, 1945, the infantrymen of the Red Army’s 322nd Rifle Division were bludgeoning their way into the Third Reich when they discovered the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination […]

When Mother Teresa visited New Bedford, Massachusetts, in June 1995, she told those of us gathered at St. Lawrence Martyr Church: “Abortion is the greatest evil of today.” Never one […]

The snow has begun. It is expected to last 18 hours, piling 9 inches high and crippling weekend plans. The streets are emptying, the collective dash to the grocery store […]

“What is enough for you?” was a question posed to my husband and me by our financial adviser. Many factors competed for consideration: the desire to not be a burden […]

The natural world has days of abundance and scarcity. Autumnal harvest days bring bountiful crops of apples upon apples, while winter’s lean days offer a ravenousness search for any sight […]

I write these words from the Eternal City of Rome, whither I’ve come with my brother bishops from Region 11 — California, Nevada and Hawaii — for our ad limina […]

I get my picture taken a lot. I’m not particularly photogenic, but as president of The Catholic University of America, people expect me to be in the frame for a […]

In August 2018 a beautiful young lady living in Washington, D.C., experienced a sudden and excruciating headache. Seconds later she fell unconscious to the floor. Her dog, Lacey, sensed something […]

I was cleaning the kitchen, the TV on in the background, the faces of glitz and glam celebrities flashing across the screen, the sounds of applause filling the room as […]

In Bible study in my parish, we have been reading through Genesis. On Jan. 12 we read of Lot and the horrifying results of his decision to pitch his tent […]

In one of those embarrassing public dust-ups that occasionally afflict our Church, a soon-to-be published book on priestly celibacy was publicized as being co-authored by retired Pope Benedict XVI until […]

I first met Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in June 1988; over the next three decades, I’ve enjoyed many lengthy conversations and interviews with him, including a bracing discussion covering many […]