Perspective Archive

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Perspective

Graduation, diplomas and degrees: What is your identity?

This time of year is always marked by transitions. Whether it be graduations, weddings or simply traveling for the summer, we often find ourselves moving from one place to another […]

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Perspective

Sometimes you have to throw a ‘Hail Mary’

Let me share the story of a special lady I had the honor of taking care of. Quite a few years ago, I met this woman when she was in […]

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Perspective

Two nuggets for commencement season

It is commencement season, and I am collecting my thoughts for upcoming speeches. Because of space, let me share two of five nuggets harvested from experiences that span both professional […]

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Perspective

Nobody gets hurt?               

A few years back, I gave a talk titled “Thinking Through the Transgender Question” at a local parish. In the audience were several individuals supporting the transgender movement. During the […]

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A more human society

Whitewashing Planned Parenthood

The pro-life film “Unplanned” has exceeded expectations, recouping its $6 million filming budget on its first weekend in theaters. At this writing, it has taken in over $17 million — […]

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Perspective

All the news that’s fit to print

“Wife Returned After Having Fine Funeral.”  The headline of a 483-word story in the March 15, 1904, edition of The New York Times bore a sly nod to Tom Sawyer. […]

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Perspective

Look at this

I am so proud of our students. This month the student government association, the body that represents our undergraduates, passed a resolution asking the university to prohibit access through the […]

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Perspective

Seeing abortion

We stand at a pivotal point in the great moral debate over abortion in our country — not because new arguments have emerged, but rather because laws so breathtaking in […]

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Perspective

A letter to every young Catholic

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 […]

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Perspective

The ground is level at the foot of the altar

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, […]

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Perspective

Creation, redemption, martyrdom

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 […]

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Perspective

A common medical event in church

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 […]