Wouldn’t you think, in this age of synods, that cabals would be out of date? Wikipedia describes a cabal as “a group of people who are united in some close design, usually to promote their private views or interests in an ideology, a state, or another community, often by intrigue and usually unbeknownst to those…
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I love Molly Burhans’ story as told in the February 8 issue of The New Yorker (titled “Promised Land” by David Owen) because it shows, once again, what women, if they assume leadership in the Church, can do. I also love that she is a young Catholic woman with all the energy, hope – and…
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Pope Francis was safe in Iraq. His venturing out to such an unstable place is a testament to his willingness to take risks for the good of the people, Christian and Moslem alike. America and NCR had reporters covering this trip and generating stories about this remarkable outreach; about 75 journalists on the papal plane…
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Well, I probably made a fool out of myself once again. It often happens when I am holding onto ideas, concepts, beliefs, opinions especially tightly as if they would break. And, of course, they do invariably break – out – of my mouth – for all, including me, to hear. Sometimes I feel all proud…
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Pope Francis is safe in Iraq as you read this, I hope. His venturing out to such an unstable place is a testament to his willingness to take risks for the good of the people, Christian and Islamic alike. America and NCR will have reporters covering this trip and generating stories about this remarkable outreach;…
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As we take those glorious stretches of limbs so long compressed and cramped by wintery days and nights, we might as well stretch our minds as well. After all, it is Lent, and, alas, we still have work to do.  How about a stretch into the world of Dante? Yes, that Dante, he of the…
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The American political concept of term limits makes it comfortable for me to write about the resignation of another Vatican prelate, Cardinal Robert Sarah. Sarah is 75, the retirement age for bishops. My discomfort is that as head of the worship office he is one of a very few persons of African ancestry visible in…
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[Editor’s Note: This post is the fourth and final installation in our weekly Black History Month series, which have appeared on Thursdays in February in addition to our normal Tuesday and Saturday blogs.] In the context of Black History Month, we want to talk about the experiences of African-descendant Latinas. This time we want to…
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I fell in love with Barry Lopez’s Arctic Dreams when it first came out in 1986. At that point, preferring fiction, I had not read much “nature writing”, but I found myself enthralled by the majesty of the Arctic scenery which he managed to describe both vividly and lyrically, and by his descriptions of living…
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We’re getting our share of snow as I write this. My apartment looks out on Rittenhouse Square, a classically designed park that has become a dog run this pandemic winter. I find myself watching the various groups that gather: at 8 am on the west side, 9:30 on the south, etc. The dogs chase each…
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