After the Vietnam War ended, U.S. military leaders recognized that they could not grasp what went wrong and begin to fix it unless everyone could speak with absolute candor. Every crisis demands the same, including the sex abuse crisis. So, while it is always a mistake to try and figure out what the crazies at Read more
A woman grew pumpkins for the local market. Near the large pumpkin patch there was a pear tree bearing so much fruit that the woman also picked pears to sell. The pumpkins were so heavy they made her back ache. Each had to be cut from the plant and lifted onto the trailer behind her Read more
It was a gathering where the stakes could not have been higher. As one young delegate said to me, “The church is living at an inflection point; these are truly urgent times.” This young Latino had just witnessed the close of the national gathering meant to culminate the “Encuentro” (encounter, meeting,) process of the past Read more
The future of the Catholic Church is with the young, which is why Pope Francis has called bishops from all over the world to meet in Rome Oct. 3-28 for a synod on young people. If the church cannot attract and keep young people, it has no future. This is the 15th general synod since Read more
On Holy Saturday, The New York Times published an article by Nicholas Kristof with the provocative title “God and Her (Female) Clergy”. The article focuses on the increasing numbers of women entering the clergy, particularly in Christian denominations, claiming a “right” they had previously been denied. More than that, the article claimed that a further Read more
One of the 11 members of the Catholic Church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council (TJHC) has delivered a sharp and wide-ranging criticism of the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse, describing it as “a flawed body” and its final report “a flawed document”. On the day that the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Read more
Sixteen years ago, at the height of the 2002 clergy sex scandals in the Catholic church and on the eve of a meeting of bishops in Dallas, The Weekly Standard published an essay of mine called “The Elephant in the Sacristy.” It included an in-depth look at some of the most notorious clergy abuse cases Read more
Donna Harper is the mother of a survivor of priest abuse, but she still has faith in the Catholic Church. The Nashville native wants to do her part to protect children in her diocese and help other victims and their families overcome some of that animosity she knows well. So, Harper said yes more than 15 years Read more
The price of crude oil has risen sharply. It will increase the cost of living, joining a range of other unavoidable purchases. For households on lower incomes, the weekly budget just got much harder. It is a good time to look closely at household budgets and seek help if the budget doesn’t balance. International crude Read more
The Vatican’s deal with China’s totalitarian Communist Party on the appointment of bishops is clearly one of careful calculus, something often ignored by the pope’s critics. The arrangement allows the Chinese regime to nominate new bishops while giving the Vatican an apparent right of veto. This compromise is seen as effectively removing a stumbling block Read more