As the chaos of Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes to an end and Christians around the world prepare to enter the season of Advent, I am reminded of a day nearly nine months ago when Catholics observed the Solemnity of The Annunciation of the Lord. This feast day commemorates the Virgin Mary’s encounter with… Read More Seeing the Signs
The first Catholic Worker newspaper I encountered came from the back of an Episcopal church in Upstate New York. A small wood cut illustration caught my attention as it peeked out from underneath a pile of leaflets. I pulled out the paper and unfolded the cheap, ink-smeared pages. I didn’t know what the Catholic Worker… Read More Crafting a message
As I write this, I can hear the soft beep of an electronic polling station recording votes in a room next door. The beeps are frequently drowned out by loud greetings between neighbors. Deep laughter and high-pitched giggles ensue as folks reconnect in line at the polls. News about grandkids seems to be a favorite… Read More Election Day Reflections
In this past Sunday’s Gospel, we heard Jesus issue a challenge to an earnest young man who wanted to know how to secure life beyond the grave. First, he was reminded of the Ten Commandments. The young man assured Jesus that he was keeping these. Considering this, Jesus upped the ante, telling the man to… Read More Becoming Human Again
This week I attended a talk entitled, “Why Your Young, Catholic Vote Matters”. Before the speaker took the podium, each table group answered a few questions, including: “What brings you here tonight?” The responses from the seven talented, college-educated millennial professionals at my table ranged from curiosity to confusion. A handful expressed outright disengagement with… Read More Young Catholic Values Guide Them in Upcoming Election
By the time this piece posts, the blogosphere will be awash in commentary about the first presidential debate of the 2012 general election. Pundits will weigh in on word choice and policy platforms. Fashion bloggers will be talking about the color of the men’s ties. And students of Aristotle and Socrates will be weeding through… Read More Don’t Be Fooled, Politicians Are Not Our Saviors
Last week the U.S. Census Bureau released a report that revealed how Americans fared in 2011. Theresults from the American Community Surveyhighlight social and economic realities facing the United States. Since its release, a spate of news stories have analyzed the implications. Headlines like: “US poverty rate unchanged; record numbers persist” or “California Poverty: Three… Read More How are Americans Faring?
Millennial 