Pope Francis has released his much anticipated apostolic exhortation on the family and it’s 263 pages!! Before you give up and just turn to Chapter 8 for the “juicy stuff,” like divorced and remarried Catholics or treatment of LGBT persons, let me offer 5 points to note and urge you to stick with the 269… Read More 5 Things to Look for in Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love)
There is something deeply appropriate to me about celebrating St Patrick’s Day in the midst of Lent. Celebrating the resilience of my ancestors’ faith and spirit in the face of colonialism, imposed starvation, and forced migration seems fitting during this season. May this make today’s Irish-Americans pause and remember that today is not about green… Read More Remembering the Oppression of the Irish and Rejecting Injustice Today
In The Poisoning of Flint: How It Happened, I outlined some key points: The poisoning of the population of Flint, Michigan did not just happen – it was caused. Democratic processes were overridden in the name of “fiscal responsibility.” Those in positions of power (General Motors and State officials) were provided with safe, clean water… Read More Catholic Social Teaching and the Poisoning of Flint
There is a massive and ongoing injustice occurring in Flint, Michigan. As I sat down to write this blog post, I honestly didn’t know where to begin. The men, women, and children of Flint have been poisoned. Their water continues to poison. And those charged with protecting the public are morally culpable—at best morally complicit… Read More The Poisoning of Flint: How It Happened
It’s here! A new social encyclical! As a Catholic moral theologian, I feel a bit like a child on Christmas morning. While I know that most of you were not setting your alarms for the 5am Vatican press conference, we have all been anxiously awaiting Pope Francis’ “environmental encyclical.” And, let me just say –… Read More Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home
Are you interested in starting a social justice book club? Choosing books that will interest and encourage participation from a wide group of people can be difficult. One of the most challenging aspects of teaching is choosing texts that will engage my students—pique their interest, but also challenge them to think deeply. Narratives can activate… Read More Must Reads for Your Social Justice Book Club
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is all over Facebook and Twitter. Even Kermit the Frog and Mr. Met have done it. So far, it has raised more than $30 million dollars for ALS charities – the largest of which is the ALS-Association. As with anything trending on Twitter, the Ice Bucket Challenge is not without… Read More Ice Bucket Challenge: Why I Did It & You Should Too
Millennial 