Fr. James Martin, SJ interviews poet and memoirist Mary Karr on her conversion story, her vocation as a poet, and the role of Ignatian spirituality in her daily life. In addition, millennial Catholic Ashley McKinless—co-host of the podcast Jesuitical, which just recorded its 100th show—talks about Christus Vivit, Pope Francis’ post-synodal apostolic exhortation. You can… Read More Fr. James Martin Interviews Mary Karr on Faith in Focus

Sean Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, writes: Perhaps even more than the threat of gang violence, fear of starvation is motivating the current wave of migration to the U.S. southern border. The surge is coming largely from rural parts of Central America, especially Guatemala, where drought has killed the corn and beans… Read More CRS President: The Fear of Starvation Drives the Central American Exodus

Millennial editor Robert Christian recently wrote about the roots of American Catholic polarization at Church Life Journal: We are currently experiencing high levels of both polarization and partisanship (including negative partisanship)—both among the public and public officials (though polarization among the public is lower than among elites). The polarization has been asymmetrical, with Republican officials… Read More Polarization, Partisanship, and Enmity: The US Catholic Church Divided

David Brooks writes: College mental health facilities are swamped, suicide rates are spiking, the president’s repulsive behavior is tolerated or even celebrated by tens of millions of Americans. At the root of it all is the following problem: We’ve created a culture based on lies. Here are some of them: Career success is fulfilling. This… Read More 5 Lies Our Hyperindividualistic Society Tells Us

Last year, Kerry Cronin wrote an insightful article for C21 Engage on young people, loneliness, and intimacy. Here are some of the article’s key points: What really concerns young adults—what really scares them, what fascinates them, what moves them—is not really a question of sex but rather a question of intimacy. Despite their seemingly constant… Read More Millennials, Loneliness, and the Crisis of Intimacy