After Mass last Sunday, I saw a young man praying on his knees with his hands clasped tightly and his eyes closed. Even the presence of a typically loud toddler did nothing to break his intense focus. There is an otherworldliness to this type of prayer. And it is not uncommon. I’ve seen it at… Read More A Church for the Broken
On Monday, I spoke at the 2015 Democratic Revival at the National Press Club. Here are my prepared remarks: My position on abortion is progressive not conservative. I believe in robust government action to protect the lives of unborn children, as I refuse to draw a distinction between humans and persons. All humans are persons.… Read More Millennials, the Whole Life Approach, and the Democratic Party
Like Catholic teaching itself, Pope Francis is inspired by personalism, which is premised on the innate worth and dignity of each person and the importance of our relationships as members of numerous communities, rather than as autonomous individuals or parts of a mass collective. Michael Gerson has a great column in the Washington Post on… Read More The Personalism of Pope Francis
In the wake of Laudato Si, Pope Francis has continued to address climate change to emphasize the importance of the issue and our responsibility to protect creation. In his latest remarks, he raised five important points: Climate change is a social issue (with “grave social consequences”), not just an environmental issue Climate change hits the… Read More 5 Reasons Pope Francis is Calling for Action on Climate Change
The central focus of Pope Francis’ papacy has been the poor. Over and over again, his words and his actions show that he wants a poor Church for the poor. His focus is sometimes contrasted with Pope Benedict’s focus on “the dictatorship of relativism” and the collapse of the Church in Europe. Of course, Pope… Read More Pope Francis and the Dictatorship of Relativism
When it comes to politics, our society is often divided between those who emphasize personal responsibility and those who emphasize our social responsibilities. The former often focus on the cultural factors that tear families apart, while the latter highlight the economic threats faced by families. Within the Church these divisions are seen in the rivalry… Read More How the Church’s Both/And Approach Can Close the Opportunity Gap and Reduce Poverty
The protection of religious freedom is fundamental to the protection of human rights. Franklin Roosevelt rightly included it in his “four freedoms”—freedom from fear and want, freedom of speech and religion. It is integral to the common good and fostering conditions that are compatible with human dignity. If we care about human flourishing, we must… Read More The Global War on Christians
