This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Merton. Merton was one of the most captivating religious figures in the 20th century. His book The Seven Storey Mountain made him an important public figure—the country’s most popular monk—and remains popular among Catholics today. But his legacy extends far beyond his famous biography,… Read More Book Review: The Unquiet Monk
Education is not a crime. It is a human right. So too is religious freedom. Denying someone an education because of their religion is a crime—perhaps not a legal crime in some places, but nevertheless a moral crime, particularly when perpetrated by a regime that institutionalizes bigotry and repression. This is the crime that Iran’s… Read More Education is Not a Crime
Among the worst developments of the 21st century has been the growing assault on democracy and human rights perpetrated by Vladimir Putin’s regime. And the times seem to be growing darker in Russia. via BBC News: A leading Russian opposition politician, former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, has been shot dead in Moscow, Russian officials… Read More Dark Days in Russia: Opposition Leader Boris Nemtsov Gunned Down
A popular trend in recent years has been to do something positive for Lent rather than to give something up. This ranges from the very challenging (see Kerry Weber’s Mercy in the City) to the more basic (to choose kindness in our daily actions). This seems to align with Pope Francis’ call to give up… Read More You’re Not Too Holy to Give Stuff Up for Lent
The latest horrifying images of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s campaign of mass murder are coming from Douma, Syria. There is really nothing new to say at this point. But it is important to look at the horror unfolding, even as the world refuses to act to protect the innocent. Here are some tweets from #Douma… Read More Assad is Still Murdering Children
John Boehner, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, has announced that Pope Francis will address a joint meeting of Congress in September of this year. This historic address will mark the first time a pope has spoken before Congress. What will the pope’s message be? Given Francis’ penchant for speaking directly and… Read More Pope to Address US Congress: Call for an End to the Throwaway Culture
Hillary Clinton will be the heavy favorite to win the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 2016 should she enter the race. And unlike in 2008, she will not have to contend with a once-in-a-generation candidate like Barack Obama, who mixed excellent strategy, soaring speeches, and deep personal appeal to defeat her. The conventional wisdom… Read More Ready for Hillary the Populist?
