For me at least, the most dismaying thing about criticism of Pope Benedict’s plan for easing the way for Anglicans who seek to enter the Roman Catholic Church is the critics’ apparent indifference to the spiritual welfare of these Anglicans.…

European secular liberals and certain people at the Vatican may not have many things in common, but there’s one thing they unquestionably do share: high hopes for the presidency of Barack Obama. The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to…

A thoughtful and not unsympathetic discussion of a papal encyclical in a secular, liberal political journal? After all, why not? David Nirenberg’s treatment of Pope Benedict XVI’s economic encyclical Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth) in the September 23 New…

When the United States and its allies went into Afghanistan almost eight years ago, they had the support—quiet but real—of Pope John Paul II and the Holy See. But when, not long after, America and its friends attacked Iraq, the…

Barack Obama is the latest version of a presidential Great Communicator, and he’s really pretty good. But his communication skills lately have served as a reminder that substance still counts for more than style. The debate over health care reform…

“Look at that!” My wife was waving The Washington Post at me and pointing to the back page of the first news section.

“Look at what?”

“It’s a full-page ad mentioning the bishops’ conference and a lot of other groups. Something about energy.”

I…

Finding the hidden meanings.   Unraveling mysteries.  Deciphering symbols.  The thrill inherent in all this is partly why Dan Brown’s book, the Da Vinci Code, sold so well.

But Brown’s secret code, the 2000 year chain of clues supposedly leading to the…

Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical on economic issues Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth) appears to have stirred up a lively discussion, and that’s all to the good. This is a long, complex, thought-provoking document with an important message for the…

Let’s start with several obvious facts. Abortion isn’t the only issue in the health care debate — de facto, it isn’t even the central issue, whatever anyone makes of that. But to proceed as if abortion weren’t an issue at…

Ten days before the May 17 Notre Dame University commencement at which President Barack Obama was to speak and receive an honorary degree, I told an archbishop who’s a friend that I thought this was a watershed. One reason for…