To Patheos Catholic Readers: Pondering Our Identity In A Time Of Crisis

Last updated on: September 3, 2018 at 11:14 pm By guest writer

By Rebecca Bratten Weiss This column, The Font, was initiated by former Patheos Catholic channel manager Elizabeth Scalia, as a sort of “agora” where diverse viewpoints from our eclectic group of columnists and guest contributors might be aired. Later it was resurrected by my predecessor, Sam Rocha, who was responsible for recruiting me as a writer for Patheos, as part of his commitment to maintaining a broad cross-section of Catholic thought. In his article explaining the purpose both of this... Read more

An Open Letter to Feminist Religious Sisters

Last updated on: August 30, 2017 at 10:34 am By Guest Contributor

We need you. We really need you. We’re young Catholic feminist women, and we’re lost. Read more

What Should Catholics Think of the “Alt-Right”?

Last updated on: July 26, 2017 at 10:19 am By Guest Contributor

Were it not for the 2016 presidential election, I would have thought “alt-right” was a computer keyboard command. Thanks to the current political climate, I have become acquainted with a group, an ideology, a way of viewing the world that send chills down my spine. The term “alt-right” was coined in 2008 by Richard Spencer, a white nationalist, who achieved media prominence after Trump was elected when he held a national conference during which he claimed that Trump’s presidency created... Read more

If Pope Francis “Failed,” What Does That Say about Benedict?

Last updated on: October 25, 2016 at 10:22 am By Guest Contributor

It is frequently observed that citizens use cognitive heuristics, or short-cuts, to make sense of the world. One unfortunate manifestation of this is our tendency to credit or blame the President for almost everything. The same can be true of our attitudes toward the Pope. A recent example is Matthew Schmitz’s suggestion in a New York Times op-ed that Pope Francis has “failed”. The reason for such a stark appraisal? Mass attendance among American Catholics is not increasing and fewer... Read more

How Stories Unlock The Truth

Last updated on: October 13, 2016 at 3:07 pm By Guest Contributor

The world’s being squeezed by a vise. On one side is materialism, determinism, no Creator, or a god that’s indistinguishable from creation. Thus, it’s up to man to take control—Serling’s “The Obsolete Man”, Orwell’s “1984”, Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”. On the other side, the God of rules. Obey and go to heaven, disobey and go to hell. Thus, man’s role is to propitiate a capricious lord and master—Zeus, Tolkien’s Sauron, the god of ISIS and some fundamentalist Christians. Mercy and justice, unfathomable... Read more

Talking to My Daughters About Hilary Clinton

Last updated on: August 29, 2016 at 3:13 pm By Guest Contributor

I have two teenage daughters. It isn’t difficult to explain to them why I will not be voting for Donald Trump. He stands in direct contradiction to our beliefs, and I am convinced that his temperament would not make him a suitable leader for our country. But a few weeks ago when Hilary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated to run for President of the United States, I found myself struggling with how to talk to my girls... Read more

The Catholic Blogosphere and the Tenacity of Conscience

Last updated on: August 21, 2016 at 10:08 pm By Sam Rocha

Patheos.com hosts eleven faith channels, ten topical channels, and numerous other galleries and special topics that range across nearly all religious traditions–including those, at the Atheist Channel, opposed to nearly all religious traditions. At the Patheos Catholic Channel, this breadth is an inspiration. After all, part of being Catholic is to be catholic. In the grit of everyday work an inspiration can become a burden or at least a daunting challenge, as one can read in our ongoing series on “Catholicity: Identity and... Read more

NEW SERIES: “Catholicity: Identity and Its Discontents”

Last updated on: August 29, 2016 at 1:40 pm By Sam Rocha

“What is Catholicism?” is one question. “Who is a Catholic?” is a very different question; it is the question. Between today and August 29 (edited: we’ve extended the series, to make room for more!), the Patheos Catholic Channel will explore this question and disclose personal replies to it. I will post links here and provide a final wrap up post when the series is finished. I invite you–Catholic or not–to read, share, comment, and most of all to ponder... Read more

A Letter to Readers of Patheos Catholic

Last updated on: August 3, 2016 at 3:08 am By Sam Rocha

This particular blog, The Font, is the brainchild of Elizabeth Scalia, who during her decorated tenure as editor of the Patheos Catholic channel sought to create a place for writings that collect the voices across the Patheos Catholic channel and also feature guest posts from friends of the channel. I took over the position as channel editor on November 1, 2015. My early approach to the work was focused on the internal demands of the channel, relying on our fine writers to... Read more

Patheos Catholic Stories of the Summer

Last updated on: July 14, 2016 at 5:23 pm By Sam Rocha

Florida Massacre Artur Rosman at Cosmos The In Lost: Here is part of the statement issued by Holy See Press Office Director, Father Federico Lombardi SJ via Vatican Radio: The terrible massacre that has taken place in Orlando, with its dreadfully high number of innocent victims, has caused in Pope Francis, and in all of us, the deepest feelings of horror and condemnation, of pain and turmoil before this new manifestation of homicidal folly and senseless hatred. Pope Francis joins the... Read more