The Victims Are Us, and The Violent Are Too: Lessons from New Zealand

Last updated on: March 23, 2019 at 10:53 pm By Julia Smucker

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s response to the horrific mosque shootings in the city of Christchurch has been rightly hailed as exemplifying strong and compassionate leadership. Her (and her country’s) combination of compassion and resolve, lamentation and action, demonstrates what a national response to a tragedy can look like in a way that looks downright enviable from within the present American context. Still, I have to wonder whether every part of that response is fully translatable. I’m not talking... Read more

Woe to you who are rich; Woe to me

Last updated on: March 7, 2019 at 10:47 am By David Cruz-Uribe

I have been spending a lot of time thinking about the mass readings from two weeks ago, February 17 (the sixth Sunday in ordinary time). I actually got the idea for this post at mass. This happens a lot–I get an idea, I chew on it for a few hours, but it doesn’t get written down and fades away. This one, however, has stuck with me. Part of it is that the Gospel of St. Luke has always been my... Read more

Four Episodes from a Consistent Life Ethic, Part III

Last updated on: February 3, 2019 at 11:29 am By David Cruz-Uribe

I want to continue my narrative about the consistent life ethic as I understand–or perhaps it is better to say about how I cam to live it. You may read Part I and Part II by following the links. I want to apologize for the long delay between parts II and III. I have made a new years resolution to blog twice per month, so hopefully I can finish this story. Part III: Race and class Race and class are... Read more

Both Bipartisanship and Impeachment

Last updated on: February 2, 2019 at 6:29 pm By Julia Smucker

There is a narrative being frequently reiterated by political analysts around the 116th Congress, particularly the Democratic-controlled House, which, the narrative goes, faces a dilemma in that the left wing of the Democratic base wants them to focus on impeaching Donald Trump, whereas “moderates” want to see more bipartisan cooperation. As an Independent of the radical center, who saw the rise to power of a thoroughgoing narcissist who is both a symptom and exacerbator of partisan gridlock as an extremely... Read more

Welcome to Babylon: When a Wall Trumps Freedom to Worship

Last updated on: January 14, 2019 at 1:11 pm By Julia Smucker

NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday featured a poignant interview with Father Roy Snipes, who serves Mission, Texas’ La Lomita Chapel. The chapel, which dates back to the 19th-century missions, is now under threat of seizure by the federal government under eminent domain, another potential casualty of the war of the wall. Fr. Snipes calmly and sadly describes the beauty and historicity of the place, which he says would become “a desecrated sacred place” if the diocesan-owned land on which the chapel... Read more

A Petition to the American Bishops

Last updated on: January 13, 2019 at 2:26 pm By David Cruz-Uribe

There is a petition addressed to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that has recently been circulating online and gathering signatures. It was started by Holly Taylor Coolman, an assistant professor of Theology at Providence College. My fellow blogger Mark Gordon shared it on his Facebook page, and I liked it enough that I signed it and shared it on my page. I suggested that we post it to the blog, and he agreed. Here is the body of... Read more

So what is the problem? A post to start a discussion

Last updated on: January 6, 2019 at 5:01 pm By David Cruz-Uribe

This post began about a month ago, when I got a funding raising email from Formed. For those who are not aware of this website, it is an on demand e-library run by the Augustine Institute, which describes its mission as follows: The Augustine Institute serves the formation of Catholics for the New Evangelization. Through our academic and parish programs, we equip Catholics intellectually, spiritually, and pastorally to renew the Church and transform the world for Christ. Formed is marketed... Read more

An old millennial, unlearning entitlement

Last updated on: December 31, 2018 at 7:36 pm By Jeannine Pitas

A few weeks ago, Facebook presented me with a 2018 “year in review.” A carefully curated version of my life over the past year flashed before my eyes. A delightful photo of me reading poetry at a writers’ conference in Florida. An announcement of the publication of my third chapbook. A video of me with my parents at a polka dance party in Buffalo, NY (in case you’re uninformed, polka is the liveliest, most joy-inspiring music you’ll ever hear). Photos... Read more

2019 Prophecies. You’re Welcome.

Last updated on: December 31, 2018 at 3:55 pm By Mark Gordon

A combination of wishful thinking and reflexive pessimism typically overwhelms my otherwise rational predictive powers, so you shouldn't sell the house, buy stock, or jump on any political bandwagons after reading this. Read more

Peter Jackson’s Reminder That War is Blasphemy

Last updated on: December 27, 2018 at 11:00 pm By Mark Gordon

Truth is, the whole thing is sickening, and this may be Jackson's greatest achievement. By juxtaposing youthful joie de vivre with the reality of death in the mud, he has poignantly reminded us of the colossal waste of war. Read more