During his acceptance speech this summer, presidential candidate Joe Biden included an inspiring quotation from a play by Seamus Heaney (1939-2013), an Irish poet. The quote is about hope. It comes from The Cure at Troy (Farrar, Straus, 1991), which is Heaney’s 81-page rewrite of Philoctetes by Sophocles (497 BC-406 BC). Late in Heaney’s play the Chorus speaks these lines: History says, Don’t hope On this side of the grave. But then, once in a lifetime The longed-for tidal wave... Read more

  Two Catholic laymen are credited with starting Labor Day: Matthew McGuire (1855-1917) and, no relation, Peter J. McGuire (1852-1906). Matthew McGuire was a machinist from Paterson, NJ who began factory work at age 14. Throughout the 1880s he was involved in the Knights of Labor, the first successful national union in this country. Peter McGuire was born in New York City. He moved to St. Louis where he was a carpenter. In 1881 he moved to Chicago and formed... Read more

Young adults are forcing our society to deal with several injustices and tensions. The long neglect is no more. Their protest movements are remarkably strong, even though the young adult leaders mobilize amid a deadly pandemic. The movements are now though at a crossroads. Thus, some of those leaders are studying U.S. history to learn what to do and what not to do next. Bayard Rustin (1912-1987), for example, is for some young adults a source for consideration, particularly his... Read more

Editorials and opinion pieces regularly call upon the bishops or the president or the Congress or business executives to do something: To speak out on racism, to condemn abortion, to restore reverence within family life, to end the virus, to improve the economy, to drain the swamp, to protect liberty, maybe to resign. Two angels on the Mount of Olivet asked the disciples: People, “why are you standing there looking up?” Likewise, too many in our troubled society are looking... Read more

The President and Board of Trustees at St. Xavier University (3700 W 103rd St, Chicago, IL 60655) have busted the teachers’ union. It was founded in November 1979 and currently has 140 full-time faculty members. Our Catholic doctrine on labor relations has been revealed by God and elucidated through theology, science/reason and years of Christian experience. It is based in the dogma of the Trinity and especially the dogma of the Incarnation. Catholic doctrine on labor relations is not optional... Read more

During his acceptance speech this summer, presidential candidate Joe Biden included an inspiring quotation from a play by Seamus Heaney (1939-2013), an Irish poet. The quote is about hope. It comes from The Cure at Troy (Farrar, Straus, 1991), which is Heaney’s 81-page rewrite of Philoctetes by Sophocles (497 BC-406 BC). Late in Heaney’s play the Chorus speaks these lines: History says, Don’t hope On this side of the grave. But then, once in a lifetime The longed-for tidal wave... Read more

Two Catholic laymen are credited with starting Labor Day: Matthew McGuire (1855-1917) and, no relation, Peter J. McGuire (1852-1906). Matthew McGuire was a machinist from Paterson, NJ who began factory work at age 14. Throughout the 1880s he was involved in the Knights of Labor, the first successful national union in this country. Peter McGuire was born in New York City. He moved to St. Louis where he was a carpenter. In 1881 he moved to Chicago and formed the... Read more

A fresh consideration of socialism is happening these days. Two remarkable presidential campaigns by Sen. Bernie Sanders and perhaps a more significant Congressional campaign by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have put socialism into public discussion. During Covid 19, serious questions about public health and welfare have additionally opened a door to socialism’s approaches. Like capitalism, there are several definitions of socialism and a variety of ideas and personalities associated with it. The merits of capitalism are usually measured in practical terms;... Read more

A fresh consideration of socialism is happening these days. Two remarkable presidential campaigns by Sen. Bernie Sanders and perhaps a more significant Congressional campaign by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have put socialism into public discussion. During Covid 19, serious questions about public health and welfare have additionally opened a door to socialism’s approaches. Like capitalism, there are several definitions of socialism and a variety of ideas and personalities associated with it. The merits of capitalism are usually measured in practical terms;... Read more

Some years ago I was part of a lobby group to change the feast of St. Joseph the Worker from May 1st to the first Monday in September. The change would apply only to dioceses in the United States; the country that has Labor Day in September. The proposal got a respectable hearing from some bishops but the liturgy police (smile) at the bishops’ conference said no. In 1889 communist and other pro-worker groups in Europe designated May 1st as... Read more