Articles by Russell Shaw
Winning Peace in Ukraine
Oct 6, 2022 / 08:00 amPeople enjoy cheering on a little guy who appears to be holding his own against a bully. Much of reaction to the Ukrainians’ gutsy effort to repel the brutal Russian invasion of their country has been like that up to now.
Sticking to the Letter of Vatican II
Sep 22, 2022 / 10:00 amWhat was the Second Vatican Council all about? With the 60th anniversary of the council’s opening now close at hand, you can still get an argument about that. Instead of consulting the “spirit” of Vatican II for an answer, my suggestion is that we take a look at the letter instead.
An Agenda for the Bishops
Sep 7, 2022 / 14:00 pmThere are several issues of major importance for the future of the Church that need to be on the bishops’ agenda, and the results of the upcoming vote could go a long way to determining whether they make it there.
New Test for Campus Equity
Aug 25, 2022 / 15:00 pmIn most people’s vocabularies, “equity” is a positive word signifying fairness or even-handedness. In the vocabulary of today’s woke social justice warriors, though, equity can signify something far from benign.
Making the Case for Men
Aug 11, 2022 / 11:00 amThese are not the best of times for America’s men and boys. Recent data suggest the extent of the problem, without getting at its roots.
The Pope and the Jews
Jul 14, 2022 / 10:35 amTwo substantial new historical studies of Pope Pius XII’s response to the Jewish Holocaust reach sharply opposed conclusions. Not surprisingly, it’s the negative criticism of Pius rather than the documented defense that’s getting attention.
The Culture War Turns Violent
Jun 30, 2022 / 12:15 pmAmerica’s culture war has turned violent. The violence has always been there of course, just below the surface, but lately it has erupted into full, frightening view.
On Scandal and Communion
Jun 20, 2022 / 11:00 amCentral to the decision by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone to deny Communion to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is the reality of scandal.
Grandparents and the Faith
Jun 2, 2022 / 11:45 amIn one of the Wednesday audience talks he’s been giving on aging, Pope Francis declared what he called “the alliance of the generations” to be “indispensable.”
The Father of the Abortion Movement
May 19, 2022 / 17:20 pmIn the uproar over the leak of an early draft of a Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision legalizing abortion, the rhetoric of editorialists and commentators friendly to abortion has been short on light but long on heat. Even the conclusion of the New York Times editorial, “If you thought Roe v. Wade itself led to discord and division, just wait until it’s gone”, left you wondering: Is that a prediction or a threat?
The Trouble with Legalism
May 5, 2022 / 09:30 amWhen the Church speaks definitively on morality – says that without exception something is wrong – is it declaring a truth or laying down a law? Confusion about that is rampant today.
Naming Abortion
Apr 21, 2022 / 11:40 amThe abortion-friendly Washington Post recently provided a revealing look into a debate taking place in the world of abortion advocacy. The issue, in short, is whether to call abortion “abortion” or call it something else.
Holy Week in Ukraine
Apr 7, 2022 / 10:24 amHoly Week, the week of Christ’s suffering and death, has a special name this year – Ukraine.
The Pope and the Patriarch
Mar 24, 2022 / 10:15 amSo there will be no meeting, at least for now, between Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Kirill’s support for President Vladimir Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine has put it out of reach.
Biden's Supreme Court Pick
Mar 18, 2022 / 14:10 pmSomething unusual happened last month at the session during which President Joe Biden introduced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his choice for the Supreme Court. When her turn to speak came, she began by thanking not Biden but God.
Straight Talk on Ash Wednesday
Feb 24, 2022 / 16:30 pmWhy are so many people so keen on “getting the ashes”? The question naturally comes to mind as Ash Wednesday approaches.
Science, Faith, and Outer Space
Feb 10, 2022 / 11:40 amI was chatting with a man who had a doctorate in astronomy and now held a top science post in the government, so I asked, “Am I right in thinking that the universe includes the whole of material reality?”
The Pope, the Pets, and Population
Jan 27, 2022 / 11:13 amThe recent comment by Pope Francis that people who have pets instead of children are, sometimes at least, manifesting selfishness brought predictable howls from pet lovers and those who felt he was treading on their sacred right to do whatever they please. But along with unintentionally giving media the sort of juicy flap over trivia that they relish, the Pope was identifying a grave and growing problem for nations around the globe.
Solving Our Race Problem
Jan 13, 2022 / 09:30 amHere is today’s quiz: What 19th century novel points the way to a lasting solution to the racial tensions afflicting America today?
Waiting for Dobbs
Dec 30, 2021 / 08:50 amThe Supreme Court’s long-awaited decision on abortion almost certainly is a done deal. The justices and their clerks know the result but they aren’t letting on, while the rest of us won’t find out for another five months.