CNA Columns
The coming celibacy debate
Speculation and trial balloons floating lately over the Vatican walls suggest that Pope Francis wants to open up a discussion... Read more
On Lenten films, and faith where it's least expected
Exactly 12 years ago this month (February 25) Mel Gibson released The Passion of the Christ. Gibson set a new standard... Read more
Confirmation and Evangelization
Just a few days ago, I had the enormous privilege of performing my first confirmation as a bishop. It took... Read more
Fasting and the Taste for God
In the epic film, “Gandhi,” Mahatma’s fifty-day fast is undertaken to bring about reconciliation between Hindus and Muslims. His extreme... Read more
Francis and Kirill: A Step for Unity, a Leap for Christianity
From its birthplace in the Middle East, Christianity spread with amazing speed over the well-trodden roads of the Roman Empire.... Read more
‘Selfies’ and the Search for Self-worth
In 1506, at the age of 23, Raphael produced a beautiful self-portrait now found in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery. Leonardo da... Read more
The practice of fasting has many dimensions
Fasting is one of the practices associated traditionally with the season of Lent. Lenten fasting is rich in meaning and... Read more
The Way of the Cross continues on
In his strong identification with the poor and vulnerable, Jesus makes it perfectly clear that when we meet the needs... Read more
Putting on Christ: A Plan for Lent
The festive days of Christmas have given way to the forty days of Lenten asceticism. During this time, the liturgy... Read more
Lent and temptation
It would be like telling the story of World War II and leaving out Hitler. That’s what telling the story... Read more
Letter Writing
The electronic age may have displaced cursive writing, but love letters, thank-you notes, and letters to Santa, for example, are... Read more
Abortion: out of sight, out of mind
Due to the blizzard that hit the mid-Atlantic, my bus never made it to the 43rd March for Life in... Read more
St. Thomas Aquinas, a corpulent man nicknamed the dumb ox shows us how to live for Jesus
On January 28th, the Catholic Church commemorates the great Western theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas. As I grow older, the sheer... Read more
Lay ecclesial ministry programs need careful implementation
Lay ecclesial ministry programs are a significant development in the Catholic Church in the U.S. Candidates are proposed by the... Read more
National School Choice Week
This week, the spotlight focuses on effective education for every child in this country. It’s a week dedicated to the... Read more
The need to compromise
The topic of abortion has divided this country for more than half a century. And while the imminent March for... Read more
Some items that caught my attention recently
I find that my occasional brief commentaries on news and other items are popular with readers. So here are some... Read more
A Tribute to the Church's 'Single Ladies'
An essay entitled, “St. Teresa and the Single Ladies” recently appeared in the New York Times. Its author, Jessa Crispin,... Read more
Reflecting on Pope Francis’ 2016 World Day of Peace message
Deeply concerned about a “globalization of indifference,” Pope Francis in his 2016 World Day of Peace message titled “Overcome Indifference... Read more
'The Revenant' and search for higher justice
*Contains spoilers* Alejandro Iñárritu’s new film “The Revenant” is one of the most talked about movies, and for good reason.... Read more
