Nearly everyone trying to understand the current government turmoil in Washington is either (a) pre-committed to one or the other political party’s version of events; or (b) thoroughly confused.  Most of us fall more or less in the second group.  And that means a great many citizens end up feeling powerless, then disgusted, then angry.  […]

The Eagles are the Cinderella Team, a whole organization of character, courage and refusal to quit.

This week’s column is meant explicitly for the men of our local Church.  I’m talking to you.  C.S. Lewis once described Christianity as a “fighting religion.”  He meant that living the Gospel involves a very real kind of spiritual warfare; a struggle against the evil in ourselves and in the world around us—not with violence, […]

La columna de esta semana está dirigida explícitamente a los hombres de nuestra Iglesia local.   Te estoy hablando a ti.

“Catholics in Philadelphia enjoy a warm working friendship with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on issues of mutual concern and importance to the whole nation.”

El mes pasado, en el Primer Domingo de Adviento (3 de diciembre), comenzamos la temporada de Adviento y Navidad.  Fue un gran comienzo para el nuevo año de Iglesia, hecho doblemente hermoso por un servicio de Vísperas en una catedral llena que honró a nueve nuevos monseñores nombrados para nuestra Arquidiócesis por el papa Francisco.  […]

Last month, on the First Sunday of Advent (December 3), we began the Advent and Christmas seasons.  It was a great start to the new Church year, made doubly beautiful by a Vespers service in a packed cathedral that honored nine new monsignors named for our archdiocese by Pope Francis.  Philadelphia is blessed with dedicated […]

Jesus is the reason for the season.  May he live in our hearts and guide our lives throughout the coming year. 

Advent is a wonderful time of year.  It’s that special season when families huddle together around the TV (or alone, on their various devices) to watch hundreds of greed-inspiring ads and listen to Xmas carols with rewritten lyrics that sell lottery tickets, and cars, and smartphones. That’s Option A.  Option B is this:  We can […]

Amoris Laetitia has passages of great wisdom and beauty on marriage and on family life.  And it has other passages that have caused some obvious controversy.  The controversy has obscured much of the good in the document.  So we need to engage the text with open hearts and the discipline of clear thinking.