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Current Issues
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 The War on Terror
The Catholic Church's Teaching on War and Peace with articles, resources and links for Prayer, Study and Action.
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"We Had Hoped"
The editors of America Magazine comment: "It would be foolish to pretend that in the wake of the announcement of the departure of Thomas J. Reese, S.J., as editor in chief of America, the past weeks have not been turbulent ones for the editors and staff, for many of our readers and for others as well who are concerned about the Catholic Church."
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'Our priests': an appreciation
Editorial from NCROnline: It is an easy claim to make that many priests have little understanding of the lives of the people they are charged with overseeing, no idea, really, what is required to be married, to be parents, to worry about job security and finances and sick infants and hormonally jolted teenagers. But I think post-scandal -- we are at least beyond the initial shocks -- I must say I have no idea, really, what everyday heroism it must take to be a priest in the church of today.
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144 theologians confront hierarchy
Blunt letter says reforms necessary in light of scandals, priest shortage
“In our roles as theology professors we can no longer remain silent,” began 144 leading Catholic theologians from Germany, Switzerland and Austria in a bluntly frank open letter to the Roman Catholic hierarchy.
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A Challenge, Not a Crusade
Seen in context, Pope Benedict XVI’s citation last week of a 14th-century Byzantine emperor who claimed that the Prophet Muhammad brought “things only evil and inhuman” to the world was not intended as an anti-Islamic broadside.
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A Church to Hope In
In his second encyclical letter, Pope Benedict XVI affirms the centrality of hope as a Christian virtue, one that carries those imbued with it to the doorway of salvation. The Christian’s ultimate hope is in Christ the savior. Here and now we carry hope also for the church, Christ’s body, in days to come.
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A commitment to healing, unity
From NCRonline: When 500 preachers publicly commit to healing in the church, as the Dominicans meeting in Adrian, Mich., did ( see story), we are being invited and challenged to do the same -- ordained and nonordained alike. Preaching doesn’t happen only at Mass. It happens every time someone calls us back to Gospel living and to our commitment to the human family.
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A Global Church in a Globalized World
The text of a lecture given by John Allen at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. The topic Allen was asked to address was "A Global Church in a Globalized World," trying to think about what the historic North/South shift currently underway in global Christianity might mean for Roman Catholicism in the 21st century.
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A Look Ahead at the Year 2009
What religion stories are likely to make news in the coming year? National Catholic Reporter correspondent John Allen, Brookings Institution senior fellow and Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne and Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly managing editor Kim Lawton join host Bob Abernethy for an annual studio discussion and analysis of top stories predicted to make headlines in the New Year.
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A Look Back at 2006
From Religion and Ethics Online: a discussion and analysis of the year's top religion news stories. Topics addressed by the panelists include: sectarian violence in Iraq and the religious challenges confronting America and the Iraq government; the "demonization" of Islam by the West; religion's impact on the 2006 elections; growing political, religious and social differences within the Protestant evangelical community; tensions over issues of homosexuality in the U.S. Episcopal Church and global Anglican Communion; U.S. diplomatic policy in the Middle East; and Hollywoodo's embrace of faith-based films.
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A nation reborn
From the Tablet: The sights and sounds of President Obama's inauguration had a deep resonance not just in the United States but around the world. The richest and most powerful nation on earth was undergoing - in public - a personality transplant. His inaugural address from his podium in Washington was more explicitly a repudiation of his immediate predecessor than anyone expected, given the courtesies that are customary on such occasions. But the greater transformation had nothing to do with the departure of George W. Bush. It was signified by the sight of an African American entering the White House as President, with his black wife and family. This was not just a triumph against racial prejudice; it was a turning point in American history.
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A pastorally sensible solution to the priest-shortage
Imported priests are simply replacing priests who have died, retired, or resigned, and are serving in whatever parishes need them for the celebration of Mass and the administra-tion of the other sacraments. Is there a more pastorally sensible solution to the priest-shortage in the United States than recruiting priests from countries with far greater needs?
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A place for dissent
Something of a consensus exists among church historians that, had the Vatican treated Martin Luther and his circles in a more conciliatory manner at the start of what became the Reformation, it might not have happened. Many of the theological points he was raising were subsequently found to be valid, not least his denunciation of the sale of indulgences. But the rough rebuttal he received led him to adopt positions ever more extreme until there was no reconciliation to be had on any terms.
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A Priest's Lonely Ministry
From the Hartford Courant: As Fewer Join The Catholic Clergy, Many Must Contend With Isolation. And while some priests undoubtedly prefer to live and work alone, many others... can feel isolated in their solitary posts and crave the company and support of other priests.
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