The Vatican's Dignitas Infinita does an excellent job establishing the valuable character of human dignity, writes David DeCosse. The document fares less well in how it embeds dignity into life's concrete circumstances ..read more

Francis, the comic strip: Brother Leo and Gabby discuss the risky trips taken by Francis ..read more

In a new book of meditations on God and the Earth, feminist theologian Elizabeth Johnson explores an image of God as lover of creation and concludes that, yes, you will see your pet in heaven.  ..read more

I understand dramatic responses to digital technology in the context of the Mass. The physical elements of the sacraments are the whole point. But here are three strong arguments for continuing to stream the Mass ..read more

Professor Samuel Shephard from Ave Maria University suggests that Catholics can contribute a unique perspective to Earth Day, celebrated each April 22, by viewing it as an opportunity to fulfill their role as stewards of creation. Shephard said Catholics can place the importance of practical actions like reducing plastic use and ethical clothing purchases within the context of God's "loving plan for salvation ..read more

A Catholic bishop in Michigan has apologized for disparaging President Joseph Biden as "stupid." Bishop Robert Gruss of Saginaw said he used "poor judgment" in his choice of words ..read more

Those two questions were asked across the United States during diocesan listening sessions in the first months of 2024. They were drawn verbatim from a Jan. 2 letter from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops conveying a request from the Holy See for further consultation of the faithful ahead of October's second, and final, meeting of the Synod on Synodality ..read more

<p>A Catholic priest has resigned as pastor of a church in a small central Michigan community, the result of weeks of controversy following his publicly expressed regret that a gay author had read a book to preschool children.</p><p>Gay rights activists and others have held regular protests outside St. Joseph the Worker Church in Beal City, 85 miles (136.7 kilometers) north of Lansing, the state capital.</p><p>The Rev ..read more

A bipartisan coalition the U.S. House of Representatives, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., voted April 20 to approve a $95 billion package providing aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and other U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region, over the objections of some far-right lawmakers who indicated they would attempt to remove Johnson from his role over the deal ..read more

Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the synod, noted that while "the Gospel will not change, my understanding of the Gospel can change" and that over the two millennia of the church's history it had proceeded with this dynamic understanding ..read more