‘Be a good example’ is infuriatingly good advice Lessons can be learned from watching those we respect fail and try again. As the eldest of four brothers, a still-haunting refrain was pounded into my head by my parents throughout my childhood: “Be a good example.” I hated this phrase. It was an unassailable call to […]

What does the church teach about the death penalty? All lives are sacred and worthy of a chance for repentance and reconciliation. From 2015–2020, 136 people were executed by state or federal government in the United States. Even if judgments of their guilt were correct, is death an acceptable punishment? The Catholic Church today says […]

The Big Shoulders Fund helps Catholic schools thrive When the pandemic struck, Josh Hale and the Big Shoulders Fund sprung into action to help Chicago schools make it through. When the COVID-19 pandemic closed school buildings across the country last spring, teachers, families, and students anxiously wondered how they could possibly teach and learn from […]

Never more war After decades of war, do we have the courage to push for peace? It will be easy on this anniversary of 9/11 to celebrate the courage of the people we came to know from that terrible day as the “first responders”—the firefighters, police, security, EMS, and other emergency workers who walked into […]

Catholics aren’t disappointed—they’re exasperated Deep disappointment with the church used to reveal deep love. Father Bryan Massingale says something has changed. My ministry focuses on speaking and writing about race and sexuality. Lately, in discussions after online lectures or webinars, I hear the following questions and comments with increasing frequency: “How can I remain a […]

Young people are leading a new approach to campus ministry Pope Francis called young adults ‘protagonists of change.’ We need their leadership in the church. On April 18, 2021 nearly 100 students gathered in near-freezing temperatures at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota for a prayerful vigil following the killing of Daunte Wright by police […]

‘Best Summer Ever’ promotes diversity in a powerful way A film represents disability in front of the camera without calling it out. Best Summer Ever (available on Hoopla and to buy or rent on streaming platforms) is a predictable summer film about adolescent yearning and intrigue, an homage to Grease and Footloose. It breaks no original ground in plot […]

This New Testament translation honors the traditions of Native peoples The ‘First Nations Version’ retells the Good Story to resonate with Native peoples. Terry M. Wildman first had the idea of translating the New Testament over 20 years ago. Wildman was living on the Hopi Indian Reservation and serving as a pastor on Second Mesa […]

Junk, joy, and relationship in a Facebook ‘free stuff’ group Can donating unwanted trash be a way to love your neighbor?   “Free: spinach dip from Jewel. Bought last week and tried it but don’t like it.” The above post caught my eye as I was scrolling through Facebook one day. Who was giving away […]