Those who have lived under communism experienced not only its dictatorial nature but also the drabness of its daily life. A communist regime is marked by poor lighting, non-existent maintenance, dilapidated buildings, meager food, empty shelves, dull clothing, little choice of entertainment, absence of superfluous goods and other somber elements. This drabness is an obvious … Read more
The triple crisis of COVID-19, civil unrest, and economic disaster is now shaking the West’s spiritual and material foundations and the world. This is no ordinary crisis since it questions our time-worn certainties, changes our daily lives, and restricts Church freedom. In the face of this crisis, many are stunned and wonder what went wrong. … Read more
Catholics have long extended the benefit of the doubt to Pope Francis when he frequently veers off the path of orthodoxy. With his latest statement regarding same-sex civil unions, there are no benefits in entertaining doubts. Many Catholics sense something is terribly wrong. “What we have to create is a civil union law,” says the … Read more
In September 2018, the Vatican and Communist China signed a landmark agreement, in which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) agreed to recognize the Catholic Church as a legal entity in China. In exchange, the Vatican conceded to the CCP the power to appoint bishops, over which the Vatican retains the right of veto. Although both … Read more
Pope Francis’s third encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, predictably deals with the plight of the migrant. This theme has characterized his pontificate, as he never loses an opportunity to take it up. Not all share his enthusiasm; most are apprehensive about what it means for the future. Mass migration is a sensitive subject for many Catholics in … Read more
Pope Francis’s encyclical Fratelli Tutti presents a dilemma for all who defend the right of private property. On the one hand, the teaching document Pope Francis signed on October 3 questions this right. On the other, past popes, theologians, and canonists have always taught that private ownership, as it is largely practiced, is just and … Read more
As the debate rages over stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic, most conservative opposition has focused on the damage to the economy, excessive government surveillance, or the massive increase in government debt. These are very valid and important concerns. But the coronavirus’s most enduring damage will not be a lower GDP, higher debt, or even … Read more
“I don’t know what’s happening with this new culture of defending territories by building walls. We already knew one, that (one) in Berlin, which brought so many headaches and so much suffering,” – Pope Francis, quoted in Reuters, May 28, 2019 As the above quote indicates, Pope Francis opposes the idea of walls, especially a … Read more
Ronald Reagan once said that an economist is someone who sees something happen in practice and wonders if it could work in theory. The new book, Pope Francis and the Caring Society, appears like a team of economists forced to study the encyclical Laudato Si’ in theory and then wonder if it might work in … Read more
