Michael Sean Winters

All the Kingdoms of the World: On Radical Religious Alternatives to Liberalism is an important read because none of us yet knows how influential integralists will become and because Vallier takes the movement seriously. 

There is no group in American society with whom it is easier to share a conversation about Catholic social teaching than the leaders of the American labor movement, writes NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters.

There was very little that was newsworthy at this year's meeting of the U.S. bishops. But it demonstrated the sclerotic condition the U.S. hierarchy has created for itself, says NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters.

The elections for committee chairs and secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were completed on Nov. 14 and the results were mixed, writes Michael Sean Winters.

The solution to the divisions within the hierarchy will not be found primarily through internal discussions. The bishops must find the answers outside the sacristy — or the hotel ballroom where they are meeting.

On the first day of their plenary, the bishops are all huddled in small group sessions. This is frustrating for us in the press, but we can hope this more synodal approach helps the bishops find a way to come together. 

It is time for the pro-life movement in this country, and especially for the U.S. Catholic bishops, to recognize that their nearly 50-year effort to overturn Roe v. Wade was a deeply flawed political strategy.

The pope insists that theology engage in "dialogue within the ecclesial community and an awareness of the essential synodal and communion dimension of doing theology."

There will be a few key elections tomorrow but campaign watchers should be wary of any analysis that seeks to extrapolate national trends from these very specific contests, says NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters.

With the new speaker of the House, the principal issue is how he brings his religion into politics. Mike Johnson is assuming the meaning of the Bible is uncontested, that his interpretation is the only available one.

The final document of the synod's first session has some very specific proposals, and the section on formation especially has some clues about how to proceed. The model for formation: Jesus' way.

What are the results of this meeting? The rebalancing of Roman Catholic ecclesiology in the past 150 years is now complete. Primacy gave way to collegiality and now to a synodality involving the entire people of God.

Libertarianism has become a kind of default position for many people and it is often preferable to the alternatives, writes NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters. 

The naysayers, and those who insist that the synod reach specific decisions on specific topics, are both missing the boat, argues NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters. 

The biography, written by the late Thomas Shelley, captures Ellis' bluntness and fierce commitment to truth-telling, but fails to do justice to his other fine attributes, including Ellis' sense of humor.  

The election choices the bishops make when the USCCB gathers Nov. 13-16 in Baltimore will be a good indication of the direction in which the body of bishops wish to go. NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters shares his predictions. 

If the synod is to succeed, writes NCR columnist Michael Sean Winter, it must start its analysis always with this central truth of our faith: the redemptive suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord. 

If Pope Francis wants to guarantee that we in the media don't report on "things they are saying out there" about the synod, he shouldn't tell those inside the hall that they should be "fasting" from giving interviews. 

How did we get in this mess? In part, every concession Kevin McCarthy made to the far-right members of his caucus only served to empower them, says NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters.

This is not the first time that dubious cardinals have questioned the pope, but it is the first time that Francis published his responses. Perhaps he just wanted to clear the air, suggests columnist Michael Sean Winters.