The racial gap that many believed was narrowing has abruptly widened in America. Martin Luther King Jr. once asked, "Where do we go from here?" Pope Francis' call to become a synodal church could answer that question.
We say: Defending the dignity of every person is what it means to be a pro-life church, and our bishops must urgently condemn the bomb threats made against 13 historically Black colleges and universities.
Commentary: Archbishop Gomez's speech criticizing social movements raises the question: Is Catholicism fit to respond to racism in the U.S.? Can we meet theologian Howard Thurman's demand for a credible Christianity?
Michael Sean Winters: Why have the bishops failed to sound the alarm for the "values and principles of our democracy" that continue to be threatened? Surely the sanctity of the vote is above partisan politics.
Editorial: We must remember what took place on Jan. 6, 2021 — a violent attempt to stop the certification of a free and fair election, what could only be called an insurrection or a coup — so that it never happens again.
Michael Sean Winters: The life of the Catholic Church in this country in 2021 was characterized by a culture war fit and evidence that Pope Francis will press forward with the reception of Vatican II in ways that will profoundly affect the U.S. church.
Editorial: Archbishop José Gomez has squandered his presidency of the U.S. bishops' conference fighting dead-end culture wars. 2021 was bookended by his moves to attack Biden and a speech denigrating justice movements.
NCR Connections: Archbishop Gomez ended 2021 with a speech that denigrated justice movements, but perhaps he could instead learn from such activists — some of whom were runners-up in our Newsmaker of the Year brainstorm.
