More than anything, the church needs a pastor like Pope Francis who is committed to the synodal process to keep the balance between renewal and the wellsprings of tradition, says NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters.
It is natural to compare a pope to his predecessors. But many of the comparisons being made now betray an ideological edge that does no justice to the legacy of any of the three most recent popes.
Pope Francis was a pastor, first and foremost, and a good pastor teaches. Any pope's most enduring legacy is the body of magisterial teaching they left behind.
In a noisy and busy world, in a time of cultural and political polarization, Pope Francis invited us all to listen to the quiet promptings of the Holy Spirit.
From now until Oct. 19, 2031, when we mark the final defeat of the British Army at Yorktown, Americans will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of the battles that brought the nation to birth.
Good Friday, NCR's Michael Sean Winters writes, reminds us that Jesus did not only confront injustice and sin but death itself, and he did all this on our behalf.
Expanding our reflection on the significance of Christ's resurrection beyond our own individual, familial or even species interests to include all of God's creation invites us to see the world more like God sees it.
The group of higher learning institutions follows "a mission that transcends political cycles and embraces faith and the tools of science to inspire new learning bringing us closer to creation — the source of all health," said Ted Smith.
Acclaimed journalist Philip Shenon's new book Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church seemed like a must-read tome when a review copy arrived this winter. Unfortunately, the work is plagued by errors of fact, analysis and understanding.
