Your gift counts double until 5/31: $24,072 to go in our Easter Campaign. Please help now!

Commentary

Most Popular Within the Last 90 Days

Make a selection to view the top 5 items in each commentary section.

Top 5: In Depth Analysis

Christ Loved the Church: Francis Throws Down the Gauntlet to Religious by Dr. Jeff Mirus - May 9, 2013

Pope Francis has begun his assault against the secularization of religious life, attacking the late-20th century tendency to separate religious commitment from the Church in order to serve the...

The Mandatum Issue: Beware of Superficial Judgment by Dr. Jeff Mirus - Apr 4, 2013

Pope Francis’ decision to wash the feet of women in the prison in which he celebrated the Mass of the Last Supper has created a bit of a stir, especially among liturgically-conservative...

Interregnum: The Church Then, Now and Tomorrow by Dr. Jeff Mirus - Mar 1, 2013

We are now between popes, and that is certainly an occasion to reflect deeply on who we are and where we are going. This is also an appropriate Lenten task for all of us, and the present...

The Church: Like Us in All Things, But Without Sin by Dr. Jeff Mirus - Mar 8, 2013

I love the Church so much, and in fact so intimately, that I can hardly express it. Many people seem to accept the Church as a sort of necessary evil, putting up with its hierarchical structure, its...

Liberalism: Must we really make it all on our own? by Dr. Jeff Mirus - Mar 19, 2013

When a serious Catholic talks about liberalism, he is not referring primarily to a political preference but to a philosophical outlook. For example, the Catholic is far more interested in whether...

Top 5: On the Culture

Pope Francis: Tough Talk about Vatican II Apr 17, 2013

Pope Francis had some strong words to say today about those who resist, twist, or ignore the impetus of the Second Vatican Council, which he described as “a beautiful work of the Holy Spirit”. What does this mean for us? The first thing to note is that the Pope’s remarks apply...

Spiritual Worldliness: Pope Francis’ Critique of the Church Mar 27, 2013

My use of “pope” in the title is a little misleading, because I am going to write about what Cardinal Bergoglio said of the needs of the Church in the congregations preceding the conclave at which he was elected. But amid all the speculation we have heard in recent days...

Benedict’s Resignation: The Prisoner of the Vatican Thesis Feb 25, 2013

Yesterday my extended family celebrated the ninth birthday of one of my granddaughters. In the course of some wonderful family conversation, one of my children quietly asked me if I thought there was anything to the speculation that Pope Benedict was resigning either because he was so often...

Evangelical Catholicism: George Weigel’s Vision of Catholic Reform Mar 20, 2013

George Weigel, whose biography of Pope John Paul II was brilliant, and whose analysis of Catholic affairs is always incisive, has a theory about the modern Church. Most of us would point to the Second Vatican Council as the starting point of a vast and difficult Catholic renewal, but Weigel argues...

A Book about the Pope I Won’t Read Mar 14, 2013

Believe me, I understand two things that are at work right now. First, what people want to read about—including readers of CatholicCulture.org—is Pope Francis. But we are keeping you informed with regular news reports as his pontificate unfolds. What am I going to add to that? It will...

Top 5: On the News

The early signs are clear. Pope Francis is a reformer. Mar 15, 2013

Question #1: Why did the conclave choose Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio? On Wednesday, as the conclave began its first full day of voting, I encouraged readers to “expect the unexpected.” Just a few hours later, when the white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, I...

After resigning, Pope Benedict hopes to disappear Feb 27, 2013

“I am not returning to private life,” Pope Benedict XVI said at his final general audience on February 27. Some commentators have interpreted that phrase as a signal that the Pope intends to remain a public figure, even after he steps down tomorrow evening. That is a complete...

The key issue for the coming conclave is transparency Mar 7, 2013

Something historic is happening in Rome this week. Not only preparations for the election of a new Roman Pontiff—although that would be historic in itself—but the clash between two incompatible visions of how the Catholic Church should present herself to the world. Yesterday the...

Wrong then, wrong now: the bishops' top adviser on sexual abuse Apr 25, 2013

"Just as the banishment of lepers was fueled by medieval myths, the hysteria surrounding child sexual abusers is exacerbated by myths about those who suffer from sexual deviancies. Child molesters incarnate our deepest childhood fears... Our myths about child molesters come more from the...

What capitalists should learn from the Pope's critique May 16, 2013

By the end of the day I expect to hear at least a half-dozen complaints that Pope Francis has sided with socialists, because of his Thursday address denouncing the “cult of money.” The same problem arises whenever a Pope—or any other Christian leader—denounces selfishness...

Top 5: The City Gates

At Boston's bombing scene: Catholic priests need not apply Apr 26, 2013

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Jennifer Graham tells me something that I hadn’t heard about Boston Marathon bombing. As dozens of victims were sprawled across Boylston Street, many of them in danger of death, Catholic priests came running to the scene—and were turned...

This whole process is ridiculous Mar 12, 2013

The doors of the Sistine Chapel close, and Shephard Smith of Fox News tells the world that it’s “ridiculous” to have this sort of secret process in the Twitter era. Thanks for your opinion, Shep. We’ll let you know when we need more of your guidance. Oh, wait; here’s...

Vatican cardinals cancel press conference Mar 8, 2013

In a preposterous Vatican statement, one important revelation May 7, 2013

Today’s bizarre public statement from the Vatican press office, denying what any intelligent observer recognizes as the truth, does contain one nugget of reality. The statement denies that there has been any difference of opinion between Cardinal Braz de Aviz and Archbishop Müller,...

How many bishops has Pope Benedict persuaded to resign? Feb 26, 2013

If the only news you read comes from popular commentators in the secular media, you might think that Pope Benedict XVI is resigning because he could not make any progress in fighting corruption within the Church. Those who follow Catholic news carefully know better. In our news coverage yesterday...

Think with the Catholic Leaders: Subscribe to Catholic Culture Insights Newsletter
Donate to Support this Site: Your contribution will be put to good work.
Tour the CatholicCulture.org Site
Shop Amazon to Raise Money for Catholic Culture

Recent Catholic Commentary

The Rise and Fall of the (American?) Church 2 hours ago
The Ideal of Pope Francis: the Servant Church 10 hours ago
The sad decline of self-government May 22
That impromptu exorcism again May 22
The Mystery of the Spirit May 21

Top Catholic News

Most Important Stories of the Last 30 Days
Pope strongly supports call for reform in religious life CWN - May 8