by Bill McCormick, SJ | Feb 2, 2016 | Faith & Politics ~ Approx. 3 mins
It’s 9 months until Election Day, and here are five things we learned from the Iowa Caucuses: 1. Cruz Won; Clinton and Sanders Tied Ted Cruz pulled well ahead of Donald Trump, while Hillary Clinton virtually tied with Bernie Sanders. For the...
by Michael Rossmann, SJ | Jan 31, 2016 | In the News ~ Approx. 4 mins
Embed from Getty Images The Iowa Caucus is kind of ridiculous. But for those of us from Iowa, it’s our ridiculousness. And for those of you not from Iowa, perhaps it’s not such a bad thing. Let me explain. As a recent New York Times column demonstrates, critics...
by Sean Barry, SJ | Jan 29, 2016 | Faith & Family, Spirituality ~ Approx. 2 mins
When I was in first grade, I remember that I wanted to be a writer more than anything else in the world. I wanted to tell uplifting stories that gave people hope. That desire has stuck with me in some way throughout my life. And so, I jumped at the chance to tell...
by Chris Schroeder, SJ | Jan 28, 2016 | Justice, Pope Francis ~ Approx. 2min
Without a doubt, Barack Obama’s recent editorial in the Washington Post calls forth the best of America: the chance for redemption. Obama explains his recent decision to end solitary confinement for minors in the federal prison system. He lays out a well-researched,...
by Eric Immel, SJ | Jan 26, 2016 | Blogs, Spirituality ~ Approx. 3 mins
A few Saturdays ago, I felt a profound sadness I hadn’t ever experienced before. I’d had a few tough disagreements with friends, and I was caught in the pains of my freshest (and, perhaps, fifteenth) attempt to quit a tobacco product. Classes were about to begin, and...
by Paddy Gilger, SJ | Jan 25, 2016 | Spirituality ~ Approx. 2 mins
Embed from Getty Images Three months have passed since Navid Kermani – author, essayist, practitioner of Christian-Muslim dialogue – was given the 2015 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. Three months have passed, but his words have not faded. That night, wearing a...
by Alex Placke | Jan 22, 2016 | In the News ~ Approx. 3 mins
I moved to New York three and a half years ago. After two years in Grand Coteau, LA, it was a jarring transition to find myself living on a block with a higher population than all of Grand Coteau. Despite this initial shock, I’ve come to feel at home in New York and I...
by Michael Rossmann, SJ | Jan 19, 2016 | Pope Francis, Spirituality ~ Approx. 2min
Embed from Getty Images “Lord, forgive me if I have forgiven too much. But you’re the one who gave me the bad example!” This line, from a priest who had doubts about whether he was too forgiving in the confessional, is one of many priceless anecdotes from Pope...
by Bill McCormick, SJ | Jan 13, 2016 | Faith & Politics, In the News ~ Approx. 4 mins
Watching President Obama’s State of the Union took me back to 2008. This final State of the Union address was vintage Obama. He envisioned a hopeful politics directed toward the future, a future that is less partisan and more democratic than today. Obama wants that...
by Brendan Busse, SJ | Jan 12, 2016 | Blogs, Spirituality ~ Approx. 4 mins
The holidays in Spain are not unlike the holidays anywhere — food and family, travel and church, lots and lots of shopping. Of course there are cultural peculiarities but the basic rhythm is familiar — bursts of frenzy interrupted by occasional moments of...