Inspirational and Influential Women of the World: Dorothy Day
Part VI of the Inspirational and Influential Women of the World Blog Series
"Don't Call Me A Saint." - Dorothy Day
Catholics Speak Out
What could possibly go wrong?
More on this tomorrow, but...today, on the National Day of Prayer, Trump ushered into being a White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative to attend to “poverty, religious liberty, education, strengthening the family, helping prisoners, mental health and human trafficking.”
I’m sure they’ll do a great job.
Inspirational and Influential Women of the World: Sister Pauline Quinn
Part V of the Inspirational and Influential Women of the World Blog Series
Click here to support Sister Pauline's work in Uganda
Sister Pauline Quinn, a Dominican recognizable in her full habit, is best known for launching one of the first, revolutionary, prison puppy programs in the United States, expanding it to dozens of prisons around the world, and inspiring similar programs across the country.
Is The Catholic Church A Lost Cause?
Should we give up on the Catholic Church? From the lack of equality, to the silence about the mistreatment of minorities, to the decades-long sexual abuse, one might ask, is there any hope for the Catholic Church?
Activism in Retrospect
During the last two weeks of February, the Quixote Center was involved in actions of solidarity for Dreamers and the people of Honduras. I attended the Honduras Awareness Tour (Feb. 22) and the Catholic Day of Action for Dreamers (Feb. 27) and was equally moved by both events that called us to be a catalyst for change. Below are my reflections on these experiences.
Honduras Awareness Tour
Racism As a Social Sin: Excerpts from "Brothers and Sisters to Us"
“Brothers and Sisters to Us” is a pastoral letter on the topic of racism issued by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops in 1979. Some sections of the document may now feel dated, rooted as they were in the language and the context in which they were prepared. But many passages bear the same prophetic weight today as they did in the year they were composed. Below are a few passages that seem timely, relevant, and continue to challenge the Catholic Church even today. Think of all the work these words suggest and how much of that work remains to be done.
Soil and New Life
“All of creation has been groaning”…
There is a lot of talk about soil in the bible. If you open up the lectionary for this week, you will see a passage in Isaiah on the rain and snow that fall from the heavens to water the earth, making it fertile and providing bread for food. In Matthew 13, we read about the sower who casts seed on good soil and rocky or thorny areas alike. These readings remind us that the relationship of humans to the soil is a simple fact of life on earth. We depend on soil for human life to thrive.
A Wake-up Call in the Vatican
The sexual abuse charges that have been filed against Cardinal George Pell, a high-ranking Vatican official in the Curia, raise many questions and have set off alarms about the effectiveness of Pope Francis’s response to allegations of clergy abuse of minors.
Our Common Home
This week, the pope's encyclical on the challenge of climate change was leaked by the media. While the final version will be formally shared on June 18, the content of the draft is certainly indicative of the Pope's tone in addressing this global issue.
The Hobby Lobby Verdict
Perhaps I am an incurable optimist, but it never occurred to me that the Supreme Court might side with Hobby Lobby. I didn't believe that their argument stood a chance, but the Court has taken the side of those who would deny a woman her agency and control of her own body. Now we have been given a ruling which will have far-reaching implications and a host of unpredictable consequences.
The Catholic Tipping Point: Helmut Schüller Calls for Reform
Helmut Schüller opened a 15 city tour in New York City on Tuesday night, calling for a range of reforms in the Catholic Church and for priests to join in reform efforts side-by-side with concerned laity.