Russell Shaw
The Pope and the Jews
Two substantial new historical studies of Pope Pius XII’s response to the Jewish Holocaust reach sharply opposed conclusions. Not surprisingly,... Read more
The Culture War Turns Violent
America’s culture war has turned violent. The violence has always been there of course, just below the surface, but lately... Read more
On Scandal and Communion
Central to the decision by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone to deny Communion to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi... Read more
Grandparents and the Faith
In one of the Wednesday audience talks he’s been giving on aging, Pope Francis declared what he called “the alliance... Read more
The Father of the Abortion Movement
In the uproar over the leak of an early draft of a Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, the... Read more
The Trouble with Legalism
When the Church speaks definitively on morality – says that without exception something is wrong – is it declaring a... Read more
Naming Abortion
The abortion-friendly Washington Post recently provided a revealing look into a debate taking place in the world of abortion advocacy.... Read more
Holy Week in Ukraine
Holy Week, the week of Christ’s suffering and death, has a special name this year – Ukraine. Read more
The Pope and the Patriarch
So there will be no meeting, at least for now, between Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow... Read more
Biden's Supreme Court Pick
Something unusual happened last month at the session during which President Joe Biden introduced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his... Read more
Straight Talk on Ash Wednesday
Why are so many people so keen on “getting the ashes”? The question naturally comes to mind as Ash Wednesday... Read more
Science, Faith, and Outer Space
I was chatting with a man who had a doctorate in astronomy and now held a top science post in... Read more
The Pope, the Pets, and Population
The recent comment by Pope Francis that people who have pets instead of children are, sometimes at least, manifesting selfishness... Read more
Solving Our Race Problem
Here is today’s quiz: What 19th century novel points the way to a lasting solution to the racial tensions afflicting... Read more
Waiting for Dobbs
The Supreme Court’s long-awaited decision on abortion almost certainly is a done deal. The justices and their clerks know the... Read more
Leaving Home for Christmas
Although coming home for Christmas is a beautiful holiday tradition greatly to be cherished, it nevertheless occurs to me that... Read more
A Fair Shake for Parental Choice?
Four years ago, in a case from Missouri, a majority of justices of the Supreme Court agreed that a Lutheran... Read more
End of the line for Roe v. Wade?
Starting Dec. 1, the nine justices of the Supreme Court will begin work in earnest on what already looks to... Read more
National (Dis)unity
Are the bonds of American national unity becoming dangerously frayed? To judge from a steady stream of books, op ed... Read more
Why Purgatory?
Coming just after Hell and just before Heaven, the second of the three books that make up Dante’s Divine Comedy... Read more
