The current crisis in our church has left many Catholics feeling emotionally and spiritually drained, and despair or cynicism may…
From the Archives: We Need Victim-Centered Reform
In October of 2010 I wrote in US Catholic about the clericalism, arrogance, and triumphalism at the heart of the…
Church & State: When it all falls apart
In the middle of our current mess in the Catholic Church, and our country, corresponding perfectly to my own mini…
See, Judge, Act: The Pastoral Circle and Separation of Families at the Border — Jennifer Owens-Jofré
An excellent compilation of resources on how to become informed, judge and act to stop the separation of families at…
Our Lady of the Way
Happy Feast of Our Lady of the Way! Also known as Madonna Della Strada. She is patroness of the Jesuits…
Resurrection People
Update: Also posted by the great people at God In All Things at https://godinallthings.com/2018/04/09/resurrection-people/ “Do not abandon yourselves to despair.…
A Holy Triduum in Prison
On Wednesday of Holy Week I visited prison with some friends from a group called Bethany. They are made up…
This Great Mess
Yesterday I was running with my son’s stroller, empty, on my way to pick him up from his grandma’s (I…
Where There Is Despair
For those of you interested, a link to my old website, Where There Is Despair
For Gramps
Dear Gramps, We’ve had a lot of great conversations over the years, I remember chatting with you in my old…
The Resurrection is Everywhere
In the face of violence, obscene politicking, and all our seemingly insurmountable divisions, I propose no solutions. It is all above…
The Frontier of Fatherhood: Mirroring the Mystery
Holding my baby boy in my arms a mere 4 hours after meeting him, I started crying. Not because of…
Stephen Colbert, Supernovas, and why we need real stars
I love Stephen Colbert. He is incisively hilarious, intellectually serious, and genuine and respectful with everyone he interviews. But more…
The beauty of blood sucking things
Perpetually ruining that wonderful time of evening when the baby is sleeping and a cold cocktail rests in my hand is the…
William, William, and the Beautiful Impermanence of Summer
Update: Last night, my beloved Grandpa William Joseph Rakers passed away. . Although he lived a long good life of 99…
The world is only as dead as you make it: on Awe, Atheism, and Sparrows
“The feeling of awed wonder that science can give us is one of the highest experiences of which the human…
On donating bone marrow, or, the small man learns a lesson
I never really got the Feast of Corpus Christi. Sure, I’m a big fan of the Catholic sacraments and all,…
The incarnation is everywhere
Dedicated to exploring all the marvels of this universe as revealed to us by the scientific method, philosophy, and the…