Daniel P. Horan

Faith Seeking Understanding: This is the first Good Friday after Pope Francis had the catechism revised to reassert the lasting human dignity of everyone and to state the church's determination for the abolition of capital punishment worldwide.

Faith Seeking Understanding: Professional theologians and ethicists have spent years studying and teaching in their fields. They are needed to help people — both lay and ordained — understand what it is we say we believe.

Faith Seeking Understanding: The ongoing presence and action of the Holy Spirit should be the founding principle of how we think of the church. But the actions of many church leaders suggest instead an attitude of "it's all up to me." 

Faith Seeking Understanding: The Franciscan story has a clear exhortation from Christ to "repair" or "rebuild" the church. What if we are meant to take that literally?

Faith Seeking Understanding: While "Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love — A Pastoral Letter Against Racism" states that some have called racism in the United States our country's original sin, the bishops neglect to name the sinner. 

Faith Seeking Understanding: The bishops have signaled to their fellow Filipinos that now they are willing to move from the safety of silence into the spotlight of Duterte's fury.

Faith Seeking Understanding: So far, we have no apostolic exhortation to follow the Synod of Bishops on youth, just the final synod document. And that compromise document is not enough.

As we begin this new year, a year in which real reform and change is needed in the structures of our community of faith, we must be mindful to avoid the easy answers and simple solutions.

Perspective: Thomas Merton provides us with at least three compelling reasons for continuing to learn about him and read his work as much today as when he was living over half a century ago.