Michael Sean Winters

Michael Sean Winters: Pope Francis issued a rescript requiring local bishops to get approval from Rome before giving their blessing to a diocesan religious order. How does this fit in with his call for increased synodality?

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Political columnist Mark Shields dies; billionaire Peter Thiel is no contrarian; the cost of not having universal health insurance; free speech challenges.

As we assess the morality of those who committed heinous acts of treason, we should always, always hold out hope for converts, and be prepared to welcome them after they have confessed their crimes against our democracy.

Michael Sean Winters: Oakland Bishop Michael Barber and writer George Weigel both repeated the same meme this week, that the divisions in the U.S. church are rooted in opposing allegiances to different popes. 

In the June 14 primary election for the 34^th Congressional District in Texas, Republican Mayra Flores defeated Democrat Dan Sanchez. Democrats hoping to capture the Latino vote should take note. 

Michael Sean Winters: Sam Adler-Bell penned an excellent critique of the kind of intellectual approach associated with the word "woke." There is a Catholic dog in this intellectual fight, too.

Michael Sean Winters: The dizzying first round results of the French elections; Starbucks CEO says he won't deal with unions; Supreme Court could strike down climate change regulations.

Michael Sean Winters: The decision by Fox News and EWTN not to offer live coverage of the June 9 hearing of the U.S. House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack tells us a lot about both organizations' values.

Michael Sean Winters: Other news items have pushed the war in Ukraine off the front page, but that should not lead Western nations to push Ukraine into a negotiated peace that would not meet the challenge posed by Putin.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: A look at June 7 primary results; DeSantis vs. Trump; 'MAGA bullies' and the GOP brand; the 2022 class of newly ordained priests.

Michael Sean Winters: Voters are getting ready to punish the Democrats for all the wrong reasons, but both parties could use a big dose of Catholic social teaching.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: "Let Biden be Biden"; change of generation vs. change of ideas; pioneering bioethicist James Gustafson; the study of ignorance; Montreal architecture.

Michael Sean Winters: As Bishop Robert Barron takes leadership of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota, it is time for him to think less about his media ministry at Word on Fire and more about being a bishop.

Michael Sean Winters: I recently wrote about the danger of ideology to synodality. As if on cue, the pope gave a talk June 1 that evidenced both my concern and pointed to some remedies which have a wide application.

Michael Sean Winters: McElroy named a cardinal; political attitudes about guns; 100th anniversary of dedication of Lincoln Memorial

Michael Sean Winters: The U.S. bishops need to argue that Americans idolize their guns and that offends God, and the church's pro-life witness needs to engage gun control with the ferocity it has engaged abortion.

Michael Sean Winters: Jesuit center in Poland helping Ukrainian refugees; GOP's narrative of gun violence; church's position on abortion.

Michael Sean Winters: In most of Europe, war memorials like the Arc de Triomphe glorify the war and list the great battles. In America, we tend to memorialize the individuals who fought. Our way is better. 

Michael Sean Winters: The news that Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego has been named a cardinal is thrilling. Pope Francis has rendered an unmistakable sign of the kind of episcopal leadership he is seeking. 

Some people have claimed for years that gay clergy and celibacy are central to sex abuse by Catholic clergy. A new report about decades of clergy sex abuse by Southern Baptist ministers shows those claims as false and foolish.