Michael Sean Winters

The death of a Palestinian civilian from an Israeli airstrike is just as much of a loss as the death of an Israeli civilian on Oct. 7. The one is also an act of desecration because of the intention of the perpetrators, writes Michael Sean Winters.

Notre Dame theologian John Cavadini's article on the Synod of Bishops' synthesis document raises important questions about important issues and does so without demonizing anyone or rejecting the synodal process itself.

Linking the removal of Cardinal Burke's perks to the removal of Bishop Strickland from the Tyler Diocese makes it seem like the problem is Francis, when the outrageous behavior is coming from the two American prelates.

It is less important that countries pledge themselves to some far-off goals that they may or may not meet. It is more important that they start doing something now.

The fact that integralists command a following is frightening and requires everyone to learn more about why the movement is so dangerous. Kevin Vallier's book All the Kingdoms of the World is not a bad place to start. 

All the Kingdoms of the World: On Radical Religious Alternatives to Liberalism is an important read because none of us yet knows how influential integralists will become and because Vallier takes the movement seriously. 

There is no group in American society with whom it is easier to share a conversation about Catholic social teaching than the leaders of the American labor movement, writes NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters.

There was very little that was newsworthy at this year's meeting of the U.S. bishops. But it demonstrated the sclerotic condition the U.S. hierarchy has created for itself, says NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters.

The elections for committee chairs and secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were completed on Nov. 14 and the results were mixed, writes Michael Sean Winters.

The solution to the divisions within the hierarchy will not be found primarily through internal discussions. The bishops must find the answers outside the sacristy — or the hotel ballroom where they are meeting.

On the first day of their plenary, the bishops are all huddled in small group sessions. This is frustrating for us in the press, but we can hope this more synodal approach helps the bishops find a way to come together. 

It is time for the pro-life movement in this country, and especially for the U.S. Catholic bishops, to recognize that their nearly 50-year effort to overturn Roe v. Wade was a deeply flawed political strategy.

The pope insists that theology engage in "dialogue within the ecclesial community and an awareness of the essential synodal and communion dimension of doing theology."

There will be a few key elections tomorrow but campaign watchers should be wary of any analysis that seeks to extrapolate national trends from these very specific contests, says NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters.

With the new speaker of the House, the principal issue is how he brings his religion into politics. Mike Johnson is assuming the meaning of the Bible is uncontested, that his interpretation is the only available one.

The final document of the synod's first session has some very specific proposals, and the section on formation especially has some clues about how to proceed. The model for formation: Jesus' way.

What are the results of this meeting? The rebalancing of Roman Catholic ecclesiology in the past 150 years is now complete. Primacy gave way to collegiality and now to a synodality involving the entire people of God.

Libertarianism has become a kind of default position for many people and it is often preferable to the alternatives, writes NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters. 

The naysayers, and those who insist that the synod reach specific decisions on specific topics, are both missing the boat, argues NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters. 

The biography, written by the late Thomas Shelley, captures Ellis' bluntness and fierce commitment to truth-telling, but fails to do justice to his other fine attributes, including Ellis' sense of humor.