Thomas Reese

Conservative Catholic dissidents, who have been attacking Pope Francis, showed their true colors recently by attacking retired Pope Benedict, calling his writings "subversive" and "modernist." That's right, they think Benedict is a heretic.

Beginning his priestly life as a journalist, Bernard Law rose quickly up the ecclesiastical ladder only to come crashing down in scandal and disgrace.

Anyone committed to the protection of children should carefully study the report by the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. But not the recommendations to the Catholic Church on celibacy and sacramental confession.

Commentary: I never thought that anyone could be more stupid than the U.S. Catholic bishops in dealing with sexual abuse of minors, but the Republican Party has done it.

Why would a religious person get involved in lobbying on tax policy? Tax policy is not just a political issue; it is also a moral issue.

It is hard to be both a diplomat and a prophet, but Pope Francis pulls it off better than anyone else.

In Myanmar, Pope Francis risks either compromising his moral authority or putting in danger the Christians of that country. I have great admiration for the pope and his abilities, but someone should have talked him out of making this trip.

In an address at Georgetown University, Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego criticized both extremes in the fight over religious freedom and called for public consensus based on solidarity.

The head of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ anti-racism task force told his colleagues that racism “lives in a particular and pernicious way” in the United States.

Signs of the Times: Yesterday's papal loyalists are today's dissidents. Yesterday's dissenters are today's papal defenders. The true scandal in the church is not what one theologian or pope says, it is that we are not capable of dialoguing with each other. 

Signs of the Times: Like everyone else, the bishops support tax reform as long as it does not touch them. The popular definition of tax reform is anything that cuts my taxes and raises somebody else's.

Signs of the Times. Ecumenism did so much during the last century to heal the divisions among Christians. That is what should be celebrated on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. 

Signs of the Times: Alertness to human irrationality and some self-doubt, especially when it comes to the ways we restrict, punish and scapegoat others, are certainly challenges from the witch hunts. But then, there's not much in the last century to suggest we'll ever learn.

American Catholic: Parishes need to be more welcoming to families, especially families in difficulties. Rather than greeting them with a list of rules to be followed, the document encourages "listening" as the first response. 

American Catholic: Catholics need to grow up and learn to live in a church where arguments take place, but we should not let disagreements break up the family.

American Catholic: What is clear from the experience of the NFL and the Catholic Church is that symbolic gestures mean different things to different people. 

American Catholic: Leaders in the Catholic Church, like leaders in any organization, hate scandals. They wish that they never happen, and when they do, they try to deal with them internally so as not to get a lot of bad publicity.

American Catholic: Attacking the bishops is almost always counterproductive, especially if you are Catholic. Rule No. 1 for politicians: Never debate theology with bishops.

American Catholic: Over its 2,000-year history, the Catholic liturgy has constantly changed in response to new situations and cultures. Like software, it must continue to be updated and adjusted to the people and cultures of today. 

America Catholic: I am looking forward to the annual Religion News Association meeting in Nashville. I enjoy the company of religion journalists, but I know many old friends won't be there.