Another look at the data on gun violence
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayI wanted to gather some recent data on gun violence in our country for consideration. Let's look first at some data generated by Heeding God's Call: There are 283 million guns...
View ArticleFrancis moves the conversation on dialogue forward
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayNCR Today:"To dialogue means to believe that the 'other' has something worthwhile to say," Pope Francis said for World Communications Day.
View ArticleGun violence continues around the country
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayI recently wrote a blog that included data on gun violence.I guess it is a sign of the times that the blog was hopelessly out of date by the time it appeared on NCR Today. The...
View ArticleRolling Stone article makes unfair assumptions about Pope Benedict
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayI am a pretty unlikely candidate to be defending Pope Benedict XVI, but I do feel some of the recent criticism he has received has not been justified and is perhaps...
View ArticleHow should the church respond to Univision poll results?
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayA new poll of 12 countries with large Catholic populations has been released through the Spanish-language Univision network. It mirrors other recent poll results, but also...
View ArticleBishops' lack of uniformity on treatment of gays is refreshing
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayDavid Gibson of Religion News Service examines the conflicting views of Catholic bishops on the passage of severely punitive laws against gays and lesbians, particularly in Africa...
View ArticleThe myth of upward mobility
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayIt is often difficult to accept the reality that certain long held beliefs may no longer be true. An important article in The New Yorkerchallenges some traditional beliefs about...
View ArticleReligious liberty can become a subterfuge for discrimination
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayTwo significant articlesfrom the political blogThink Progress confront the issue of religious freedom and its limitati
View ArticlePope Francis disappoints, but not completely
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayIt was inevitable, and the time has come. I need to write my first critical blog post on Pope Francis. It turns out that the Vatican guesthouse, Domus Sanctae Marthae, does not...
View ArticleMaybe it's time to bring the church to the people
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayIn recent years, it seems there has been an effort to make it harder for the faithful to participate and receive the sacramental actions of the church. One example would be the...
View ArticlePope Francis is still the key to reform
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayPaul Baumann, editor of Commonweal, has written an extremely interesting essay for Slate that should be read by all with interest.
View ArticleOne possible solution to our country's growing divisions
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayThomas F. Schaller has written an intriguing but disturbing opinion piece in TheBaltimore Sun.The piece highlights the growing political divisions throughout the country. Gridlock...
View ArticlePope Francis faces resistance to his agenda
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayIf you have not yet seen the interview with Italian historian Andrea Riccardi, it is definitely worth a look.
View ArticleIs our country being run by oligarchs?
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayI am not a constitutional lawyer, and I am not prepared to argue arcane points of law with Supreme Court justices.
View ArticleWhat kind of prayer is appropriate at official meetings?
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayCarroll County is a small, rural county in northern Maryland. Its local board of commissioners has become news because of its insistence on starting board meetings with prayers to...
View ArticleCan Bloomberg succeed in his fight to address gun violence?
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayMichael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City, spent money to assist Colorado lawmakers who supported Colorado's new gun law and who were facing a recall election last year....
View ArticleFrancis, Benedict and leading the church
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayPaul Elie has written a masterful article in The Atlantic on Benedict, Francis, and the direction of the church today.
View ArticleThe rocky path to a married clergy
Pat PerrielloNCR TodayDavid Gibson frames the issue of a married clergy well in his article for Religion News Service.Pope Francis apparently had another one of his private conversations with a...
View ArticleThe Supreme Court says Christian prayers at public meetings are OK
Pat Perriello NCR Today The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Monday that public meetings can be opened with Christian prayers. As long as one does not denigrate another's faith or proselytize, such prayer...
View ArticleThe traditionalists are trying to regain control
Pat Perriello NCR Today As the Synod on the family draws near, there seems to be an effort by traditionalists to shift the focus to doctrine rather than serving the pastoral needs of people.
View Article