Standing in St. Peter’s square one year ago amid the euphoria at the installation mass of Pope Francis, an NBC News microphone was suddenly in my face, with a reporter asking my thoughts on our new pope. My response, based on the little I knew…
By Maureen Ferguson Fyodor Dostoyevsky observes in his novel The House of the Dead, “Man is a creature that can get accustomed to anything.” As the bishops of the Catholic Church convene in Baltimore this week to address the abuse crisis, Dostoyevsky’s reflection on human nature…
In an article published by Real Clear Politics, TCA’s Ashley McGuire sheds light on what the outdated “conservative Catholic” label means and how these faithful Catholics in America are driving Church growth. So why is the Pope criticizing them? In her article titled, “Why is Pope Francis…
After President Biden met with Pope Francis on October 29th, NBC News featured commentary from Senior Fellow Ashley McGuire. She argues that Biden is “a very confusing figure to American Catholics because he very much campaigned on his faith and Catholicism and at the same…
By Andrea Picciotti-Bayer Pope Francis has arrived in Colombia for an unprecedented four-day trip. The press is highlighting the peace accord between the country’s president Manuel Santos and leftist guerrillas, but for most Colombians who will attend the Pope’s gatherings and Masses, this visit is…
The Holy Father has given the Church what Archbishop Chaput called “a serious and extensive reflection on Christian marriage.” Its very length, over 60,000 words and more than 250 pages long, is a manifestation of just how seriously the Church and Pope Francis take the…
Lost amid the media’s tug-of-war over the Pope’s political persuasions (which he has made clear do not exist), has been his clear affirmation of the dignity and vocation of work and free enterprise as ennobling. In his address to Congress, Pope Francis directly addressed, “the…
I can’t help it. When I’m in Washington, D.C., and I walk past a monument to some brave fallen soldiers, a statue of a brave revolutionary war hero, or a momentous sepia toned document, I’m deeply moved. Like any American, I’m proud to be associated…
“…my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day … And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! … Sister Moon and the stars … our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us …” Upon his election, Cardinal Bergoglio surprised the world by taking the…
Among the wealth of books published about Pope Francis, Catholics are still looking for the ultimate biography. So far, most — if not all — have fallen short. You could say “the ultimate” biography will only be written when his pontificate is completed. But a…