ENGAGING CATHOLICS A series of web interviews with American writers, priests, politicians, thinkers and other public figures represents a dialogue between Catholicism and various aspects of secular culture.
VATICAN WARNS CATHOLIC BLOGS CREATE "CESSPOOL OF HATRED" Although Pope Francis has succeeded in rebranding the public profile of the Church his positive tone isn’t always reflected when Catholics themselves take to the use of social media.
YOUNG ADULT CATHOLICS BLOG Join the movement of Catholics in their 20s and 30s who seek justice in the church and world
ABBEY OF THE ARTS An online, global "monastery" offering resources which integrate contemplative spiritual practice and creative expression with monastic spirituality.
MEET THE MONKS WHO BREW THE ONLY TRAPPIST BEER IN AMERICA St. Joseph's Abbey, in Spencer, Mass., is a beautiful monastery, has a welcoming community, and is great place to make a retreat. It's also the only place licensed to brew authentic "Trappist beer" in the U.S.
THREE ESSENTIALS FOR SHARING THE GOSPEL ONLINE Like many powerful forces in this world, online communication is capable of building-up humanity or tearing people down and apart from each other.
WHY ARE CATHOLIC WRITERS SO BORING? Myles Connolley on American Catholic Writers: The American Catholic Writer sets out bravely to be persuasive, to be provocative, to be useful—to be everything, indeed, except entertaining.
‘THE CHOSEN’ – WHEN JESUS BECOMES A TV SERIES The central idea of writing fiction that combines the essential episodes of the Gospel with an added narrative fabric is legitimate in its approach as it reveals the humanity of both Jesus and the other characters.
IN CLOSING CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, U.S. BISHOPS UNDERMINE THEIR PASTORAL WORK No editing, no accountability, no professionalism adds up to no credibility. And that is what the Catholic bishops, whose reservoir of credibility was already down to the fumes, are sacrificing when they dismantle a professional news outlet like CNS.
AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE A nun founded a TV station that became the “Catholic Fox News.” Given the lack of any real competition for EWTN, critics say there is a danger of the oppositional right being the only voice with a large platform.
HOW TO EVALUATE CATHOLIC JOURNALISM AS CNS SHUTS DOWN Lots of actors will be after audience, influence, and revenue. Be careful what you read. Be concerned if the outlet is endorsed by the people (bishops in particular) it is supposed to be covering.
PUBLISHER COMMITS TO RELAUNCHING CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Two months after the U.S. bishops' conference said it would halt Catholic News Service operations in the U.S., Our Sunday Visitorannounced it will launch a new iteration of the service at the beginning of 2023.
OVERLAPS BETWEEN STRANGER THINGS AND THE CATHOLIC THING If we as Catholics do not find ways to appreciate the points of contact with our faith that are latent within new media, we are losing a tremendous chance for evangelization.
THE FUTURE OF CATHOLIC JOURNALISM We need to tell the story of the Church in a new light. We need to communicate the narrative of salvation in a way that is healing for the late modern person. We need to employ the best media strategies, to embrace transparency, to rebuild trust in the institution of the Church.
DOES THE POPE NEED AN EDITOR? The pope's interview last month with America, the Jesuit journal, was a textbook example of why the Vatican does not want the pope doing interviews.
REACTION AND REFORM An engaging account of how catholicism has developed over the past 250 years - A Review: Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis
VATICAN II: RUPTURE OR REFORM? There are, according to political analyst and papal biographer George Weigel, two approaches to the Second Vatican Council that need correction.
SO LONG, ENDEAVOUR. SEE HOW YOU GO With the final season of “Endeavour,” viewers say farewell to the iconic British detective. Why do such dramas filled with sadness and loss captivate audiences?
MORE THAN MACHINES? Our current pursuit of AI as a solution to all of our problems, while simultaneously fretting about the ruin it may cause in the future, is“a perfectly predictable outcome of our single-minded focus on technique and efficiency.”
WHY I FINALLY LEFT TWITTER (AKA 'X') I am now among this group of people who will no longer abide the hate-mongering algorithms; the Wild-West-like trolling; the rise in antisemitism, racism, homophobia and transphobia; and the absence of virtually any constructive discourse.
REVIEW: TREATING THE SPIRITUAL LIFE LIKE AN ADVENTURE The new book provides a reflective pause to holistically look at our lives, with all of their twists and turns of grace and challenge, and consider how we are living in relationship to ourselves, others and the divine.
THE TEILHARD DE CHARDIN PROJECT The time is right to introduce Pierre Teilhard de Chardin to a new generation – the man, the paleontologist, the visionary French Jesuit priest, whose legacy includes a strong environmental movement, and multiple movements in cosmic spirituality.
LAST WEEK IN THE CHURCH (PODCAST) Crux offers the very best in smart, wired, and independent coverage of the Vatican and the Catholic Church. Tune in every Tuesday for Last Week in the Church, where John Allen Jr. gives his expert insight and analysis on the latest news from the Catholic Church.
60 MINUTES GOES INSIDE THE VATICAN WITH POPE FRANCIS Correspondent Norah O'Donnell sat down with Pope Francis for a historic interview. Francis had previously never spoken at length with an English-language American broadcast network.
THE SAINT OF TIMES SQUARE Today, few may notice the statue of Father Duffy as they hurry to shows or to add great photos to their ‘gram. But having been so many unexpected things in his own life, and known so many different kinds of people, he is actually kind of a perfect person to watch over Times Square.
THREE BOOKS ABOUT DEATH TO READ BEFORE YOU DIE We all know what life is like. Some of us know what death is like. As these writers use their gifts to articulate their stories, they illuminate the truths we hold in common that sometimes hide in the corners of our souls.
NEW NETFLIX FILM WANTS TO MAKE MARY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL Catholic Hollywood director D.J. Caruso (“Disturbia”) set out to tell the story of Mary as seen through her own eyes, in a new film available on Netflix. “You may think you know my story,” Mary tells viewers at the start of the film. “Trust me, you don’t.”
MANY VOICES, ONE SPIRIT - BUILDING BRIDGES IN TODAY'S DIVIDED CHURCH This free resource - in six faith-sharing sessions - offers concrete tools and action steps that can help us achieve healthy dialogue in our communities. All resources are designed for small-group faith sharing!
JUST DO IT - ORIENTING OURSELVES TOWARDS ACTION How many of us reach for our phones as soon as we wake up? Bleary-eyed, groggy, we go straight to the messages and emails and tweets and videos with auto-generated captions that accumulated overnight. So begins our day of words.
US TIKTOK BAN WILL NOT IMPEDE SOCIAL MEDIA EVANGELISATION, SAY PRIESTS Priests across the United States have claimed their social media evangelisation will not be threatened by the potential ban on TikTok. ‘The Lord led our ministry to TikTok, and if TikTok goes away, He will lead us elsewhere.’
BEYOND ‘CONCLAVE’: WHAT REALLY HAPPENS WHEN A NEW POPE IS ELECTED? “Conclave” is a big-screen thriller that offers a fictionalized (and maybe a bit sensationalized) trip through the process by which the Catholic Church elects a new pope. The movie was a top contender at the 2025 Oscars. It has also raised questions in more than a few minds: How is a pope really elected? Does the movie get it right?
WHAT IF RELIGION WAS THE HERO IN TODAY’S HEADLINES? In much of the media coverage around issues like immigration and gun violence, engaged voices of faith are often oversimplified, sidelined, or portrayed in a critical manner. What if that changed?