As America’s readers know, we are celebrating our hundredth year of publication. Ever wondered what the magazine looked like in April of 1909? Online editor Tim Reidy has scanned and posted the April 17, 1909 initial issue of America as a .pdf file--you can read it here. (it’s a big file: be patient). The initial issue wasn’t big on graphics or readability, but heavy on content.

A unusually good and unusually fresh meditation on Pope Benedict s visit to Ground Zero and the pope s visit with the sexual abuse victims which uses the imagery of St Peter--who is told by Jesus that the leader of the church will be taken where you do not want to go It s at Pajamas

On Monday I gave a talk to an assembly conference of a couple hundred high school students from Catholic schools in San Francisco with my assigned topic being sexuality and spirituality today With all the caveats about the potential minefields assumed it was also an exciting opportunity to try

Hillary Clinton said last night that the road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue leads through Pennsylvania But for the next few weeks the road from Pennsylvania leads to electoral purgatory Clinton can t win the nomination unless she so bloodies Barack Obama that the super-delegates and the voters

After a long week in Washington and New York covering Pope Benedict XVI David Gibson generously agreed to come by America s offices this morning to record a special podcast on the pope s visit Dave was a little tired but still on top of his game You can listen to our conversation here As

Jim Martin S J chats with Stephen Colbert about Pope Benedict XVI s visit to the United States as well as Stephen s chances for sainthood And Jim backstage with Colbert Jim Keane SJ