A modest proposal from James Martin, S.J.

nbsp Pope Benedict XVI rsquo s announcement on Feb 11 that he will ldquo renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome rdquo stunned the church and set the media scrambling America was no exception we were equally surprised and just as frenzied In the 48 hours after the news broke our editors gave

nbsp The shock of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI continues to reverberate through the church Reactions to his resignation understandably focus on his declining health and praise the Holy Father rsquo s humility for being able to acknowledge that he is no longer physically up to the task Alt

It might be good for the church to live sede vacante for a full year—contemplating an empty seat of power—before electing a new pope.

Highlighting the president rsquo s quot call for sensible steps on gun control quot in his State of the Union address mdash and similar actions by NY Governor Andrew Cuomo and NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg mdash N Y Cardinal Tim Dolan added his voice to those appealing for stricter gun regulation He

nbsp WOODSTOCK THEOLOGICAL CENTER CLOSES nbsp A Legacy of Forty Years of Tradition and Service Washington D C February 15 2013 nbsp The Jesuit Provincials of Maryland New York and New England along with the other members of the Board of Trustees of the Woodstock Theological Center WTC h