Engagement with Catholic schools can help seminarians enter ministry with a clearer sense of the pastoral needs of their flock.

American Catholics had seen the problems the church got into in Europe when hierarchy aligned itself with specific rulers or political parties. American Catholics, including most bishops, did not want to go down that road.

The Trump administration is permitting state and local governments to exert their traditional power to draft and enforce health and safety regulations. This has led to a variety of responses across the country and even within the same state.

At first blush, this "social distancing" sounds un-Christian, but we need to listen to medical experts.

Thomas Merton wrote an introduction to a lyrical book of reflections by Cardenal, Vida en Amor: “In a time of conflict, anxiety, war, cruelty, and confusion, the reader may be surprised that this book is a hymn in praise of love, telling us that ‘all things love one another.’”

Democratic candidates tend to focus instead on other voter groups: blacks, Hispanics, LGBTQ people, young people, teachers and women.