Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger urged that dissent from ordinary Magisterium should be disclosed privately to church authority.

The voters I spoke with were not single-issue voters, and they showed a comfort with, even insistence on, complexity around a range of issues that are part of our national conversation.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops responded quickly after the letter became public.

“I call on the Lord that he may convert the hearts of the terrorist and free the world of hate and that crazy homicide that abuses the name of God to disseminate death.”

In a statement, both sides expressed gratitude for “the spiritual and theological gifts received through the Reformation.”

“Christians are called to promote political dialogue, especially where it is threatened and where conflict seems to prevail,” the pope stated.