Yes, the synod on synodality is off to a sluggish start, especially in the United States. But if we are brutally honest about what is broken in the church, we can still have a successful dialogue.

What is it that draws so many people to a church’s pews week after week?

If contemplation and criticism can lead to imitation, then writing about the literary Christian left of the last century might help establish a literary Christian left for this century.

In a time when smartphones are rarely more than a hand-reach away, more people are considering a 40-day break from social media as a deeper Lenten sacrifice.

Ash Wednesday isn’t a holy day of obligation, but in English-speaking countries, it still has a powerful draw even for Catholics who are otherwise non-practicing.

As the Rev. Andrés Arango poured holy water over the heads of a dozen people on Thursday evening, it represented the beginning of a new ministry for him: healing and helping those he invalidly baptized.