To build on Michael Sean Winter s post immediately below here is David Gibson on what he calls Obama s Altar Call for Health Care Reform nbsp on PoliticsDaily Obama was clearly ramping up his rhetoric in an effort to counter the strident attacks He punctuated each claim from opponents -- about

Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa Oklahoma has decreed that all Masses he celebrates in the cathedral will henceforth nbsp be ad orientem facing East back to the people facing the high altar nbsp H t to David Gibson at Commonweal nbsp For those of you a few years ago that thought that Pope

I wouldn t put it that way but Alan Dershowitz the Harvard Law professor makes an interesting point about the Justice s comments on Monday and how they square with Catholic teaching and Christian morality nbsp Here s Dershowitz on nbsp The Daily Beast nbsp nbsp I never thought I would live

nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp No that s not the title of the latest book about Hogwarts nbsp nbsp A hearty H T to Celia Wren at Dotcommonweal for pointing out this terrific piece by Michael Paulson who got unfairly lambasted for using the wo

Why did Newt Gingrich nbsp conver to nbsp Catholicism nbsp Here s the answer or nbsp at least part of it nbsp according to Time in an article entitled um Why Newt Gingrich Converted to Catholicism nbsp H T to Deacon s Bench Gingrich describes the appeal of Catholicism for him in just these

As I ve mentioned our Culture section will frequently feature Web only articles particularly for timely features--like this fine review by Leo J O Donovan SJ president emeritus of Georgetown University on a show at New York s Metropolitan Museum of Art on the art of Oceania and Africa nbsp T

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious at their annual meeting have requested that the Vatican alter some of the methods being employed for the Apostolic Visitation nbsp nbsp Among the expressed concerns are a lack of full disclosure about the motivation and funding sources for the stu

Introducing our new culture editor, sans ascot and monocle

Two important stories that you might have missed lately which touch on two very dark topics nbsp The first is from the Associated Press regarding the Vatican s response to Bishop Richard Williamson s apologies for nbsp his nbsp statements on the Holocaust nbsp As you recall as part of his re-e

A reflection nbsp which Catholic Update requested on the priesthood today which looks at the ordained ministry of the priest and the priesthood of all believers in this Year for the Priest nbsp nbsp It s meant to be a rather nbsp non-academic non-technical and overall nbsp friendly introduc