Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is in his sixth hour of a true filibuster not the fake procedural variety that Republican Senators have used for years to tie up Democratic legislation in a gesture against the tax deal worked out between Republican leaders and President Obama House Democrats turned

The DREAM Act for the Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act nbsp has raised hackles on the right though it once enjoyed modest bipartisan support The measure never a sure thing appears poised to become a new casualty in the nation s backlash against undocumented immigrants n

An article in Politico this morning detailed how religious and community groups have benefited from the still controversial 787 billion stimulus package launched last year by the Obama administration Though the Obama administration is not getting much positive traction because of it the disbursem

The various revelations emerging from the classified material acquired and released by wikileaks org will certainly prove an embarrassment to U S diplomats and to security professionals whose job it is to protect government secrets ldquo But I just don rsquo t think the world is going to end or d

Do the improving fortunes of U S not-for-profits suggest the nation rsquo s economic bad times may be nearing an end The results of a recent survey are at least encouraging In October the percentage of public charities and private foundations reporting better contribution numbers improved from 23

This morning I e-mailed some questions to Father Matin Rhonheimer in Rome and received his kind reply a few minutes ago I asked him if Pope Benedict were aware of his controversial position on church teaching and the use of condoms in 2004 s Tablet He responds I published my article in The Tabl

Austen Ivereigh discussed this a few days ago but I suspect the import of it is getting a little lost in the media kerfluffle over the church s shocking about face on condoms My apologies to those who argue this is not new but seriously you ve got to be kidding at least insofar as how church

While New Yorkers can be gratified to see the U S C C B presidency make a turn toward the northeast mdash and we at America can only be delighted that a friend of the House and contributor has been selected to head the conference best wishes and congrats Archbishop Tim Dolan mdash I can rsquo t

Describing himself surprised and humbled by the honor New York Archbishop Tim Dolan downplayed suggestions that his election represented a break with U S C C B tradition Tucson Bishop Gerald Kicanas as vice president of the U S Conference of Catholic Bishops for the expiring term was widely ex

Though the bishops have been preoccupied with U S C C B issues naturally two matters have been a major preoccupation during this fall general assembly the precarious status of Iraqi Christians and the deteriorating conditions in Haiti On the latter I spoke with Catholic Relief Services Presi