Michael Sean Winters

Michael Sean Winters: Brian Fraga's reporting on dark money funding some conservative Catholic groups shows how the culture wars have distorted Catholic teaching. This should give every Catholic leader nightmares.

Michael Sean Winters: Why have the bishops failed to sound the alarm for the "values and principles of our democracy" that continue to be threatened? Surely the sanctity of the vote is above partisan politics.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Praying for columnist Michael Gerson; tracking the sentences of those convicted for the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol; nothing Catholic about bowing down before Trumpian idols.

Michael Sean Winters: Will the divergence between Pope Francis and the U.S. hierarchy grow in 2022? Or will the U.S. bishops at long last demonstrate an interest in following the lead of the Holy Father?

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Overturning Roe v. Wade "the wrong way"; new battleground districts in Michigan; let's put electric vehicle charging stations in church parking lots.

Michael Sean Winters: If last year began with the hope that normalcy might return, this year U.S. politics are marked by a fear that the signs of decline in the very fabric of our democracy might become dominant.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Archbishop Schnurr, call your office; comparing Trumpism to the Reformation, and the Affordable Care Act to Build Back Better; VP Kamala Harris' home run.

Michael Sean Winters: The life of the Catholic Church in this country in 2021 was characterized by a culture war fit and evidence that Pope Francis will press forward with the reception of Vatican II in ways that will profoundly affect the U.S. church.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: The rebuilding of Puerto Rico's energy grid could serve as a model; Desmond Tutu was raised up to point the way for us; The Post on clergy who quit.

Michael Sean Winters: The principal political story of 2021 was President Biden's attempt, mostly unsuccessful, to get the U.S. back to normal. But the rhythm of the year was one of one step forward and one step back.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Highlighting green jobs; the lionization of Kyle Rittenhouse; reasons for the labor shortage; self-parody from the Women's March; Mary's Magnificat.

Michael Sean Winters: The publication of responses to questions about Pope Francis' Traditionis Custodes added a bit more ammunition to those who insist on engaging in battles about liturgy. I wish they would stop. They won't.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Perils of packing the court; FDR's expression of democracy's values; League of United Latin American Citizens drops "Latinx"; the Blessed Mother in Advent.

Some of the biggest stars of one of the nation's biggest networks, Fox, were proven to be dishonest about one of the biggest stories of the year and to have violated the first principle of journalistic ethics: Do not become part of the story. And the Catholic Church's largest media outlet is in bed with that network.

Michael Sean Winters: Inflation makes people nervous as each dollar stretches less and less far. President Biden and his team need to find better ways to address the issue, both in terms of policy and of communications.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Justice Neil Gorsuch's dissent from decision to deny religious exemption; worldwide inequality is worse than we thought; university coaches are "robbing us blind"

Michael Sean Winters: George Floyd, murdered so cruelly, so viciously — his sufferings are surely one with those of Christ on the cross. Mary is Floyd's mother as she is mother to us all. 

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Archbishop asked to reschedule a parish visit due to vaccination policy; Insurrection report is beyond damning for Mark Meadows; bet on the good people of metro Atlanta.

Michael Sean Winters: President Joe Biden recently convoked a two-day virtual summit on promoting democracy. Today we are fighting for democracy at home, the fight is proving difficult, and Biden's Catholic faith has something to offer the cause.

Issues like federal aid to child care need not become fodder in the culture wars that corrode our politics and our faith. We have to find workable compromises to these kinds of policy disputes, not simply go on beating each other up over them.