Michael Sean Winters

Distinctly Catholic rounds up political news and commentary: Stacey Abrams sounds like the pope; going big on COVID-19 relief; January jobs numbers; Pennsylvania's leftie populist; SNL takes aim at cancel culture.

Distinctly Catholic: You can spot a Vatican II follower quite easily. Like those early Christians, they display wonderment at the amazing claim at the heart of our faith, the Crucified lives, the tomb is empty. That is why Francis is so appealing, is it not?

Distinctly Catholic: President Joe Biden's pledge that he "will not settle" for an inadequate COVID-19 response indicates that he understands the American people deserve a solution.

Distinctly Catholic rounds up political news and commentary: Biden must deal with Putin; Newsmax reaches its limit with Trump; John Sweeney strengthened ties between organized labor and Catholicism

Distinctly Catholic: Politicians are famous for their willingness to shade the truth in order to preserve their power, but the problem for Republicans is that they do not know how much further off the deep end the former president will yet go.

Distinctly Catholic rounds up political news and commentary: Kansas City Chiefs' lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif changed his ideas about heroes; Chaucer under financial strain; anti-government party tries to govern

Distinctly Catholic: Catholicism is a set of beliefs to which we are called to give assent, but the rich life of the Catholic faith is so much more than that. It is "here comes everybody," left, right or center.

Distinctly Catholic: How to say this gently? The pro-life movement is the worst thing to happen to the pro-life cause. But that does not let pro-choice Democrats or our new Catholic president off the hook.

Distinctly Catholic's roundup of political news and commentary: Kaveny's splendid tribute to Foster; build back a more just economy, or risk a return to Trumpism; a successful effort against gentrification in D.C.

Distinctly Catholic: George Weigel's praise of Archbishop Gomez's churlish Inauguration Day statement invites historical comparison to the 17th-century threat of Jansenism. Weigel is flirting with the stuff of schism.

Distinctly Catholic's roundup of political news and commentary: Sen. Rand Paul won't say the election wasn't stolen; Sen. Josh Hawley howls about being silenced while on front page; our national hymn, a discussion

Distinctly Catholic: Joe Biden and Catholicism in the United States explains the context of this hopeful moment when President Biden and Pope Francis can make common cause on several issues. Get this book.

Distinctly Catholic: President Joe Biden's inaugural address was a better articulation of Catholic ideas about governance than any recent document from the U.S. bishops' conference.

Distinctly Catholic's roundup of political news and commentary: Hopeful ideas for the singular task of politics today; Ohio's former attorney general urges the new president to go big

Commentary: Donald Trump had no grasp of the value of democracy and no ability to employ the symbolic power of his job to fulfill his responsibility as head of state. Joe Biden needs to fill that void.

Distinctly Catholic's roundup of political news and commentary: Michael Sean Winters on what he considers the only three truly great inaugural addresses in U.S. history.

Distinctly Catholic: The day of Biden's inauguration will also be the 60th anniversary of the first time a Catholic became president. Much has changed in church and state. What, then, is the value of historical analogy?

Distinctly Catholic: Those who care about the future of the republic need to be politically adept, not just morally right. We cannot risk a repeat.

Distinctly Catholic's roundup of political news and commentary: Lisa Montgomery's execution was judicial murder; Biden team's efforts for 2022 midterms; impeachment may be insufficient; workers fight back

Distinctly Catholic: We do not know — and God willing will never be forced to find out — the lengths to which Donald Trump would have gone to preserve his power, but trials must put what did happen Jan. 6 on record.