From Where I Stand: Moderation won't do it. What we need now is Christian extremism, the idea that there are some things that cannot be tolerated in life, that there is something we can do to resolve these logjams if we really want to do it.
Whatever deters us from being true to our deepest truths must one day be disavowed. So what must be disavowed to save the character of the nation in a time when it needs character more than ever?
Simply Spirit: People who live close to the earth have much to teach us about living in harmony with a fractured world beloved by God, who, to quote Pope John Paul I, is "our father; even more he is our mother."
From Where I Stand: There's not much to be learned from those who agree with us. We just go on our merry way, trashing people at large, attacking both friends and competitors, berating our own best thinkers.
From Where I Stand: All candidates need to do, it seems, is to feed our wildest dreams. But without skepticism, democracy is dead. Then there's nothing but monarchy, tyranny and autocracy left.
Simply Spirit: Speaking to FutureChurch, veteran Vatican journalist Robert Mickens asks progressive Catholics "to push and support the pope" — and have patience with the slow pace of reform.
Simply Spirit: The ongoing Synod of Bishops for the Amazon stands in stark contrast to the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist held in 2005. Prioritizing the people of God makes a difference.
From Where I Stand: It's time for a new set of virtues, starting with anger. To resolve a conversation, we need to advance it. Anger can do that; anger is energy. Anger is a connector. Most of all, anger is a signal from me to the world about the importance of what I'm concerned about.
Recently my spiritual director of 30 years passed away. She was one of many hundreds, perhaps thousands of female spiritual directors who are exercising essential — if largely invisible — leadership in our church.
