Analysis Archives

France once again testing ground for politics in the West

Commentary, Global Church
April 25, 2017

When France returns to the polls on May 7 to elect a new president, they face a choice between two outsiders. One – Marine Le Pen – offers a protectionist, nativist response to the crisis of globalization. The other – Emmanuel Macron – seeks a new, deeper engagement with the European Union, making globalization work for France.

Bishops counter Rouen attack with promise to build ‘civilization of love’

Analysis, Global Church, Vatican
July 26, 2016

The peculiar horror of yesterday’s slaying of an elderly French priest by Islamist teenagers was designed to tempt Christians into responding with their own violence. But Pope Francis and the French bishops insisted on peace, love, and dialogue.

Abuse scandal shows ‘Hour of Laity’ must include accountability

Analysis, Global Church
June 3, 2016

The scandal surrounding the founder of a powerful Catholic movement in Peru illustrates that “lay empowerment” in the Church without accountability is still a form of window-dressing.

In meeting with Jains, Pope Francis keeps on leading by addition

Vatican
June 1, 2016

When Francis and a group of Jains met Wednesday morning, it was about friends getting together, but it was also what master strategists do – leading by addition, not subtraction.

Memo to the 2016 debates: Here’s your ISIS question

Global Church
May 31, 2016

When Trump and Clinton square off, here’s a question: “Do you recognize the U.S. has a clear strategic interest in supporting Christians and other minority communities in the Middle East?”

Poland this summer won’t get the pope it wants, but the one it needs

Church, Global Church
May 29, 2016

World Youth Day is sort of the Olympic Games of the Catholic Church, by far the largest regular global gathering of its kind. Charmingly, despite its name, “World Youth Day” is actually a week-long event, and routinely draws crowds in the millions. The 2016 edition is set for Krakow, Poland,