The modern popes: Get to know the 11 popes before Francis April 30, 2025By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Remembering Pope Francis, Vatican, World News The following is a snapshot of the papacies of the 11 popes that preceded Pope Francis, from Pope Benedict XVI to Blessed Pope Pius IX.
Pope Francis and persistent habit of ‘maybe’ April 24, 2025By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Remembering Pope Francis The legacy of Pope Francis is large and complex, with plenty of high points. But part of it is ambiguity and verbal confusion on matters of church doctrine, pointing to a need for clarification by whoever succeeds Francis on the chair of Peter.
Pope St. John Paul II: Witness to the world April 2, 2025By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Saints John Paul was an ecumenical and interreligious innovator.
Holiday message of ‘The Loved One’ January 8, 2025By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Commentary True faith rejoices in knowing that the life we celebrate at the stable in Bethlehem is the real answer to death.
‘A Christmas Carol’ December 23, 2024By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, Commentary I don’t know about you, but I make a point of giving “A Christmas Carol” a fresh reading every year, and it never disappoints.
Thanksgiving to whom? November 25, 2024By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Commentary Thanksgiving is one of those few national holidays when a semi-religious sentiment is allowed.
Newman on conversion November 8, 2024By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Uncategorized Despite significant opposition, someone persists in a life-changing decision at least partly because the opposition has the unanticipated consequence of reinforcing the determination to persist.
Election year manners October 3, 2024By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: 2024 Election, Commentary Our politicians lately have been setting a bad example (again?) for the rest of us via their so-called debates.
A look ahead at the Supreme Court’s fall term September 23, 2024By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Respect Life, Supreme Court When the Supreme Court opens for business again Oct. 7, it will have before it for argument and eventual decision in the term ahead at least three cases directly involving the protection of children and young people.
Is the synodal process the product? September 8, 2024By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Synodality Only time will tell whether, as synod organizers keep insisting, the Synod on Synodality has produced a real groundswell of support among the laity for making the process called synodality a permanent feature of church life.
Knights’ success built on founder’s desire for charity May 23, 2024By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Knights of Columbus Father Michael J. McGivney was just one more of that band of hardworking Irish-American priests who spent themselves building up the church in America in the latter years of the 19th century. But in one truly extraordinary respect, he was unique:
Does every moment count? April 25, 2024By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: Commentary Like words for a poet, color for a painter and sound for a composer, time is everybody’s medium for shaping a life devoted to loving and serving God and neighbor.
