Integral Ecology and the Ecological Virtues in Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’

Introduction Several weeks ago, I made a conscious decision to refrain from reading too much secondary literature on Pope Francis’s impending encyclical, Laudato Si’. And by noon on the day of its release, I was almost depressed. A flood of … [Read more...]

“We Will Be Judged by Love”—and Other Insights of Jorge Bergoglio

We are still trying to figure out the thought of Pope Francis. Examining several insights in his collection of writings and talks, entitled, Only Love Can Save Us, will help. Embedded in letters, homilies, and talks he wrote between 2005 … [Read more...]

Religious Freedom, Slavery, and Usury

Three Challenges to the Hermeneutic of Continuity

Early on in his pontificate, Benedict XVI laid down the challenge of reading the Church’s teaching according to a hermeneutic of continuity, rather than according to what he characterized as a hermeneutic of rupture.[1. Benedict XVI, A … [Read more...]

The Side Effects of the Pill: Why the Church Has So Much to Say about Contraception

The Church pays special attention to the issue of contraception ... because so many of the modern errors in moral theology converge in this particular question of conjugal morality. There is an impression out there–in the world and even w … [Read more...]

Understanding Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium”

Evangelii Gaudium is ostensibly the Pope’s response to the Synod last October ... but it is much more than a simple reporting on what happened there.  It is the outlining of the key themes Pope Francis hopes will constitute his po … [Read more...]

Existence as Persons In and Through Others

The human family is the relational image of the relational Trinity, in which each divine person is distinct from the other while eternally one with the other in communion, community, and communication.   We are aware of ourselves as … [Read more...]