While Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato, Si' is enjoying wide publicity, few people are aware this year marks the 20th anniversary of another powerfully prophetic social justice and peace encyclical: Evangelium Vitae.
It's courageous, it's prophetic, it's challenging, it's holistic, it's wonderful: That's what I think of Pope Francis' environmental encyclical "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home."
Whether it's on an individual, city, national, or international level, violence always dishonors God, and makes bad situations worse. The recent Baltimore City riots were no exception: people were injured, neighborhood stores were burned, and violenc..
Who would have imagined on Feb. 23, 1977, the day of his appointment as Archbishop of San Salvador, that the highly conservative Oscar Romero – who was suspicious of the Catholic Church's involvement in political activism – would die a martyr's death..
To his closest followers, who feared that they too would suffer crucifixion, Jesus stood in their midst on Easter Sunday, and shared with them his peace.
While clearly not a pacifist, the United Kingdom's World War II prime minister had seen upfront the absolute horror of war, and became convinced that tirelessly striving to resolve disputes through respectful dialogue was always preferable to war.
Writing a column on social justice and peace offers me plenty of timely issues to choose from. And I always truly sense from God the exact issue he desires that I write on.
In his request known as the "Authorization for Use of Military Force," Obama is asking Congress to approve the deployment of U.S. troops to Iraq for "enduring offensive ground combat operations" for at least three years.
In the Gospels the biblical word used for repentance is the Greek word "metanoia" – a radical change of mind, heart, soul and action.
When it comes to the harsh difficulties many Native Americans face every day, the saying "out of sight, out mind" hits home.
Over 25 times from the top of Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., I have seen a sea of people marching to proclaim the dignity of unborn human life, and how death-dealing abortion sends the unholy message that some human beings are disposable.
The 2010 West Virginia Upper Big Branch coal mine explosion, which killed 29 Massey Energy miners, is a clear example of what Pope Francis is talking about here.
After more than 20 years of civil war between the southern and northern areas of Sudan, the southern part of that country on July 9, 2011, became the independent nation of the Republic of South Sudan.
During the recent U.S. Catholic bishops fall assembly in Baltimore, two bishops decided to forego the military chaplains dinner sponsored by the U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains Office, and attended instead a simple supper and discussion on peacemaking.
Just imagine for a moment that you have no home. What will you do for meals today? Where will you shower? Where will you sleep?
True respect for life requires us to get out of our comfort zone. Oh, we might say, "I respect life, I vote for 'pro-life' politicians who claim they will work to end abortion." However, in a democracy voting is usually easy and comfortable.
With the barbaric Islamic State now controlling large portions of Iraq and Syria, and inflicting rape, torture and even beheading on those who do not conform to their fundamentalist interpretation of Islam, it is imperative that they must be stopped.
In his 2010 World Day of Peace message titled, "If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation," Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote that "it would be irresponsible not to take seriously" the signs of a growing environmental crisis.