Richard John Neuhaus

It is St. Patrick’s Day, and almost everywhere in American Catholicism where the Irish have clout, which is almost everywhere, an episcopal indult permits an exception today to the rule of no meat on Fridays in Lent. Abstinence from meat is the least of it in New York. As former governor Hugh . . . . Continue Reading »

Amy Welborn refers to the review of Garry Wills’ new book on Jesus in the current F IRST T HINGS , and then goes on to wonder about what makes Mr. Wills tick. The best she can figure it out, he is really angry that someone as bright as he is hasn’t been put in charge of the world, . . . . Continue Reading »

Dan Brown, author of the Da Vinci Code , is reportedly an unassuming and somewhat reclusive fellow who is a bit amused by the furor caused by his tall tales. At the same time, he is not at all ungrateful for the mega-millions in profits. He is currently being sued in a British court by the authors . . . . Continue Reading »

Among professional Vatican watchers, few are read more carefully than Sandro Magister. It is coming on a year since the election of Benedict XVI and much impatience has been expressed about the delay in a major shakeup in curial leadership. Particular attention is focused on Cardinal Angelo Sodano, . . . . Continue Reading »

Among pro-choice strategists, few are as thoughtful as William Saletan, who has written extensively on the abortion wars and offers regular updated analyses on Slate. He recently wrote this : Technology can’t avert all our failings or tragedies. There will always be abortions. But when you . . . . Continue Reading »

It is reported from Rome that Cardinal-designate William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, preached at the installation of the new rector of the North American College. His homily is described as a ringing defense of the recent instruction from the Congregation for . . . . Continue Reading »

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. I have over the years discussed it with numerous people, including priests and bishops, and nobody can explain why in New York City people are so determined to “get their ashes.” At the Ash Wednesday Masses, my parish and hundreds of others . . . . Continue Reading »

The Public Square During those younger years as the pastor of a poor, black, inner-city parish in Brooklyn, including the years of working with Martin Luther King, Jr., I was an unapologetic romantic about the critical, even redemptive, part that blacks were to play in the unfolding of the American . . . . Continue Reading »

Michael Joyce has died at age 63. He was a dear friend and, during his fifteen years with the Bradley Foundation, was of enormous help in launching the Institute on Religion and Public Life, the publisher of F IRST T HINGS . A more adequate tribute will appear in a forthcoming issue of the . . . . Continue Reading »

Adam Kirsch is books editor of The New York Sun , a paper that has in its first few years (actually it’s a revival of a long-ago paper by the same name) made itself nearly indispensable for New Yorkers. Kirsch is a literary critic of some distinction. His recent book, The Wounded Surgeon , a . . . . Continue Reading »