A mother of four young children recently reminded me that a primary task of parents is to teach children to get along without them, to succeed on their own, to develop skills so that they can take care of themselves, interact well with others, develop talents, solve problems, and achieve goals. I wonder if the […]
Father Gregory Boyle, S. J., has spent most of his adult life working with gang members in Los Angeles. In his book, The Whole Language: the power of extravagant tenderness, he comments on the ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Study to encourage us, who want to engage in and strengthen cities across America, to understand root […]
Freedom of Speech, as spelled out in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, protects the right of individuals or communities to openly articulate opinions and ideas without interference, retaliation, or punishment from the government. We see that freedom expressed on college campuses and across the American landscape, especially as spring turns to summer. […]
Saint Francis Xavier (SFX) Parish, established in Kansas City in 1909, has been led by Jesuits for its entire 115-year history. Lack of manpower, however, sadly forces the order to withdraw from parish leadership there this summer. The history of the Jesuits in Kansas City goes back to the 1820s when a group of them […]
(Written by Cindy Lange-Kubich) This is for all the mothers who didn’t win Mother of the Year, all the runner-ups and wannabes, the mothers who’re too tired to enter, or too busy to care. This for all the mothers who froze their buns off on metal bleachers at soccer games Friday nights instead of watching […]
On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man and was arrested because state law dictated her to do so. She was a seamstress and worked hard all day; she was tired. But not so tired physically; she was more tired spiritually—tired of giving […]
Like many of you, I have good neighbors. My next-door neighbor, for example, while mowing his own lawn continues over to cut mine—and not just the mowing but the weeding and trimming, too. Another oversaw renovations to my house, and she steps in to assist with ongoing needs. Still another, as long as I keep […]
Early in my priesthood, I was privileged to be mentored by Monsignor Arthur Matthew Tighe, longtime pastor of Visitation Parish, site of my first assignment in 1987. Then, like now, there were various discussions and debates among Catholics about how the church should function as a sacramental institution, a hierarchical enterprise, a community of faith […]
I am concerned about maintaining our Catholic presence in Kansas City’s urban core in the future. We have a limited number of priests serving our diocese; the bishop and diocesan leaders must send priests where Catholics live and worship to provide sacraments—there is not a proportionate number of Catholics living or worshipping in our inner […]
There are about 220 Catholic colleges and universities in the United States, a number that has diminished over the past decade with several closings each year. The most famous schools are those known for their sports teams, like football powerhouse Notre Dame, or Villanova and San Francisco that have won multiple national basketball championships, as […]
UPON THIS ROCK 