The tax bill that Congress recently passed and President Trump signed into law provides tax cuts for wealthy people and corporations at the expense of people in poverty and will eventually raise taxes on those with lower incomes. Thus it is morally irresponsible and ignores the common good of our country. Federal documents and tax bills are reflections of the moral direction of our nation. Our mission as Christians calls us to live out our faith as written the Gospels.... Read more

By Patrick Carolan and Alexei Laushkin The end of the year gives you a chance to reflect on what’s been and what might be in the year ahead. It’s in this spirit that we offer some prayers and reflections for policy makers. We pray that they might prioritize the poor and grant them tools for success. In the New Year, we hope that policymakers might be awakened to the reality of those struggling to live paycheck-to-paycheck and might be especially... Read more

We are in the Advent season. As Christians, Advent is a time of hope and renewal. It is the time where we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord, it is a season of looking forward and waiting for something greater. It is the season where as Christians we look back and celebrate the birth of Jesus in a humble stable in Bethlehem. But we are not really celebrating the birth of a baby. Throughout history there have been... Read more

Last week  I joined a group of faith leaders as we decided to “live church” in the Rotunda of the Senate office building. We sang, we prayed and we read scripture. We continued our church in the back of the police van as they led us away handcuffed and strapped in. Again we continued to pray, share stories and sing sitting in our jail cell. When I participate in such actions of civil disobedience, I am often asked why? What... Read more

Congress recently passed what they refer to as a tax reform bill. Some call it a pro-growth tax package. Their argument is that if you cut corporate taxes and taxes for the very wealthy it will stimulate growth. Others have called it a con job, arguing it will increase taxes for the middle class without doing anything to create jobs. Listening to this discussion, combined with knowledge of past proposals on the federal budget can leave one feeling a bit... Read more

Last week I was invited to speak at a press conference on the Dream Act. After my comments someone came up to me, thanked me for my statement and asked me why there were no Catholic Bishops there. It is a question I am often asked. After Charlottesville many folks wrote articles about why there were no Catholic bishops or clergy protesting. Some have written articles suggesting this is a “come to Jesus moment” for the US Catholic Bishops. Sure,... Read more

My friend Anne Dennean died last week. Her death did not merit a public announcement. There were no articles about her in the newspapers. No news flashes across the TV screens. Anne died quietly surrounded by her family and close friends, which is exactly how she wanted to go. Her obituary was just a simple statement about whom she left behind- her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Anne was a mother, wife, teacher and friend and a regular church-goer who... Read more

Last week I wrote a blog about gun violence. I started off mentioning how we have fallen into a pattern of outrage, offering prayers and then doing nothing and moving on. This week the prevalent story across the media was about Harvey Weinstein. If you Googled him you would get over 85 million hits. One headline from the New York Times says: “Harvey Weinstein’s Fall Opens the Floodgates in Hollywood.” Opens the floodgates to what I wonder?  Was there some... Read more

Express outrage, offer prayers, do nothing, repeat, express outrage, offer prayers, do nothing, repeat, express outrage, offers prayers, do nothing, repeat! Sound familiar? This is our pattern after every mass shooting. We hear about a horrific shooting where so many men, woman, children (fill in the blank) are killed by a, depending on if the person is white, black, or Muslim, terrorist, thug, or mentally unstable individual. We are shocked. The talking heads on TV all ask how could this... Read more