Thomas Reese

Fasting is an act of penance for what we in the rich world have done, and it is a prayer for help in avoiding catastrophe.

The Catholic partisan divide provides an opportunity for the church to model proper civic behavior, writes Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese.

God sending Jonah to Nineveh would be like telling a modern-day rabbi to preach in Iran or Gaza, says Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese.

Francis did the right thing in allowing priests to call God's blessing down on couples who are trying to love in the best way they know how. That may be different in the West than it is in Africa.

The American temptation is to rush the process. We tend to focus on what we individually want to say rather than patiently listening to the Spirit as expressed by others.

Instead of forcing Congress to do nothing, a conclave would force members of Congress to do their job.

The coming of Christ tells us our God is loving and merciful, but also challenging. He comforts but also gives us a mission: "Comfort, give comfort to my people," says the Lord.

The case for removing Cardinal Raymond Burke, a Vatican official, is simple. The case for firing Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland is more complicated. Removing a diocesan bishop should remain a rare exception. 

If we listen only to what the media has written about the synod on synodality, we might miss important opportunities for church reform, writes NCR contributor Thomas Reese. 

For Francis, it was not about the hot-button topics. It was always about the synodal process, which he hoped would overcome divisions in the church and recommit us to the mission of Jesus.

After listening to all the reports, the groups meet again to reflect on what they have heard. Such a process is a far cry from a parish meeting presided over by the pastor who announces and defends his preordained decisions.

The Vatican wishes to project an image of prayerful harmony. The media, on the other hand, thrives on conflict. You will never read a headline saying, "Participants love one another; everything is fine."

Traditionalists don't like Pope Francis because he is the first truly post-Counter-Reformation pope, with perhaps the exception of John XXIII, argues Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese.

During the synod Oct. 4-29, we will all need patience and humility as the delegates try to discern in what direction the Spirit is calling us to travel. It will take prayer, spiritual conversation and listening to hear the Spirit.

In making cardinals, Francis has looked for bishops who are pastoral and close to the poor and marginalized. These men are firmly committed to the social teaching of the church, without necessarily being liberal on hot-button issues of concern to progressive Catholics in the West.

As a way of being church, synodality might be thought of as collegiality resurrected, but without all the baggage that encumbered collegiality over the years following Vatican II, writes Fr. Thomas Reese.

If we continued as usual with just different people in charge, then we missed the revolution Pope Francis is calling for, says Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese.

The good news is there are ways to reduce and eliminate the growth in global warming; the bad news is I am not sure we will implement them fast enough.

Fr. Thomas Reese: We are like frogs in a pot of water being slowly cooked as the temperature rises. We don’t have the sense to get out of the pot, let alone turn off the heat.

The Vatican response to financial scandal must not be one-off dealing with the symptoms. The deeply tangled tale of the current trial must be followed by systemic reform and effective oversight, writes Fr. Thomas Reese.