Thomas Reese

Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese's column for Religion News Service, "Signs of the Times," appears regularly at National Catholic Reporter.

Reese entered the Jesuits in 1962 and was ordained in 1974. He was educated at St. Louis University, the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, and at the University of California Berkeley, where he received a Ph.D. in political science. He worked in Washington as a writer and lobbyist for tax reform from 1975 to 1978. He was an associate editor of America magazine, where he wrote on politics, economics and the Catholic Church, from 1978 to 1985 and editor-in-chief from 1998 to 2005. He was a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center from 1985 to 1998 and 2006 to 2013. During the summers, he works as a visiting scholar at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. 

While at Woodstock, he wrote the trilogy on the organization and politics of the church: Archbishop: Inside the Power Structure of the American Catholic Church (1989), A Flock of Shepherds: The National Conference of Catholic Bishops (1992), and Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church (1996). He also edited The Universal Catechism Reader (1990), an analysis of the first draft of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and Episcopal Conferences: Historical, Canonical and Theological Studies (1989). He is also author of a NCR e-book, Caring for Our Common Home: A Readers’ Guide and Commentary on Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the Environment (2015).

In 2014, Reese was appointed by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission that reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. He was reappointed to another two-year term in May 2016, and he was elected to a one-year term as chair of the commission in June 2016. His writings for NCR do not necessarily reflect the views of the commission.

Reese was senior analyst for the NCR from March 2013 to June 2017. He is based in Washington, D.C.

By this Author

A poll worker looks on as a voter casts her ballot on Election Day Nov. 3, 2020, at William S. Mount Elementary School in Stony Brook, New York. (CNS/Gregory A. Shemitz)

People of faith should be poll workers to save democracy

Believers should become poll workers with a firm conviction that discrimination, lying and stealing are sins in any circumstances. As poll workers, Christians are obliged to follow their values, not partisan preferences.

A virtual training and listening session for the Synod on Synodality, held in February (RNS/video screen grab)

Synod on Synodality had its doubters, but it's proving to be balm for 'enduring wounds'

The bishops' synthesis of 10 months of listening sessions finds that many wounds reported by laity are inflicted not by individuals but by the institution itself.

Britain's then-Prince Charles delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the U.N. climate summit COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, Nov. 1, 2021. (Yves Herman/Pool via AP)

King Charles should continue to speak up about global warming

If the royal family is going to be relevant for the 21st century, it needs to help the world face the most important crisis of the century. And long before it was fashionable, Charles was warning about climate change.

In this June 2, 1953, file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation (AP)

The leadership lessons of Queen Elizabeth and Christ the King

The outpouring of affection for Queen Elizabeth II has surprised cynics. But people saw something special in Elizabeth — more than the pageantry and splendor of the monarchy, the celebrity eye candy that surrounded her.

Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives for his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sept. 7. (CNS/Paul Haring)

Pope Francis' big gamble: The synod on synodality

Will the synodal process work? Will it help heal divisions and foster a community that can spread the Gospel, care for the marginalized and heal the Earth? Or will it show the world how divided we Catholics are?

A migrant mother and children ride a freight train on their journey north, on June 24, 2019, in Palenque, Chiapas state, Mexico. (RNS/AP photo/Marco Ugarte)

Why Christian nationalism is unchristian

The Gospels ask us to look beyond the borders of our community, beyond the borders of our neighborhoods and beyond the borders of our nation.

Pope Francis places a red biretta on new U.S. Cardinal Kevin Farrell during a consistory in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in this Nov. 19, 2016, file photo. (CNS/Paul Haring)

Reform of Vatican Curia to be considered at meeting of cardinals

When the world's cardinals meet in Rome, the pope will create 21 new cardinals, then ask them and their new colleagues to discuss curial reforms. This will also allow them to get to know one another before the next conclave.

Pope Francis greets the faithful as he leaves St. Mary Major Basilica after participating in a rosary prayer for peace, in Rome, May 31. (AP/Gregorio Borgia)

A what-if nightmare for the Catholic Church: Pope in a coma

Thomas Reese: Any procedure for removing an incapacitated pope should not be quick or easy, but it should be public.

Pope Francis arrives to answer questions from journalists aboard his flight from Iqaluit, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, to Rome July 29. (CNS/Paul Haring)

Pope Francis was not fully briefed prior to Canadian visit

Thomas Reese: Pope Francis' six-day pastoral visit to Canada was a great success. It wasn't until the news conference on the plane back to Rome that it became clear he wasn't properly briefed for his visit.

Two women listen as Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Commonwealth Stadium, July 26 in Edmonton, Alberta. Francis traveled to Canada to apologize to Indigenous peoples for the abuses committed by Catholic missionaries in the country’s residential schools.

After listening to Indigenous peoples, pope gives comprehensive apology

The pope's visit showed his respect for Indigenous culture and its incorporation into church life and liturgy. This is as important to the Indigenous peoples of Canada as his apologies.

Pope Francis looks on during an exclusive interview with Reuters at the Vatican, July 2. (CNS/Reuters/Remo Casilli)

Pope Francis is not going to resign, yet

Thomas Reese: Better guidelines for retired popes are needed. Pope Francis seems to be proceeding gently in that direction so as not to appear critical of his predecessor.

Pope Francis speaks during the traditional greetings to the Roman Curia in the Sala Clementina (Clementine Hall) of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican on Dec. 22, 2016. (AP/Gregorio Borgia, Pool)

Pope Francis' reforms to church governance are unlike any since Vatican II

Francis sees the role of the Curia in a totally different way from earlier popes. The Curia is staff, not part of the chain of command. It is more like civil service than a governing elite. This is revolutionary.

(Unsplash/Eric Mok)

Eucharist: Sacrament of unity and source of division

Pope Francis' June 29 apostolic letter, Desiderio Desideravi, will be of little interest to the vast majority of Catholics who do not oppose the reforms, but need to be drawn deeper into the mystery of the Eucharist. 

Abortion demonstrators are seen near the Supreme Court in Washington June 24 as the court overruled the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision in its ruling in the Dobbs case on a Mississippi law banning most abortions after 15 weeks. (CNS/Tyler Orsburn)

What has the demise of Roe v. Wade cost the Catholic Church?

Thomas Reese: Now that the bishops and other anti-abortion Catholics have won their fight against Roe, will they embrace a more consistent ethic of life? Will they live up to the extensive social justice agenda they espouse on paper?

Pope Francis arrives in a wheelchair to attend an audience with nuns and religious superiors in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican May 5. (AP file/Alessandra Tarantino)

Why nonsense stories about the pope resigning keep popping up

Thomas Reese: The pope has a lot of unfinished business, and I don't see him walking away from it. Some of his reforms are just now getting started.

The 2022 Seattle University graduation at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, June 12th, 2022. (RNS/Seattle University/Yosef Kalinko)

My generation needs to apologize to the class of 2022

Thomas Reese: The only advice I can give to graduates today is, don’t follow our example. If the next generation opens their hearts to love and compassion, they will be the greatest generation of this century.

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio comforts people outside the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center, where students had been transported from Robb Elementary School after a shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, May 24. (CNS/Reuters/Marco Bello)

The Catholic bishops support gun control. Why don't we hear more about it?

Thomas Reese: Hardly anyone in the country knows about the strong and comprehensive position on gun control taken by the U.S. Catholic bishops.

RIP Catholic News Service, gone too soon and when we needed you most

Thomas Reese: The U.S. Catholic bishops are killing off Catholic News Service, one of their most successful national programs. God bless all the CNS journalists who over the years dedicated their lives to the church. They did wonderful work they can be proud of. It is sad to see them go. 

Pope Francis leaves after presiding over a consistory inside St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Oct. 5, 2019. (AP/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis appoints cardinals, setting stage for election of his successor

Thomas Reese: The pope has made the College of Cardinals more Asian and African — and more likely to elect a successor who will follow his policies.

Cardinals from around the world attend a Mass for the election of the Roman pontiff in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican March 12, 2013. (CNS/Reuters/Stefano Rellandini)

Avoiding a deadlocked conclave

Thomas Reese: Before he dies or retires, Pope Francis needs to make changes in the process of electing a new pope to avoid the possibility of a deadlocked conclave.

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