United States–Catholic Church: Between Liturgical Battle and Politics

Over the centuries, theological debates and conflicts within the Catholic Church have often had political implications of general interest. The pressure being exerted on Pope Leo to reinstate the option of celebrating the Catholic liturgy according to the rite that preceded that of the Second Vatican Council poses a significant challenge to the Catholic Church’s […]

Thiel, Pope Benedict, and the Fate of U.S. Catholicism

Thiel misunderstands Ratzinger. The project of “pure Church” failed. A Pope at the service of a US President would harm the US and the Church. But perhaps the Church can help the US and world find a new balance when the old one is gone. In an article published in First Things, Peter Thiel continues […]

U.S. Catholicism in the Vise of the Lefebvrian Schism

American conservative Catholics could help steer the presidency away from the losing battle of the “culture wars” and toward a pragmatic and substantial Trump’s political revolution. Following the episcopal ordinations performed by the Lefebvrian Society of St. Pius X, the Holy issued a decree of excommunication formalizing the schism. Excommunicated are all bishops, priests, and […]

Trump, Bishops, and Sacred Heart

Donald Trump launched his campaign to “re-Americanize” America with two moves that immediately put him on a collision course with even the Catholic bishops most aligned with his policies. These moves were a crackdown on undocumented immigrants and a restrictive interpretation and of ius soli regarding the right to U.S. citizenship. In his second term […]

MAGA and its China Troubles

The US upsets its old friends, but China doesn’t win new ones. They’re parallel weaknesses, with America having the upper hand, but things could turn around if Beijing finds its compass. Washington needs more stable ties. It’s still unclear how the US wants to reconcile its new face and posture at home and abroad. The […]

Understanding the United States

Trump’s presidency is the latest development of a long way where those “left behind” rallied for a new messianism that changed the old deism of the framers and ushered in a new religious-political wave of the US. Currently, judgment seems to prevail over understanding when it comes to the United States. However, without understanding, judgment […]