The New Encyclical arrives in a void. There is no opposition to the Church, nor does anyone care about the common people. The Pope chose to speak for individual men and women, cast aside in a world of machines and superheroes. A century ago, the task of Rerum Novarum was extremely difficult — almost impossible […]
China and Russia are irritated with each other, but a divorce would certainly be worse for either. The two seem destined to navigate their uneasy ties, hoping for a turnaround. Russia today wants to intensify its relationship with China and complains that China is not equally warm in return, treating Russia as a junior partner. […]
In his video message for the “Rededication of the United States to God” on May 17, former Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan remarked that the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference will consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11. The timing of this consecration, as well as the historical significance […]
It was a masterpiece of diplomacy in a very difficult moment. The summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping was above all an exercise in damage limitation — an attempt to prevent a further deterioration of bilateral relations rather than a serious effort to improve them. Little room for the latter was in evidence. The […]
In the USA and Europe, immigration is the root cause of the new identity crisis. In China and Asia, it’s about politics and Taiwan. There seems to be a new global quest for identity similar to the one that shaped nation-states two centuries ago, moving away from old royal identities. America was a nation of […]
In the Trump-Xi meeting, the long-term issues are the backdrop the two won’t discuss. They strain bilateral ties, but are too thorny to touch. Both will wait for the midterm elections. (based on a conversation with Marco Mayer) The May 13-15 Beijing summit between US and Chinese presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping takes place […]
On the eve of Trump’s visit to China, the outline of a new Cold War looms larger. Only the Holy See might help. In November 2011, President Barack Obama launched the historic “Pivot to Asia.” After centuries of focus on transatlantic relations, the US shifted its attention to the Asia-Pacific (and to China in particular), […]
