Thomas Reese
The Rev. Thomas J. Reese, a Jesuit priest, is a Senior Analyst at RNS. Previously he was a columnist at the National Catholic Reporter (2015-17) and an associate editor (1978-85) and editor in chief (1998-2005) at America magazine. He was also a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University (1985-98 & 2006-15) where he wrote Archbishop, A Flock of Shepherds, and Inside the Vatican. Earlier he worked as a lobbyist for tax reform. He has a doctorate in political science from the University of California Berkeley. He entered the Jesuits in 1962 and was ordained a priest in 1974 after receiving a M.Div from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley.
All Stories by Thomas Reese
Woe to you, Washington! Woe to you, New York!
By Thomas Reese — October 4, 2021
(RNS) — God does not punish us. He tells us when we are punishing ourselves.
Five rules for disagreeing with the pope
By Thomas Reese — September 27, 2021
(RNS) — We are all cafeteria Catholics. The real question is how we avoid a food fight in the cafeteria.
Should Pope Francis get a third COVID-19 vaccine shot?
By Thomas Reese — September 20, 2021
(RNS) — Personally, Francis is a prime candidate, but as pontiff he is more than his medical history.
Pope calls on world to welcome refugees and immigrants
By Thomas Reese — September 14, 2021
(RNS) — During his visit to Hungary and Slovakia, Pope Francis was at his prophetic best, standing up for refugees who have been bloodied by war, starved by famine and displaced by persecution.
Six suggestions for the Catholic bishops’ document on the Eucharist
By Thomas Reese — September 7, 2021
(RNS) — The U.S. bishops’ document on the Eucharist could be helpful — if they do it right.
A post-Afghanistan foreign policy means more diplomacy, less corruption
By Thomas Reese — August 31, 2021
(RNS) — It is time for a foreign policy that favors diplomacy rather than guns.
What’s next for the US in Afghanistan? Four essential projects
By Thomas Reese — August 24, 2021
(RNS) — Now that we have lost the war in Afghanistan, there is still unfinished business with which America must deal.
In Afghanistan, we made the same mistakes as in Vietnam
By Thomas Reese — August 17, 2021
(RNS) — I saw this movie in 1975 at the fall of Saigon.
The climate apocalypse is real, and it is coming
By Thomas Reese — August 10, 2021
(RNS) — Concern for the environment can no longer be an optional or secondary aspect of Christianity. It must be central to who we are as Christians.
COVID-19, global warming and diminishing Catholic guilt
By Thomas Reese — August 4, 2021
(RNS) — Would that the pope could declare vaccine skeptics and climate-change deniers heretics and put their books, articles, Facebook pages and tweets on the Index of Forbidden Books.
Who gets to unplug the pope?
By Thomas Reese — July 27, 2021
(RNS) — Even a pope needs a medical directive.
The Latin Mass is not going away soon
By Thomas Reese — July 20, 2021
(RNS) — But local bishops may now deny it to dissenters who oppose the reforms of Vatican II.
The beginning of the end of the Francis papacy
By Thomas Reese — July 13, 2021
(RNS) — Although he appears to be recovering from his surgery, the hospitalization of Pope Francis marks the beginning of the end of his papacy. Time is running out. Francis is 84 years of age, and it will be miraculous if he is able to continue as pope for another five years.
Indictments for Vatican financial crimes a sign of progress
By Thomas Reese — July 6, 2021
(RNS) — Vatican financial scandals have repeatedly tarnished the image of the church. It is time for the Vatican to get its act together. Ironically, that will mean more bad news as crimes are uncovered and prosecuted.
Democrats should support increasing the gas tax
By Thomas Reese — June 29, 2021
(RNS) — Everyone, not just the rich, is going to have to pay to preserve civilization from global warming.
