Purple Catholicism

Health care for all but the most vulnerable
(RNS) — In the latest example of our political incoherence, the party of ‘government staying out of health care decisions’ was blocked in its attempt to pass the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act by the party of ‘health care for all.’

Jean Vanier and the corrupting power of sexual sin
(RNS) — If Jean Vanier is not good — indeed, far from it — who can be good?

Lent’s countercultural call is as old as the church—and more necessary than ever
(RNS) — Lent can help us turn away from politics and focus on how our participation in a consumerist, throwaway culture contributes to inequality.

The Focolare have two words for our broken political dialogue: Jesus forsaken
(RNS) — The lay Catholic group teaches a model of dialogue that urges us to Christ-like suffering as a bridge to those with opposing views.

Latest research on vegetative state calls for new civil rights movement
(RNS) — In the 15 years since Terri Schiavo died, changes in medical research and technology give us reason to totally rethink fundamental questions about patients thought to be ‘vegetative.’

Helping the vulnerable at risk for assisted suicide
(RNS) — Physician-assisted suicide is one of the few issues that doesn’t fall into the well-worn grooves of the culture wars. For that reason, we have a chance to resist it.

Peter Singer on why we don’t help the global poor and why we should
(RNS) — ‘To live an ethical life it’s not enough to refrain from lying, stealing or killing,’ says the renowned bioethicist. ‘We have to assist people who lack the necessities they need to survive.’

My friendship with Peter Singer 10 years on
(RNS) — As Peter Singer’s influential 2009 book ‘The Life You Can Save,’ is reissued in a 10th anniversary edition, our Catholic ethicist reviews his unlikely friendship with the champion of abortion rights.

Five things Kanye knows
(RNS) — Kanye’s new album ‘Jesus Is King’ has caused a stir for its author’s conversion, but what lessons does it offer about faith?

Facebook and the speech of religious pro-lifers
(RNS) — Facebook’s refusal to vet political ads for accuracy has brought outrage from some on the left, who say it leaves the network vulnerable to being manipulated as it was in 2016’s election. But the fact is that Facebook’s sins are bipartisan.

As fostering reaches crisis point, activists make it a pro-life issue
(RNS) — As the number of children in need of homes has risen, in at least half of U.S. states the number of parents who choose to foster is actually falling.

Doctor’s cache of human remains shows the moral cost of practicing abortion
(RNS) — Participating in our violent throwaway culture leads us to discard our own humanity.

What it means to ‘get’ religion in 2020
(RNS) — The media sees religion as the ‘frosting’ rather than the ‘cake’ of the people they cover. The real substance of a person lies, say, in economic concerns — not the superficial fact of where they go to church.

Our major parties offer no place for a rising moral middle
(RNS) — Millions of American voters believe that we must uphold the dignity of every human from conception to natural death while ensuring access to food, shelter, education and health care.

Paid family leave is a pro-life issue that can unite Republicans and Democrats
(RNS) — Besides giving women hope of affording an unintended child, paid family leave is ‘associated with drops in perinatal, neonatal, post-neonatal, infant, and child mortality.’ Hard to get more pro-life than that.
