Question: How low can Donald Trump go?Answer: Low enough to attack the head of the Catholic Church and, by extension, 1.4 billion Catholics. His latest descent comes in the form of an attack on Pope Leo XIV. Not over policy. Not over governance. But something far more telling: moral authority. In a post on his social media site, Truth Social,...

On Thursday, three days before Easter Sunday, Pope Leo XIV delivered a message that went straight to the point. “Leadership is not measured by authority, but by the willingness to kneel.” That’s humility. Not the kind we admire in passing. The kind that asks something of us. Today, when leadership is measured by loudness and control, Leo offered a different...

In a letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1802, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God … I contemplate with sovereign reverence … thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.” In my commentary, “When Power Rewrote the Message” (July 17), I opened with this question:...

When the pulpit merges with power, does the sword overshadow the Sermon on the Mount? Though I’m no longer practicing, I was raised Catholic. I went through the rituals—Baptism and Confirmation and confession and “eat no meat” Fridays, and I left because it was just too rigid. However, at its heart, Catholic doctrine was about love, mercy, humility, and salvation:...

Once celebrated as the thoughtful author of Hillbilly Elegy, Vance’s rise to the vice presidency is a lesson in political transformation—and not for the better. I liked Vance 1.0—who once spoke with empathy and moral clarity about the struggles of working-class Americans. But the Vance–who jumped 4 points to 5.0—serves as the willing enabler of a presidency marked by grievance,...

Beginning Monday, I’ll be highlighting five U.S. Presidents who–when confronted with defining choices–led with integrity instead of expedience. These presidents didn’t just occupy the Oval Office; they embodied the values that give leadership its true meaning. Their choices remind us that integrity is not a political strategy—it’s a standard. Today, however, I begin with a new global leader—one who speaks...

I usually keep my focus on issues here at home—challenges that affect us as Americans. But with the world now turning its attention to the Catholic Church and the anticipation of a new Pope, I’ve been reading and reflecting on the legacy of Pope Francis—and what his message might mean for all of us, especially in this divided moment. Pope...

On September 24, 2015, Pope Francis made history as the first pontiff to address a Joint Session of the U.S. Congress. Nearly a decade later, his message still resonates with clarity and urgency. Francis reminded lawmakers that public service is more than legislation, it is a moral occupation: “You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow...

I liked Francis—a lot. How could you not? He spoke plainly, with sincerity and purpose—and people listened. His words weren’t wrapped in rhetoric; they were rooted in truth. In a time when power is too often confused with principle, Pope Francis led with something far more enduring… character. From the start, Francis made it clear that his papacy would be...

A timely Opinion piece in The New York Times by David French sheds greater light on why so many Evangelical Christians fervently believe in Donald Trump. In 1998, during the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, Evangelical leaders issued a public statement declaring that “character counts” and that “the President’s personal morality is not private.” The message was clear: integrity matters—especially for those who...