May 2019

In 1939, the Nazi German forces invaded Poland. Among the many other changes following occupation, the Nazis closed all Polish universities, sending university students into an array of forced labor positions.

In many academic disciplines, parents and educators understand that it is important for students to read the best books, even if they don’t understand everything in them. For example, we often have high school students read Hamlet. Why?

Is Catholic moral teaching one big “No?”

Many people think so. They hear the Church saying no to premarital sex, no to abortion, no to same-sex marriage, no to unjust wages, no to drunkenness—in short, no to many of the things they want to do—and assume that the Church exists as some kind of moral traffic cop. They think of her, in effect, as the Fun Police, as someone who’s there to make sure nobody enjoys themselves too much.

All throughout the day we are surrounded by words. We talk with friends at school, we write text messages to friends elsewhere, we listen to the radio in the car, we watch television at home, we read books at night. Words help us share our thoughts, feelings, and desires with others; they help us understand the thoughts, feelings, and desires of others as well. Scientists estimate that the average person speaks about ten to fifteen thousand words per day. That’s enough to fill fifty books per year!

What is the Catholic Church? Is it an organization made up of priests and bishops, monks and nuns? Is it an institution to which people belong as members? Is it a spiritual tradition that guides people’s beliefs and actions?