Michael Sean Winters

With the new speaker of the House, the principal issue is how he brings his religion into politics. Mike Johnson is assuming the meaning of the Bible is uncontested, that his interpretation is the only available one.

The final document of the synod's first session has some very specific proposals, and the section on formation especially has some clues about how to proceed. The model for formation: Jesus' way.

What are the results of this meeting? The rebalancing of Roman Catholic ecclesiology in the past 150 years is now complete. Primacy gave way to collegiality and now to a synodality involving the entire people of God.

Libertarianism has become a kind of default position for many people and it is often preferable to the alternatives, writes NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters. 

The naysayers, and those who insist that the synod reach specific decisions on specific topics, are both missing the boat, argues NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters. 

The biography, written by the late Thomas Shelley, captures Ellis' bluntness and fierce commitment to truth-telling, but fails to do justice to his other fine attributes, including Ellis' sense of humor.  

The election choices the bishops make when the USCCB gathers Nov. 13-16 in Baltimore will be a good indication of the direction in which the body of bishops wish to go. NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters shares his predictions. 

If the synod is to succeed, writes NCR columnist Michael Sean Winter, it must start its analysis always with this central truth of our faith: the redemptive suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord. 

If Pope Francis wants to guarantee that we in the media don't report on "things they are saying out there" about the synod, he shouldn't tell those inside the hall that they should be "fasting" from giving interviews. 

How did we get in this mess? In part, every concession Kevin McCarthy made to the far-right members of his caucus only served to empower them, says NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters.

This is not the first time that dubious cardinals have questioned the pope, but it is the first time that Francis published his responses. Perhaps he just wanted to clear the air, suggests columnist Michael Sean Winters.

Dominican Fr. Timothy Radcliffe preached the retreat to synod delegates in advance of the official opening. His reflections are a good means by which those of us who will not be in the aula can prepare ourselves as well.

The rest of us will pay the price of a failed government on account of the MAGA Republicans' ability to yank Speaker Kevin McCarthy's chain and turn Congress into a circus.

Seeing the second Catholic U.S. president stand with the workers outside the GM distribution center was a reminder of the once vibrant alliance between the Catholic Church and organized labor, writes Michael Sean Winters.

Cardinal Cupich, commemorating his predecessor's "consistent ethic of life" speech, called for an integral ethic of solidarity. Now it's uncertain if those who need to hear the words, do so, writes Michael Sean Winters.

Unlike extremists on the right and left, the pope will be in the synod room the entire time. NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters bets other synod participants will follow his lead rather than listen to outside groups. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland is a man of integrity and decency, which may be why he seemed so uncomfortable testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on the leaked FBI memo about "radical-traditionalist Catholics."

Jesuit Fr. David Collins' history of the Society of Jesus in the United States sums up a complicated, but fascinating, history, and points the reader to additional materials should they want to learn more.

The missionary seeds planted by the Jesuits in the 17th and 18th centuries continue to bear fruit today as the Society of Jesus grew into the most prominent religious order in U.S. Catholic higher education. 

The authors of The Synodal Process Is a Pandora's Box are not writing prebuttals to the synodal process because they think synodality will fail. They are terrified it will succeed, says Michael Sean Winters.