How the pope strays from spirituality and morality, and wears the mantel of a politician

Recently, Pope Francis gave a press conference while returning to the Vatican from a trip to Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius. During his press conference, he, of course, lied. What else does one do at a press conference?

The lies were understandable because he was making a political statement against capitalism and against America, two of his favorite bugaboos. Yet, is it ever alright for the pope to lie? I shall leave that matter for the theologians. I do wonder, though, who is hearing the pope’s confession these days?

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Catholic All the Way: Michael Novak’s Legacy

Michael Novak was a thinker whose sweep was without peer in his time, or ours. As a public intellectual, his contributions ranged over a staggering list of fields – theology, philosophy, journalism, economics, politics, poetry and fiction – just for starters. His public service included work as an ambassador for human rights, as a professor, as a public speaker in great demand; and his service was recognized by a staggering list of honors: 24 honorary degrees, the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, awards from the Central European governments and associations for whom his towering work, The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism, would serve as a providential blueprint during the years in which they clawed up from decades of communist oppression.

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