MSI Press Blog

  WORDS MATTER “If I speak with human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging symbol.” --I Corinthians 13: 1   My three brothers recently visited from afar. We spent a week together crammed into my small apartment. We exhausted ourselves talking about our lives and our favorite subjects--religion, psychology, and politics. I daily used up my quota of words. Many family and friends avoid talking about these subjects to avoid conflict. But we relish the give-and-take of debate. Coincidentally, the Republican National Convention was televised each night. We watched it diligently and exchanged views. Our convictions ranged across the political spectrum. So our conversations were animated, our disagreements passionate. However, at the end of the week, we learned something from each other and parted friends. Words matter. They have power. Our traditions attest to this fact. For example, God created the world with His word. He began, “Let ther...

  Today anger seems to hang in the air now like a low-grade fever. Everywhere you look, someone is irritated, offended, outraged, or ready to snap. It’s as if the emotional climate has shifted, and the default temperature is hotter than it used to be. But here’s the thing: I don’t remember this from childhood. Growing up as a baby boomer, I remember disagreements, frustrations, and the occasional blow-up — but not this constant hum of public anger. Has something actually changed, or does it only feel that way? The answer is yes — something has changed. Several things, in fact. 1. Anger used to be private. Now it’s public. In the world many of us grew up in, adults kept their tempers behind closed doors. Children weren’t exposed to every adult frustration. Neighbors didn’t unload on each other in the grocery store. And if someone was having a bad day, the whole town didn’t hear about it. Today, anger is: posted tweeted livestreamed commented on algorithmically promoted We’re not nec...

  Catholics in the United States live in a landscape shaped by both religious freedom and civic neutrality. The separation of church and state protects the Church from governme nt interference — and protects citizens from religious coercion. But it also raises a practical question: How do Catholics live their faith fully in a secular society? The answer is quieter than politics and deeper than partisanship. Catholics witness through integrity, compassion, sacramental life, and moral consistency. They bring their values into public life without demanding that the state enforce their beliefs. They participate, contribute, and serve — not as a voting bloc, but as disciples. The Church has always thrived when it lives its mission freely, not when it seeks privilege. In a pluralistic society, Catholics can be leaven: small, steady, transformative. Faith does not need political power to shape the world. It needs authenticity. image and some verbiage & research provided by AI post ins...