(Photo: Pexels) The “ Melian Dialogue ,” from Thucydides’ classic History of the Peloponnesian War , is the foundational text of the Realist school of international relations theory. It’s 416 B.C., and the island-statelet of Melos has remained neutral in the war between the local superpowers, Athens and Sparta. A diplomatic delegation from Athens goes to Melos and demands that the Melians join Team Athens. The Melians decline, first citing principles of justice. The Athenians

A confessor's perspective on love, dignity and the gift of self. (Photo: Lightstock) By Father Daniel Ciucci Pastor, Most Precious Blood Parish, Denver There are few better opportunities for a societal pulse check than the confessional. The Fifth Commandment, in particular, manifold in its application, covers everything from drunkenness, reckless driving, gossip and physical violence, to the withholding of forgiveness, the clutching onto bitterness and the like. Recently, how

What Genesis really teaches about sin, power and marriage (Photo: Lightstock) “Your desire shall be for your husband, and he will lord it over you.” Genesis 3:16 I think of all the beautiful aspects of the Genesis account of paradise, the one I perhaps envy most is the perfect relationship between man and woman. (I know, walking with God in the cool of the afternoon seems like a pretty good gig, too.) We have talked about how God created them specifically for each other , a

Timothy Cardinal Dolan processes into Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan in 2021. (Photo courtesy of Cardinal Dolan's Facebook page) There’s a steak house on East 50 th Street in midtown Manhattan, to which Cardinal Timothy Dolan and I would sometimes walk for dinner after a pre-prandial or two in his sitting room. The restaurant was less than a block away from the residence of the archbishops of New York, and the walk would ordinarily take two or three minutes. Wi

Part Two: Why evangelization begins with personal conversion and encounter with Jesus Christ. (Photo: Lightstock) Editor's Note: This column is part of a yearlong series on evangelization, breaking down what often feels like a tall order into real, practical, actionable steps towards intentional accompaniment. Part One: A Practical Guide for Everyday Catholics Part Three: Discern Who to Accompany Part Four: Build Authentic Friendships Part Five: Build Zones of Freedom My dad

(Photo: Unsplash) P.D. James’ detective novels, featuring Inspector Adam Dalgliesh of New Scotland Yard, are every bit as gripping as those penned by Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Edith Pargeter (who wrote as “Ellis Peters” when creating the Cadfael Chronicles ), and Ann Cleeves. Yet my favorite work by the woman who was honored with a life peerage and died in 2014 as Baroness James of Holland Park is her dystopian look into a world of global infertility, The Children o

Entering the Special Year of St. Francis through poverty, death and joy in Christ St. Francis of Assisi in His Tomb , 1630/34 by Francisco de Zurbarán (Spanish, 1598–1664). Oil on canvas. Milwaukee Art Museum. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) With our coattails nearly brushing the closing Jubilee Doors, Pope Leo has proclaimed a Special Year of St. Francis of Assisi . From January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, the faithful who, along with the usual sacraments, unde

(Photo: Lightstock) Organizations spend an estimated $160 billion annually in the U.S. and more than $366 billion globally on leadership development programs. Yet only 25% of organizations and 11% of executives believe their leadership initiatives are effective, according to research from the Brandon Hall Group and McKinsey. I believe leadership training often misses the mark, not because it emphasizes skills, competence or emotional intelligence — all of which matter — but b

(Photo: Denver Catholic design) Volunteering in the Pro-Life movement in the 1990s, I remember praying for the overturning of Roe v. Wade as if it would immediately end the abortion problem in the United States. As a high schooler, it seemed like a simple enough solution. Roe v. Wade caused the mess, so getting rid of it should take care of things. But now, after Dobbs v. Jackson, what has actually changed in the last three and a half years? Even though abortion is now res

“Have no fear! Trust in the Lord.” Pope Leo XIV waves at a massive, jubilant crowd gathered on St. Peter’s Square for the Regina Coeli on Sunday, May 11, 2025. (Photo: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA) Back in the day, when the New Yorker set the standard for literary elegance among serious American journals, writers were driven to distraction by the fanatical fact-checking characteristic of the magazine’s gimlet-eyed editors. But the old New Yorker ain’t what she used to be. Evidence is

Insights from Behold Your Child's ministry to support grieving parents. (Photo: Lightstock) Studies estimate that one in every five pregnancies ends in the loss of a child, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth or infant mortality. That’s a significant number, yet most mothers and fathers suffer this loss alone because it is difficult to talk about, and the stages of grief are not linear. There can also be a stigma around early loss, so many don’t share openly that it is so

(Photo: Lightstock) During my morning prayer, I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 when I was struck by the verse that says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood” (1 Corinthians 13:12). The Ignatius Study Bible notes that ancient Corinth manufactured polished bronze “mirrors.” Although known for their excellent quality, the reflected image was nonetheless hazy and indistinct

Jimmy Lai's 2025 Christmas card featured a moving confession of faith amid suffering. (Courtesy photo) In a 1974 address to a group of lay Catholics, Pope Paul VI noted that "Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses" — an acute observation he later reiterated in his spiritual testament, the 1975 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (Announcing the Gospel). That witnesses can be m

(Photo: Unsplash) What would the collapse of civilization look like? We might immediately think of cutoff utilities, disruptions in the supply chain, violence in the streets and the lack of functional government. While it’s true these might serve as external indicators of a functioning modern society, they do not constitute the essence of civilization. A civilized person doesn’t just live in the city (the civitas that gives civilization its name) but conforms to an ideal of c

John Adams by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1800. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) Having recently lamented in this space that book reading is on life support in these United States, I find myself in the awkward position of recommending a made-for-television series as good preparation for the nation’s 250 th birthday, which will soon be upon us. In fact, though, if you’re going to do just one thing over the next six months to recollect what a marvel the birth of this country

(Photo: Unsplash) Twenty years ago, I published a small book, The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God. It enjoyed a fair sale, got translated into French, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, and Hungarian, and was named a FOREIGN AFFAIRS Bestseller. In it, I argued that Europe was experiencing a crisis of “civilizational morale,” evident in sclerotic governmental bureaucracies, an unwillingness to contribute appropriately to the defense of the

A Colorado Catholic artist explains the symbolism behind sacred icons, especially those depicting Mary, and invites us to step into the divine mystery. Our Lady of the Sign from Yaroslavl, Kiev School, c. 1114. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) So, what is an icon actually? I give talks all around the country on the topic, so if you don’t know what an icon is, please know that you are not alone! I get asked this question often. Simply put, icon means “image.” In the

"No matter how many times the Church seems destined for destruction, or at least precipitous decline, Christ is born anew in the world." St. John Paul II looks out over a massive crowd gathered for World Youth Day Denver 1993. Throughout his papacy, the saintly pontiff signaled a "new springtime," a New Evangelization for the Catholic Church in the twenty-first century, one filled with hope. (Denver Catholic file photo) “Remember that you were at that time separated from Chri

Part One: Rediscovering Jesus’ original vision for discipleship. (Photo: Lightstock) Editor's Note: This column is part of a yearlong series on evangelization, breaking down what often feels like a tall order into real, practical, actionable steps towards intentional accompaniment. Part Two: Be A Disciple First Part Three: Discern Who to Accompany Part Four: Build Authentic Friendships Part Five: Build Zones of Freedom The evangelist, Matthew, concludes his Gospel with the fa

Adoration of the Shepherds by Gerard van Honthorst, c. 1622. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) The Roman Missal provides four distinct Mass texts for the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord: the “Vigil Mass,” the “Mass During the Night,” the “Mass at Dawn,” and the “Mass During the Day.” The gospel readings for these Christmas Masses teach important lessons at Christmas 2025. The Vigil Mass gospel, Matthew 1:1-25, includes the evangelist’s “genealogy of Jesus Chr