David Werning writes from Virginia.
Russell Shaw’s and David Byers’ new book, “Revitalizing Catholicism in America: Nine Tasks for Every Catholic” tracks the Catholic Church’s decline in esteem and membership during the last 60 years. The abuse scandal and the pandemic are the most recent evidence. Yet,
As David Werning concludes his series on the Church’s most important documents of the past 150 years, he writes on Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, in which the pope makes an appeal to every person living on Earth to join the conversation
As David Werning continues his Church documents’ series, this month he writes on Pope Benedict XVI’s first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, with a message "to call forth in the world renewed energy and commitment in the human response to God's love.” Werning
As David Werning continues his Church documents’ series, this month he writes on Evangelium Vitae, Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical that proclaims the sanctity of life and offers a background in building a culture of life. David Werning shares: “Ultimately, we
In honor of the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, writer David Werning gives a rundown of the major writings of his pontificate, including four apostolic exhortations and three encyclicals: “Summing up the thought and influence of a particular pope upon his
As David Werning continues his Church documents’ series, this month he writes on Veritatis Splendor, the encyclical of Pope St. John Paul II that offers a “profound meditation on the Church’s moral teaching, which is based in truth, the source of which
As David Werning continues his Church documents’ series, this month he writes on Pope John Paul II’s 1988 apostolic exhortation Christifideles Laici, which takes up the call to holiness as it applies specifically to lay people: “Generally speaking, laypeople manifest the priestly
Ten years after convening the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI issued the apostolic exhortation on evangelization, Evangelii Nuntiandi. In it, he exhorted every member of the Church, and the Church as a whole, to exercise a dual mission: to be ever
In 1968, during the height of the sexual revolution, Pope St. Paul VI stunned the world when he released Humanae Vitae and upheld the Church’s teaching that clearly stated the immorality of using artificial birth control. In the latest installment of his
On Saturday, August 27, in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Pope Francis told the 20 men he had just named new cardinals to set the world on fire. The consistory marks the eighth time Francis has had an opportunity to create new