IHE Director of Research and Planning, Emmett McGroarty, addresses why greater centralization and larger bureaucracy lead to a lack of accountability and widen the distance between government and its constituents. While reliance on experts is a necessary part of dealing with a crisis, such as COVID-19, this reliance cannot be an excuse for ignoring the normal system of check and balances, which keep the government tethered to the people.

A recent panel discussion, hosted by the Institute for Human Ecology and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, shows how using both economics and theology can help us better advance the common good.

In this piece, Chen Guangcheng and William J. Saunders discuss the effects of China’s authoritarian dictatorship on the freedom of its citizens, particularly during the pandemic. 

Lucia A. Silecchia, Professor of Law and IHE Fellow, shares a reflection in honor of Pope Saint John Paul II's 100th birthday on May 18. Silecchia shares some thoughts on the ordinary places in his hometown that shaped his life – and taught her some lessons about her own. 

Can anyone really be happy in a hedonistic society? That’s what IHE Fellow Jennifer Frey and her guest David McPherson of Creighton University ponder in Episode 22 of Sacred and Profane Love: Huxley on Love and Longing in Dystopia.

In times of global crisis, the wisdom of theologians brings not only spiritual comfort but also a blueprint of how to continue and strengthen one’s faith. Joseph E. Capizzi, Ph.D., executive director of IHE, and H. David Baer outline the crucial role of theologians during a crisis such as the coronavirus pandemic, most significantly, to help people find God’s grace to lead them forward in faith rather than in fear. The authors also reflect on the social nature of the Church and how the love we have for each other is illustrated even as we practice social distancing.

In a joint statement of twenty experts in medicine, law, bioethics, theology, and public policy, M.A. in Human Rights Program Director, William J. Saunders, offers guidance and moral considerations for prioritizing care during the COVID-19 pandemic. When faced with economic crisis and concerns medical care capacity, these professors with myriad expertise apply reason and provide clarity for all of us, especially those in decision-making roles.

Mark Bauerlein, Faculty Fellow for the IHE, masterfully describes his time in graduate school and the impact reading great authors had on his personal life, as well as his professional journey. In an age where our addiction to screens is both troublesome and seemingly impossible to shake, Bauerlein's poignancy about the usefulness of literature reminds readers of one of the greatest truths: books are just plain better.

Following the Holy Father’s Urbi et Orbi blessing, IHE Fellow Lucia A. Silecchia expresses both simply and profoundly how we all feel about this strange and uncertain situation. Sharing the meaning behind the Holy Father’s Urbi et Orbi blessing, Professor Silecchia reminds us that it is ordinary people doing ordinary things that change the world, so long as extraordinary love is our motive.

IHE Fellow, C.C. Pecknold, provides readers with poignant takeaways from the Babylonian Exile. How does the experience of the Israelites compare to our own in this Coronavirus pandemic? Where is God in the midst of suffering? As we all experience isolation and fear, this author looks to Sacred Scripture and clings to a forgotten truth: God is Sovereign.

What good is fasting, anyway? IHE Fellow, Jay Richards, makes a case for fasting and prayer with specific regard to the poor during this strange and often frightening Lent. Examining Scripture and even Seinfeld to make his case, his words hit us powerfully, perhaps right in the gut, as we realize the devastation this pandemic is having on those who suffer with food scarcity.

In an article for Aleteia, Mario Enzler, Fellow at the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America, shares the devastating aftermath of over 11 deaths of priests in the Bergamo, Italy area. As the pandemic continues to affect us all personally, how will it affect the Body of Christ as a whole? 

IHE Fellow, Lucia A. Silecchia, pens a thought-provoking reflection on how changes to daily routine impact our personal faith and community spirituality. She shares how the meaning of the Holy Mass is transformed in light of the fact that it’s been taken away. How will the faithful respond?

Rev. John McNerney, PhD, the Michael Novak Distinguished Visiting Scholar at CUA, shares his expertise on the educational principles and ideas that make St. John Henry Newman a beacon for all generations.

In October 2019, President Trump signed an Executive Order issuing guidance for streamlining administrative effectiveness and documentation for third parties (federal grantees, states, and private parties.) Yet, this EO is merely guidance, not law. Professor of Law and IHE Fellow Emmett J. McGroarty answers myriad questions pertaining to the EO, the Trump administration's enforcement of its own guidance, and how the response of each third party impacts citizens.