By Lucia A. Silecchia “Raising children is sacred work.” We may expect to hear this in a homily, read it in an encyclical, or learn it from our own parents. Instead, this declaration can be found in the opening pages of a frightening, newly-released U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of […]

In recent days, the eyes of sports lovers have been turned toward Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. I have to admit that the Olympics excited me much more when I was younger. When they used to be scheduled every four years, the games seemed rare and special. But, once the summer and winter […]

By IHE Scholar Marcela Duque In one of his audiences on discernment, Pope Francis delivered a series of remarks on the nature of desire, many of which are similar to those in Plato’s Symposium. The Pope describes desire as “a nostalgia for fullness that never finds complete fulfillment” and “the sign of God’s presence in us.” In […]

By IHE Graduate Scholar Dominic Cassella  The word “heresy” is used frequently these days. Because of its widespread use, examining the origins and history of the word can illuminate what it really means and why it matters.  The word originates from the Greek hairein, which means “to choose.” The noun form, hairesis, appears several times […]

By Lucia A. Silecchia Recently, I spent a couple days on an annual getaway to a popular family theme park. Yes, there were long lines, hot weather, overpriced snacks and crowded hotels. Yet, in the happy exhausting chaos, I caught a glimpse of the love of God. The park was filled with parents of young […]

I miss landlines. Certainly, I like the convenience of being able to reach friends and family quickly and appreciate being able to receive phone calls away from home or office. Truly, I am grateful for the connectedness easily taken for granted when a pocket-sized phone has become a constant companion. Yet, what I miss about […]

By IHE Graduate Scholar Daryl Li Radical historicism implies that the insights and values of the past are irrelevant to us today since they are, at most, true and good in their historical contexts but not our own. In this framework, ideas about right and wrong within the current epoch must be determined by us […]

On Memorial Day last year, an acquaintance of mine visited a parish not my own and brought home a church bulletin. I glanced through it and saw, prominently displayed, a colorful graphic wishing everyone a “Happy Memorial Day.” I found myself surprisingly angry to see this festive greeting. I have come to accept the misunderstanding […]

By IHE Scholar Beatriz Lopez Bonetti Most agree that beauty has something to do with symmetry, order, and pattern. When we encounter a nature scene that exhibits these qualities — such as my homeland’s Angel Falls, the tallest uninterrupted waterfall in the world — we naturally find it beautiful and feel a sense of wonder […]