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Articles by Vox Nova
What Vance Got Wrong On Ordo Amoris
Another prominent Catholic in public office, another series of contortions of the faith in service of political ends. Former President Biden and his defenders sometimes liked to tout his reputation as a “devout Catholic” – devout, that is, insofar as it was politically convenient to be so. In his own professed personal views on such grave evils as abortion and possession of nuclear weapons, it was all too clear where his true devotion lay.
The Antidote To Despair: A Pre-Inauguration Call For Hope
One of my new year’s resolutions for 2025 is to get more exercise. In support of this goal, I spent some time yesterday exercising my right to free speech and assembly. This is a kind of exercise I recommend everyone partake in if you live in a country that permits it (and fight for if you don’t). On a chilly Saturday, I joined a small but strong group of people in Washington, DC on a march to the Lincoln Memorial.
Pyrophobia
As I, from my warm home in snow-dusted Pittsburgh, take in images of the hellscape that Los Angeles has become, I feel inspired to share an essay that was published in the final issue of Geez, an ad-free Christian print magazine that sadly shut down last year. My prayer is that in this new year 2025 we may all find refining fire of conviction amid the raging fire of destruction. May we extend our support to the people most in need, and we may resist the apathy that threatens to take hold.
(Not) Who We Are
We hear it from leaders of all stripes, any time violence breaks out: “This is not who we are.” My first response when I hear this is generally cynicism: clearly, the fact that “this” has happened means that we have shown it to be exactly who we are. But then, as I think about it, I see the underlyingly aspirational nature of such statements.
Magdalena’s Garden: On Finding Other Ways To Mother
Note: This post is adapted from the notes of a sermon I was invited to give on Sunday, May 12 at Christ Church, a United Church of Christ in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. As a Catholic I was thrilled by this invitation, particularly the chance to preach publicly as part of a liturgy – something my own tradition does not permit. It was an incredibly empowering experience for me, and I’d like to share with you the story I shared with the congregation this morning. Garlic Cancer fighter. Memory booster.
On Divine Mercy Sunday, Remember Saint Faustina’s Vision
Today, Catholics around the world celebrate the Feast of God’s Divine Mercy. I wish more people – regardless of creed – could be aware of this special day. During the 1930’s, at a time when the world seemed to be falling apart, when tyranny was on the rise in Europe and economic hardship was widespread, a Catholic sister named Faustina Kowalska had a series of mystical experiences centering around a deep experience of God’s mercy.
Winners And Losers In Biden’s State Of The Union Address
Winners Unions Public teachers People with student loan debt People on prescription medications Medical researchers Weapons manufacturers Potato chip lovers Losers Large corporations Children conceived with disabilities Asylum seekers People living in war zones It’s been said that the moral measure of society is how it treats its most vulnerable members.
Ash Wednesday In Portugal
After reading my fellow blogger Julia Smucker’s piece about the implication of wearing our ashes on Ash Wednesday, I thought I would share a curious variant that I encountered in Lisbon. I am here for business and since there was no English language alternative for Ash Wednesday, my wife and I went to the local parish church, Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, for the evening service.
Marked With The Sign Of Faith
There is a video of a PostSecret event – where audience members can choose to share a secret publicly – in which a Muslim woman wearing a hijab says: “My secret is that because I wear the headscarf, because I’m so clearly Muslim, I go out of my way to be nice to everybody, to donate to everybody that ever asks me for money in public, just because I don’t want them to think that Muslims are bad people, even when I don’t really want to donate money or be nice to people or let people merge into...
A Personal Reflection On Fiducia Supplicans
The publication of Fiducia Supplicans by the Vatican almost two months ago prompted quite a tumult in the Catholic world (at least on social media), with all manner of reactions, both positive and negative. I don’t want to dive into the controversy over this document, at least not directly. Suffice it to say that from my perspective, much of the hostility towards this document in the United States is driven by the faction of Catholics who are overtly hostile to Pope Francis.
Wrestling with my Critical Mind at Christmas
Visiting family for Christmas affords the opportunity to keep the feast among both Mennonites and Catholics, the two branches of the Christian tradition that I consider home. Even though they don’t currently live in or near any of the multiple communities in which my faith was formed, being among Mennonites invariably feels like a homecoming of sorts, a return to a native country from which I may have in some sense expatriated, but which can never not be home. Why do Mennonites …?
Reflections on the Nativity: a Repost
Eleven years ago, I gave this sermon to my Secular Franciscan fraternity and posted it here at Vox Nova. It is one of my favorite posts on Vox Nova. In light of the my last post on Greccio, I want to share it with you again.
The 800th Anniversary of Greccio and the Greccio Indulgence
The year 2023 marks the 800th anniversary of the very first Christmas creche, which was created by St. Francis of Assisi to celebrate midnight mass in the town of Greccio in 1223. The story is recounted by his first biographer, Thomas of Celano, and below I have pasted an extensive extract of his account. Francis did more than create a creche: he created a living nativity scene in a cave, complete with an ox and ass.
Facing a loved one’s mortality brings new meaning to Advent
Last summer, two people in my life got diagnosed with terminal cancer. On the weekend after Thanksgiving – the feast of Christ the King – one of them made the transition from curative to palliative care. After about two months of chemotherapy, he contracted COVID-19 last October. Though he recovered, he was left too weak to withstand more chemo. He spent much of November in a rehab facility trying to regain strength to continue the treatment.
In a time of war, Isaiah’s message is especially poignant
On October 7, 2023, when I woke up to the news of the Hamas attacks on over 1300 innocent Israeli citizens, I was horrified. The world was – and is – already grappling with one major war brought on by Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. On that otherwise beautiful autumn morning, I learned that the world’s most infamous conflict zone – a land holy to followers of three religions – had exploded into violence.
Humanized Machines and Mechanized Humans
There have been times over the past few years when I’ve gotten the deeply unsettling feeling that I was observing society around me careening toward some sort of catastrophe, as if in slow motion yet simultaneously at breakneck speed, and that although I could see it coming, I could do nothing to stop it.
A Reflection for the Third Sunday of Lent
At today’s Mass, we hear one of my favorite Gospel stories: Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. I am grateful to US Catholic for inviting me to share a personal meditation on this reading as part of their Sunday Reflections series. Imagine that, one late July afternoon, while driving down Highway 20 outside Galena, Illinois, you stop at the scenic overlook rather than passing it by.
Imagining Christian Unity
During this weekend’s Mass, I was struck by the second reading of the liturgy from Saint Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose. For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you.
Lies, Damn Lies, and Profit Motives
A few years ago, my creeping moral unease with major pharmacy chains was galvanized by reading about “pharmacy deserts“, which occur when chains squeeze out and then buy out independent pharmacies only to shut them down, forcing customers to travel burdensome distances to pick up prescriptions – with potentially disastrous effect if people can’t get there by closing time.
On Judging Idiots and Being the Idiot
Fredrik Backman nails the human condition.
Another Reflection
Last week I posted the text of a reflection which I gave in my fraternity for the rite of admission for one of our candidates. I found it as I was preparing another such reflection, for a candidate we just admitted, whom I shall refer to as Art. Here is the text. My dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord be with you, and you with the Lord! We gather today to welcome our brother Art in his rite of admission to our humble fraternity.
A Reflection for a Rite of Admission
I was looking for some papers and I found this reflection which I gave last year and always meant to post. For background: as part of the process of becoming a Secular Franciscan, a person passes through several stages–visitor, inquirer, candidate–before becoming a professed member. The ceremony to become a candidate, called the rite of admission, is marked by a short liturgy of the word. Last year, one of our members, whom I will refer to as Kay (not her name), became a candidate.
Can one be a homeowner and a Christian?*
*This is a sincere question, not a rhetorical one…though some rhetoric follows. I’m writing these words in a room with big windows. I’m looking through them at a blue sky on a bright late-summer afternoon, listening to the sound of locusts, and sipping tea. So far it’s been a good day. Throughout my life I’ve sat and written in many rooms. Not counting my years in a college dorm, I’ve lived in nine different dwellings as an adult.
An interesting take on modesty
Some years ago, we at Vox Nova had a variety of posts on modesty as a Christian virtue, and also on the abuses of this virtue in support of patriarchal or even misogynist values. You can read a couple of my contributions here and here.
Pastoral Letter on Nuclear Disarmament: A Catholic Worker Campaign
Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico, has written a pastoral letter on nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament, Living in the Light of Christ’s Peace: A Conversation Toward Nuclear Disarmament .
Reblogging: Must We Resign Ourselves to Violence
Vox Nova blogger Julia Smucker is a regular contributor to the blog of the Consistent Life Network, a pro-life, pro-peace organization dedicated to non-violence. Here is a sample of her most recent post: Once while taking a graduate-level test in cultural anthropology, I had a revelation of sorts. In the class, we’d been discussing what’s revealed when different cultural values come into tension.
This is Why We Founded Vox Nova--And Why it Must Continue
There has not been a lot of traffic on our blog, Vox Nova, in the past couple of years. For a while I had a weekly series on Catholic Social Teaching in papal encyclicals, driven by a pandemic based reading group, that was more for my own benefit than anything. Writers moved on, people developed other interests, and somehow Vox Nova got moved to the back burner. So much so that Patheos recently wrote to ask if we wanted the blog to go dormant.
It’s More Complicated Than That
I have a friend with whom I agree on most political issues. A moderate Democrat, he supports things like social welfare programs that promote equality and comprehensive immigration reform. One area where we firmly clash, however, is in our attitudes toward war. A historian of the ancient world, he believes that war has always been with us and always will be.
If Christ is our only King
At the risk of getting myself in trouble with readers, I am going to say it: I struggle to believe in God. I call myself a Christian. I attend Mass and recite the Creed. I read Christian books and write for Christian publications. And yet, on a day-to-day basis, I find it difficult to pray. I rarely feel the presence of a divine being unheard and unseen. When someone asks me to pray for them, I do. But I often wonder just whom or what I am praying to.
A Lament for Afghanistan
On September 11, 2001, I woke up in my college dorm in the New York City suburb of Yonkers. I’d gone through orientation and now was starting my first week of classes. I can’t remember if my two roommates were in the room with me or not – I vaguely remember being alone in the room but cannot be sure. Suddenly, the phone (a landline) rang. “A plane just hit the World Trade Center!” my mother was screaming frantically.
When The Headlines Come Home
My words today are a deep lament, as well as a cry for justice and mercy. Yesterday I picked up a copy of my hometown newspaper and saw a headline I’d never imagined I’d read: Bishop Edward Grosz, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo, NY, USA, is the latest in the string of more than 150 priests to be accused of sexual abuse of a minor in the diocese. He is also the highest ranking. To top it all, for years he was charged with the task of handling the cases of accused priests.
Thank you!
How Far Can We Go? How Far Can We Go? Ridiculous Crap You Never Thought You'd See
The number six and neutrality: a response to Brett Salkeld
The number six and neutrality: a response to Brett Salkeld May 16, 2021 David Cruz-Uribe A couple weeks ago, my fellow blogger, Brett Salkeld, gave an interesting talk to a group of Catholic school teachers entitled There is no Neutral for Catholics. There is a lot going on here and I strongly recommend reading it. I am not in agreement with some of what he says, but Brett is a thoughtful theologian so he is worth engaging with. And in particular, I am very interested in his project.
A Catholic Life
My Mom’s life began in a farmhouse far out on the edge of the tiny town of Arroyo Grande, California, the youngest of 5 children. Her earliest memories were formed in the crucible of the Great Depression. That event, and the ensuing deprivation and rationing of the Second World War, left in her an abiding frugality that was a commonplace of so many in her generation.
Seeking Silence: My Life in Maundy Thursdays
I’ve sometimes had the thought that I could measure my adult life in Maundy Thursdays. In my introspective inner life, the Paschal Triduum – and, for reasons that remain somewhat mysterious to me, Maundy Thursday in particular – has emerged as a series of mile markers on a spiritual journey.
Saints and Social Justice, by Brandon Vogt: a Review
Saints and Social Justice, by Brandon Vogt: a Review February 13, 2021 David Cruz-Uribe Saints and Social Justice: A Guide to Changing the World, Brandon Vogt, Our Sunday Visitor Press, Huntington, 2014. I came across this book when my parish selected it to be used by reading groups during Lent this year.
Reading Octogesima Adveniens, Part I
This blog post is the first post where I reflect on Octogesima Adveniens, the last CST document from Paul VI. My previous reflections were about Populorum Progressio, Gaudium et Spes, Pacem in Terris, Mater et Magistra, Quadragesima Anno, and Rerum Novarum. This document is somewhat different than the previous ones, as it is an apostolic letter and not an encyclical, and it is not addressed to the whole Church.
Reading Octogesima Adveniens, Part II
This blog post is my second one on Octogesima Adveniens, the last CST document from Paul VI. You can read Part I here. We finished the document at this discussion, though we did get distracted initially. In the break between meetings of our reading group, I stumbled on an article (PDF) by Sr. Mary Elsbernd, OSF (a fellow Franciscan), on paragraph 4 of Octogesima Adveniens. It would seem that this paragraph, which I had passed over in my first reading of letter, contained some interesting things.
Reading Octagesima Adveniens, Part I
This blog post is the first post where I reflect on Octogesima Adveniens, the last CST document from Paul VI. My previous reflections were about Populorum Progressio, Gaudium et Spes, Pacem in Terris, Mater et Magistra, Quadragesima Anno, and Rerum Novarum. This document is somewhat different than the previous ones, as it is an apostolic letter and not an encyclical, and it is not addressed to the whole Church.
Reading Populorum Progessio, Part III
This is my third and final post on the encyclical Populorum Progressio by Paul VI; you can read the first part here and the second part here. In this sitting we read paragraphs 61-87, which continues the discussion of integral development. Our discussion started by focusing the rules which should govern trade and economic relationships so as to foster the common good.
Guest Post: On Biden-Harris Administration’s Polarizing Statement on Roe v. Wade at 48
Guest Post: On Biden-Harris Administration’s Polarizing Statement on Roe v. Wade at 48 January 24, 2021 David Cruz-Uribe Vox Nova is pleased to share a guest post by Greg Walgenbach. He is responding to this statement from the Biden Whitehouse. Yesterday the newly elected Biden-Harris Administration put out a polarizing statement on the 48th Anniversary of Roe v.
Reading Populorum Progessio, Part II
This is my second post on the encyclical Populorum Progressio by Paul VI; you can read the first part here. For this discussion we read the middle third, paragraphs 32-60. The material in this section splits into two parts.
Reading Populorum Progessio, Part I
This is my first post on the encyclical Populorum Progressio by Paul VI. It continues my reflections on the major encyclicals on Catholic social teaching. Previously, I have written multi-part posts on Rerum Novarum, Quadragesimo Anno, Mater et Magistra, Pacem in Terris, and Gaudium et Spes. Populorum Progressio is the first Catholic social encyclical written after Vatican II, and it relies heavily on Gaudium et Spes as well as the encyclicals of Pope John XXIII.
Seeing Racism: A Video Lecture
My parish, St. Francis of Assisi of Tuscaloosa, has an ongoing project to educate about race and racism in our Church and in America. It is called the Martin de Porres Project, and its threefold mission is summarized as Seeing Racism Building Racial Justice Healing Through Racial Harmony. Today we launched a five part lecture series. I gave the first talk, entitled Seeing Racism, about structural racism in America.
January 17-24, 2021: A Week of Nonviolence for Christians
January 17-24, 2021: A Week of Nonviolence for Christians January 17, 2021 Jeannine Pitas The Church of St. Timothy in Blaine, MN, in collaboration with a small group of spiritual directors and activists, has designated January 17-24 as a Week of Nonviolence for Christians.
Nonviolence Begins With Me
I write these words in Dubuque, IA, USA, on January 16, 2021 among national concern about armed protests planned in all fifty US state capitols in response to Joe Biden’s upcoming presidential inauguration. I hope and pray that whatever happens tomorrow, there will be not shots fired, no one beaten, no lives lost…and that the following day, we will honor in peace and gratitude our nation’s prophet of justice and nonviolence, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior.
Reading Gaudium et Spes Part IV
This is my fourth and final post on Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, of Vatican II. It has turned into a long one, but hopefully you find something worthwhile in it. You can read part one here, part two here, and part three here. For this discussion we read Part II, Chapters 4-5, paragraphs 75-93. Chapter 4 is a discussion of the life of the political community, and Chapter 5 on fostering peace and the community of nations.
How to Vaccinate Like a Catholic
SPOILER WARNING: The Good Place spoilers below. In season 3 of The Good Place, the protagonists discover that no one has actually made it to the good place in roughly 500 years. Initially suspicious that the demons of the bad place have rigged the system, our heroes eventually find the explanation for the problem is actually much less perfidious, though no more comforting. The modern world, it seems, has become so morally complex that virtually every action is morally compromised.
The Moral Duty to be Vaccinated Against Covid-19
The Moral Duty to be Vaccinated Against Covid-19 December 30, 2020 David Cruz-Uribe I am working on an article for the newsletter of the Secular Franciscan region that I belong to. Originally, I had intended to write about climate change, but in light of the pandemic, I have decided to write about something more current. This blog post is a first draft.
Reading Gaudium et Spes, Part III
This is the third of my ruminations on Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World of Vatican II. You can read part one here and part two here. This post has been long delayed for a variety of reasons, so I am hoping to turn out several of these in short order to get caught up. For this discussion we read Chapters 1-3 of Part II of the constitution, paragraphs 46-72.
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