Commentary

Two parts reverence, one part mischief. That’s how I’d sum up my grandma, whose name — Elinor Marcella Capecchi — captures her mix of poise and playfulness.

We live in a thirsty world. There are few things more basic, more ordinary, or more natural than our need for water. We can’t live without it. And yet, we share other thirsts in life, like the need for safety, love and meaning. It’s hard to live without these essentials as well.

They say that nothing makes you more grateful for what you have at home than going on the road. And that was certainly my experience during a recent two-week trip to Germany to report on the state of the Catholic Church there.

The family is the first economic unit, the first classroom, and the first community that each of us experiences. Parents do the irreplaceable work of nurturing the next generation of thinkers, artisans and caregivers. As the Minnesota Legislature crafts the next biennial state budget and decides what to do with a $17 billion surplus, Minnesota’s bishops are urging lawmakers to place families first in their considerations.

I confess to being a literature major. My father was a literature major. Two of my children were as well. I wear my bias on my sleeve.

Not funny A ‘Driver’s Licenses for All’ counterpoint

When we think about social justice — or, often, our world’s lack of it — we usually think of solutions in terms of lobbying, activism, community organizing, ethical consumerism, protests or voting. We do not usually think of the Church itself as having much to do with our society’s struggles, except maybe as a resource base for those other activities. 

This month, I want to dedicate my column to all children, especially the little ones among us who suffer from protracted and painful illnesses. This one is just for you.