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Gabriella, you asked for a reaction to an article on a blog called Synesis. The blogger (couldn’t find his name) said he was sick and tired of people quoting Scripture out of context to press for a generous immigration policy. He was particularly exercised about people who quote the story of the Good Samaritan to make the point. Then he quoted several Fathers and Doctors of the Church who offered a specific lesson to draw from the text, an allegorical interpretation that did not lead him (the blogger) to see any relevance to caring for immigrants – nor for people in need in general, as far as I could tell. I want to respond carefully – not to him, but to you. I have a lot of respect for you. In 2012, I was shocked when I realized that the leaders of the fight against immigration (or for low&slow immigration) in Maryland were all pro-life leaders. I left teaching to push back against this painful inconsistency. Since the 1980s, I had seen abortion as one excrescence of the eugen...

Once you notice how central hospitality is in Scripture, you see it everywhere. Today’s Gospel reading at Mass is about Jesus visiting Jericho, and meeting Zacchaeus. Jesus asks Zacchaeus to be his host for a meal; Zacchaeus accepts, with delight, and is transformed. Who was host? Who took the initiative? That’s worth some thought. But in brief, Zacchaeus met God in the breaking of bread – recall the stories of the first feast and the Last Supper, Abraham at Mamre, Elijah at Zarephath, Moses in the olive groves, the disciples at Emmaus, Jesus in Jerusalem, and dozens more. Jesus said, be my host. Zacchaeus agreed, and was filled with joy. Jesus says now, to the USA, be my host. Obama says, maybe slowly maybe next year maybe sort of YES. Republican governors say, NO. And we are filled with fear. The Pope says over and over to America, welcome immigrants and refugees. Ted Cruz says over and over to America, keep them out. I set before you joy and fear, life and death. Choose life...

Immigration: an incomplete thought about Old and New Testament responses to inhospitality It was a great delight to see Doug Harbo and his wife Pat! I was hoping their car would break down and they would be stuck here for a month, but it didn’t happen. Doug asked what was on my mind these days. A book on marriage (complete) and a companion book on immigration (in process), to be published as a pair. But also: the punishments for inhospitality to immigrants in Scripture are extraordinarily severe! This is an incomplete thought. But Doug pressed a little, so I launched. He was startled that I was so interested in blood, and lost interest, at the fourth of five. So I’ll sketch it again here, and get to the fifth, which is the most interesting one. This is an incomplete essay. To do this right, I need a much better understanding of sacrifice. And if I see a pattern in Scripture that recurs five times, I’m pretty sure I’m missing two. Still, here’s the incomplete thought. #1. The pa...

REACH LEFT! Or: Why Am I in New Jersey? Random Notes for a Modest Planning Session Building Toward a Global Pro-life Century (seven ideas and two action items) John Cavanaugh-O’Keefe What follows: Intro, warming up … Why am I here? Unceasing Prayer Apologia Seven convictions … 1. The Unity of the Church 2. Follow Pope Francis 3. STUDY! 4. Study nonviolence (and then return to action) 5. Priceless kindness (a prerequisite to nonviolent action)) 6. Study eugenics, the ideology of arrogance 7. Reach left! Two action items … 1. Action item #1: Campus outreach 2. Action item #2: Cemetery of the innocents – kinetic & global & inclusive version Note on author: A silly brag sheet   Do I Belong Here? Come, Lord Jesus! Come, Holy Spirit! Bring us to the Father! Chris Flaherty invited me to come to a New Jersey strategic planning session. I knew before that she was an effective leader. But now I know she is also a courageous person! Invite JCO...

In the story of Abraham, the lesson about hospitality is fundamental, touching the deepest mysteries of revelation. Consider the similarities between the meeting at Mamre and the celebration of the Eucharist. The order is changed a little, but similarities are overwhelming. The rhythm of hospitality described when Abraham meets the three strangers includes bowing in welcome, washing feet, rest, bread, feasting, concern about family, intercessory prayer, exchange of gifts. The Mass includes a careful welcome from the priest at the opening, in the name of God, corresponding to Abraham’s prompt and warm welcome. It includes water to wash, although it’s self-serve, and it’s for fingers, not toes. It includes a place to rest – or sit, anyway. Mass includes bread, of course – consecrated, transformed and transformative, but bread. It’s a feast – neither steak nor lamb, but the flesh of the Lord. But also, “man does not live by bread alone.”  We are fed first in the readings from Sc...

Between Easter and Pentecost, Catholics around the globe are reading the Acts of the Apostles.  The readings now are about Paul’s adventures along the coast of Turkey and Greece.  And today’s reading is about a time when Paul got hauled into court by some brother Jews. Paul looked over his accusers, and saw an old ideological split.  Some of his accusers were dogmatic about their beliefs concerning a spiritual life that transcends daily experience, including angels and spirits and a life after death; others were equally dogmatic in denying such fuzzy-wuzzy.  So he made an appeal to one side, asserting his roots in their beliefs.  The two sides forgot about Paul and attacked each other.  When the melee began to spin out of control, the Roman intervened and pulled Paul out.  Case closed. I find the reading immensely comforting, addressing a personal worry.  When I was in court in the 1970s and 1980s, pro-life activists used to argue about w...

Thanks, Christy! I have turned to you for strength and honesty, for years. In the 1990s, I set out to change the way we understand our own work, and wrote about nonviolence.  And following Kathie, I set out to change the way we understand our opponents, and wrote about eugenics.  It was my intention to spark two complementary changes in the pro-life movement. Not done yet. Eugenics, in its history, has never been identified with the right or the left.  The easiest example of that swerviness comes up in the fight over Hitler’s attitude toward abortion.  Did he mandate it, like a pro-abort?  Yes.  Did he prohibit it, like a pro-lifer?  Also yes.  Which was he?  A eugenicist.  Eugenics started on the right among imperialists, but was quickly adopted by the Fabian left, then by the American right (KKK and the sterilizers), then by the left (abortionists).  It’s an attitude toward human reproduction, and can appear on the left or the...