An anti-immigration wave is washing over America and much of the Western world. This wave often drowns out the sensible voices of our pope and bishops, who teach that we must create “a world where immigrants, refugees, migrants, and people on the move are treated with dignity, respect, welcome, and belonging. “

Unlike Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s concentrated, step-by-step instructions for prayer in his Spiritual Exercises, Saint Francis of Assisi’s guidance for those who wish to follow his example of prayer and devotion is more diffuse.

At the heart of pilgrimage is a longing that has fascinated and compelled the human spirit from time immemorial. And this ancient practice is experiencing a growing attraction and taking on new forms today. In fact, America now has its own pilgrim way: the road connecting the California missions of Saint Junípero Serra, canonized in 2015.

Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, director of the Vatican Observatory since 2015, finds it altogether baffling that some people still see science and religion as being somehow opposed.

When people ask during what period of history, besides the present one, I would prefer to have lived, I have no problem answering. I would have loved to have been alive during the 1,100 years when people were adding books to the Bible.