Inside the Capitol

  • We are all responsible for helping the poor

    Posted by · April 10, 2018 12:00 PM

    Minnesota is ranked the second-best state in the nation overall (after Iowa). This is according to new overall state rankings by U.S. News and World Report, which are based on more than 75 metrics including economy, education, opportunities and quality of life.

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  • Overcoming Gun Absolutism

    Posted by · March 15, 2018 3:00 PM

    Five years ago, just after the Sandy Hook massacre, I wrote a highly criticized column on gun control.

    The causes of gun violence, I noted in that column, run deeper than easy access to guns, and include a media culture filled with violence, and consumer choices supporting it.

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  • The Inseparable Link: Pornography and Human Trafficking

    Posted by · March 02, 2018 3:00 PM

    Every second, people spend $3,075.64 on pornography; every second, 28,258 people view it online; every 39 minutes, a new pornographic video is made in the United States; and every day approximately 11 million teens access some form of pornography.

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  • Fighting fake news with the truth of Christ

    Posted by · February 21, 2018 12:00 PM

    Fake news that distorts public discourse and manipulates the public will not be countered effectively by a renewed interest in journalistic ethics or more laws aimed at improving disclosure of the sources of online content. It is a cultural problem.

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  • Caucusing for human dignity

    Posted by · January 25, 2018 1:00 PM

    It might not be a presidential election year, but in November, Minnesotans will still vote for a governor and all 10 of its representatives in Congress, including two U.S. Senate seats. These decisions can potentially shift balances of power on both state and national levels.

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  • Taking battle notes from Star Wars

    Posted by · December 15, 2017 1:00 PM

    As Catholics, we lose a lot of battles in the public arena. Sometimes giving up and opting out appears to be the best option, but it’s not. Each of us has a small but crucial role to play in God’s great story of salvation, which often doesn’t look much like earthly victory.

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  • St. Francis: Tough words for lawmakers and citizens alike

    Posted by · November 17, 2017 1:00 PM

    St. Francis of Assisi is a beloved saint to many, but often a mischaracterized one. Usually shown with animals, the mainstream vision of Francis is tame and gentle. However, St. Francis was an intense and radical preacher, consumed with zeal for the kingdom of God and intent on relaying the truth to others, including Muslim sultans.

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  • Overdoses, violence and God-talk

    Posted by · October 23, 2017 1:00 PM

    Our society is failing to get to the bottom of the issues. We spend our energy trying to treat the symptoms of social crises, while either ignoring or remaining in denial about the deeper problems in today’s world, which exist first and foremost within the human heart.

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  • Combating racial disparities

    Posted by · September 26, 2017 1:00 PM

    Racial disparities continue to persist in American life. As a response, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently instituted a new initiative to fight racism in all its forms.

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