This domain is a religiously grounded application of our Catholic Tradition within political, economic, and social domains. Often under the guise of Catholic Trends, I riff off of topics of contemporary interest that hopefully are consonant with our Social Justice Tradition.

CATHOLIC TRENDS

CATHOLIC TRENDS (SPRING (#2) 2026)

• The geography of American Catholicism is shifting dramatically. While the South has gained over 7.4 million Catholics in the last 25 years, the Northeast and Midwest have seen steep declines, raising serious questions about the Church’s future footprint.
• Even as the Catholic population grows modestly, something deeper is happening: Catholic funerals, baptisms, and First Holy Communions are all declining. What does it mean when the numbers rise but the participation falls?
• A controversial appointment at the University of Notre Dame sparked national backlash, drawing intervention from bishops and alumni alike. The outcome may have resolved the immediate issue – but lingering concerns about Catholic identity remain.
• A recent report in Rhode Island raises difficult questions – not only about past sexual abuse, but about selective scrutiny. Why is the attention focused almost exclusively on Catholic clergy while similar issues elsewhere receive far less attention?

CATHOLIC TRENDS (SPRING (#1) 2026)

• A sitting U.S. president threatens the destruction of an entire civilization – and the Pope responds without hesitation: “this is truly unacceptable.”
• When war fails the Church’s just war criteria, what are Catholic soldiers to do? One archbishop answers: “do as little harm as you can.”
• More young people are reading the Bible than ever before – but belief is not keeping pace. What happens when curiosity outstrips conviction?
• Students are arriving at top universities unable to read full sentences – yet half of Americans didn’t open a single book last year. What does that mean for the future of faith and reason?

Catholic Trends (WINTER (#4) 2026)

• Is Christianity compatible with capitalism and nationalism – or does the Gospel demand something radically different? A debate stretching from Austrian economists to modern political leaders raises the question.
• From papal diplomacy to cultural flashpoints, today’s Catholic conversation spans wars, politics, economics, and moral witness in a divided world.
• Are Catholics becoming ideological tribes instead of disciples? Conflicts over nationalism, abortion, justice, and papal authority reveal deep tensions within the Church.
• Politics, moral data, papal leadership, and cultural clashes – a rapid-fire look at the issues stirring debate inside and outside the Church.

Catholic Trends (Winter (#3) 2026)

• Are Catholic moral values becoming a minority voice? New Gallup data reveals how Americans now judge issues of life, sexuality, and human dignity.
• What do clergy actually believe? A national survey uncovers surprising differences in belief about God, the Resurrection, Hell, and biblical truth.
• Does regular worship shape moral conviction? Fresh polling suggests religious practice still strongly influences views on marriage and sexuality.
• Signs of faith, tension, and hope in the Church today: from sacramental life and abuse perceptions to Pope Leo’s global popularity and a call to preach from prayer – not AI – this snapshot captures a Church navigating a complex cultural movement.

Catholic Trends (Winter (#2) 2026)

• Why are nine out of ten cradle Catholics leaving the Church? New research points to the decisive role of parents, marriage, and credible lived faith in raising lifelong Catholics.
• Catholicism is shifting geographically and politically in the U.S. The South is gaining millions of Catholics, while Democrats face a growing religious disconnect that’s reshaping electoral realities.
• A deepening rift in the global Church: German Bishops reject sexual binary teaching even as Rome forcefully affirms it – raising urgent questions about authority, unity, and fidelity.

Catholic Trends (WINTER 2026)

• Who counts as “Catholic” in America today?
• Ancient devotion, modern impact – praying the Rosary and its benefits.
• Faith, culture, and controversy at a crossroads – the FBI’s surveillance of Catholics.

Catholic Trends (Winter 2025)

• Pope Francis assures President Donald Trump of prayers, but says that mass deportations would be a disgrace.
• Christians make up the largest share of the world’s migrant population.
• Catholic marriage today.

Catholic Trends (Fall 2025)

• New Study on Catholic life in the United States.
• Church’s show resilience five years after the pandemic.
• The impact of Mary, the Mother of the Church, on ecclesial vocations.

CATHOLIC TRENDS (SUMMER (#2) 2025)

• Where does Pope Leo XIV stand on hot-button issues?
• Pam Bondi targets medical profession in providing services to sexually confused minors.
• Pope Leo stresses character formation as he spoke to Catholic educators.

CATHOLIC TRENDS (SUMMER (#1) 2025)

• Money, lies, and God. Inside the movement to destroy American democracy; a look at Christian nationalism that begins by riffing off the Last Judgment.
• President Trump closing U.S.A.I.D. could cost an estimated 14 million lives by 2030.
• Many still watching mass online after the pandemic.

CATHOLIC TRENDS (WINTER 2024)

• Are there bigoted cell groups within the FBI that are anti-Catholic?
• “Is the Pope Catholic? Catholic identity in the Media” was a provocative presentation at a recent Religious Research Association annual meeting.
• Newer priests tend to be more ideologically conservative.

CATHOLIC TRENDS (SPRING 2024)

• Raising Catholic children to be active Catholic adults.
• The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Good News and baptize all nations, which beings at home. How are we doing?
• 85% of Catholic young people leave the Faith as adults for other religions or none at all. What’s going on?