In graduate school at Cambridge, a group of us once played a bizarre card game one of our philosophers made up.

Almost fifty years ago, the renowned sociologist of religion, Peter Berger, wrote a short yet suggestive book, A Rumor of Angels. 

When I sat down to write these remarks, I did it knowing that this talk will probably be the last one I give as Archbishop of Philadelphia. So the words matter. 

There have even been bishops so impatient with the subtleties that make theology logical that they have turned two thousand years of Christianity upside down by announcing that the death penalty is absolutely immoral.

This article is Part Two of a series—see Part One here.

Bishop Miler Magrath (Maolmhuire Mag Raith) of Ireland (1523-1622) wrote his own epitaph for the tomb in Cashel in which he was finally laid in his one-hundredth year.

While experience cautions theologians against the quicksand of politics, politicians not infrequently rush in to theological matters where angels fear to tread.

A few days ago, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence sent out a message that within living memory absolutely no mother or father, liberal or conservative, Christian or Jewish or secular, or anyone old or young would have considered to be controversial.