Vol. 78, No. 4
Cover
Lasting impressions
By Father Robert Imbelli
Armed with strong faith and intellect, Pope Benedict XVI left an enduring, and sometimes surprising, legacy.
Feature
Alternate endings
By Kathleen Manning
Not all men elected to the papacy have taken a vow of “till death do us part.” A few popes have made an early exit from the chair of Peter—whether they wanted to or not.
Interview
What’s God got to do with it?
An interview with Jesuit Father Richard Leonard
When bad things happen to good people, God often gets an unfair share of the blame, says this Jesuit author. His own sister’s tragic accident showed him just how many Catholics mistake a loving God for a vengeful tyrant.
Reader Survey
The best kneel in town
By Elizabeth Lefebvre
Vibrant liturgies, a welcoming atmosphere, and good preaching are just a few items on U.S. Catholic readers’ shopping lists when they’re in the market for a new parish. In Feedback, readers provide consumer reports on their parish of choice.
Essay
(Essays, short stories, and poems are not available online.)
In Person: A dangerous woman
By Barry Hudock
So much for settling into retirement. Sheila Gilbert is spending her golden years trying to shatter the glass ceiling that keeps people from breaking out of poverty.
Departments
Editors’ Note
You May Be Right (Letters to the Editor)
Signs of the Times (News)
Catholic Tastes (Humor)
Culture in Context: Music, film, and book reviews
At Home with Our Faith (Family spirituality)
Eye of the Beholder (Art meditation)
Glad You Asked: Are popes required to serve for life?
Columns
The Examined Life: Famous last words
By Bryan Cones
Margin Notes: Full of surprises
By Kevin Clarke
Culture in Context: Human conditions
By Patrick McCormick
Testaments: Seventy angry men
By Alice Camille
Homepage Image © hikrcn – Fotolia.com
