I think the real problem for American religion are those minority of fundamentalists who try to identify political policies with religion.

It was generally believed that Catholics were not interested in arts and science graduate schools. They weren't going to be intellectuals. And so I put the theses to the test. And they all collapsed.

Priest organizations around the country, both local and national, should realize that their membership has a serious image problem and undertake programs to improve it.

I think the only kind of acceptable evangelization is the evangelization of good example.

I think that the core doctrines of Christianity - the incarnation, the resurrection, life after death-these are as strong as ever. In fact, the belief in life after death has increased in this century.

We are born with two incurable diseases, life, from which we die, and hope, which says maybe death isn't the end.

I wouldn't say the world is my parish, but my readers are my parish. And especially the readers that write to me. They're my parish. And it's a responsibility that I enjoy.