Best thing about Al Smith dinner: Cardinal Dolan got the candidates together for a brief prayer before going out on the stage.

I have reflected a great deal on that event, and continue to do so. I cannot give you a complete answer in a few sentences. But I would say that I was struck at that time by the vehemence of the anger from various sides, and the anger was in many cases directed at those who share a Catholic faith. I understand that such anger, such vehemence arises from sincere and passionate conviction, but I believe expressing it in such vitriolic terms gets us nowhere.

Pope Francis has taught us by his example how we can witness with our lives and actions to our faith and moral principles, but still engage respectfully with those who disagree. He's urged us to find a "new balance," going beyond the few wedge issues of our politics, so we do not lose the "freshness and fragrance of the Gospel."

To the extent that we sow love where there is hate and light where there is darkness, each in his or her own walk in life, we can heal, enlighten, and unify.

I'm reluctant to draw many conclusions from private correspondence leaked without permission.

[Pope Francis] has reminded us that the way we live our lives is the most important expression of our Catholic identity.

We are called to serve the common good by engaging with political and other institutions, even in our pluralistic society. We bring to that effort Christ's command to love and the grace that helps us live that love.