The Times reports today: “In a departure from previous elections, Democrats and liberal Catholic groups are waging a fight within the church, arguing that the Democratic Party better reflects the full spectrum of church teachings.” Read the whole story here. 

Nothing here about saints or miracles or things Italian. Just a powerful and thoughtful argument on race and politics posed by New York Times blogger Francis Wilkinson, a good friend.

Texas illustrator Marc Burkhardt, whose work has graced such publications as Rolling Stone, Time, the New York Times, the Atlantic and National Geographic, discusses the path his portrait of Padre Gaetano Catanoso took to the cover of My Cousin the Saint.