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U.S. Catholic ∙ Vol. 75, No. 1 ∙ January 2010

SPECIAL ISSUE ON WOMEN

Entered into evidence: Women religious respond to the Vatican investigation
More than 800 sisters took U.S. Catholic's survey on how they see the ongoing Vatican investigation of U.S. women religious. Heather Grennan Gary compiles their views on the state of their state in life. See their take on the investigation of the Leadership Council of Women Religious in Under the watchful eye.

The Sisters of Mercy are not McDonald's
What's wrong with a little quality control from papal headquarters? Sister Sandra Schneiders, I.H.M. explains why franchise thinking about religious life is stuck in the drive-thru lane.

Character witnesses
More than 1,700 readers and other Catholics lined up to give testimony on the Vatican investigation of women religious in this Reader Survey. Heidi Schlumpf finds most of them ready to take the stand in their sisters' defense.

WEB ONLY! A tale of two visitations
The biblical visitation would be a good model for the apostolic visitation, writes Fran Ferder, F.S.P.A. 

EXPERT WITNESS

How not to talk about God
Trying to "prove" the existence of God leads straight to atheism, says religion scholar Karen Armstrong in Expert Witness. The first step back is to let God be more than our minds can imagine.
WEB ONLY! 5 Questions with Karen Armstrong - video

FEATURES

In the beginning . . .
Wonder how your favorite Catholic magazine began its life 75 years ago? Executive Editor Meinrad Scherer-Emunds gets out the baby pictures as we begin our diamond jubilee year.

How do you say pro-life in French?
The goal of ending abortion may be the same, but pro-life movements abroad are as varied as the countries in the European Union, writes Simon Caldwell from London.
WEB ONLY! No vacation for pro-lifers: Consistent life advocate Carol Crossed couldn't escape the abortion debate, even when she traveled as far as the Arctic Circle.

Are you smarter than a Protestant?
Take Becky Garrison‘s tongue-in-cheek quiz to find out how little you know about all those "other" baptized people. Don't worry: She didn't put anything in there about the Bible.

ESSAY/OPINION

The amazing technicolor Communion dress
Though her First Communion dress was a bit of a fashion disaster, Angela Batie explains how it appropriately captures her not-quite-perfect relationship with her Catholic faith.

No pain, no gain
Sister Mary Patrick's call to "offer it up" in grammar school may now seem a bit outdated, acknowledges Bill Harkins in Practicing Catholic, but it can also be a way to tough it out with those who don't get a choice about when it hurts.

DEPARTMENTS

Editors' Note
You May Be Right 
Signs of the Times
Catholic Tastes
Culture in Context: REVIEWS
Glad You Asked: How similar are Anglicans and Catholics?
At Home with Our Faith
Eye of the Beholder - Jerry Bleem, O.F.M.

COLUMNS

The Examined Life - Bryan Cones
Mind the gap
Margin Notes - Kevin Clarke
Welcome to the Motel California
Culture in Context - Patrick McCormick
Mothers superior
Testaments - Alice Camille
No time but the present