Isabella R. Moyer

Isabella R. Moyer is past president of the International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities. She is a columnist for The Prairie Messenger, and her blog, catholic dialogue, promotes respectful dialogue instead of debate on issues of faith and church.

Show full bio ↓

Contract for Cincinnati archdiocese teachers builds walls, not bridges

NCR Today

May 19, 2014

In a homily on May 8, 2013, Pope Francis exhorted us to build bridges, not walls. He described the exclusionary attitudes when he was growing up. They were not to enter the homes of atheists, socialists or those married outside the church. Such an attitude was a defense of the faith, Francis said, but it was also one of walls. The Lord calls us to make bridges.

Real dialogue is messy, hard, and necessary

NCR Today

May 2, 2014

NCR Today: Dialogue is easy to talk about with sweet words and platitudes. Real dialogue is challenging and hard. Our words, whether spoken or written, expose our beliefs.

What does Pope Francis think of the upcoming canonizations?

NCR Today

Apr 2, 2014

Rome is preparing for the double canonization ceremony of Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II on April 27, Divine Mercy Sunday. I wonder what Pope Francis really thinks of these papal canonizations. Elaborate celebrations of saintly elevation seem somehow incongruous with two main themes promoted by our current pope: being a poor church for the poor and being a more humble church, especially among her leaders.

Eulogies and the Catholic church

People

Spirituality

NCR Today

Mar 6, 2014

Why are eulogies viewed with such fear and suspicion in our church?

Authors ›

Isabella R. Moyer

Contract for Cincinnati archdiocese teachers builds walls, not bridges

Real dialogue is messy, hard, and necessary

What does Pope Francis think of the upcoming canonizations?

Eulogies and the Catholic church

'Francis effect' evident at international meeting of Marianist Lay Communities

Missing the NCR discussion boards

Honorific positions, grandiose titles encourage careerism, clericalism

In remembering Mandela, we are forced to revisit apartheid

Francis' focus on joy in apostolic exhortation something to emulate

Toronto mayor's antics highlight lack of personal accountability in today's leadership

We know what the pope said, but what did the women say?

Lessons learned from dealing with clerical bullies

Pope Francis asks us to be the reform we want to see

A prayer for wartime

What this Catholic woman wants

We need a deeper theology of women

We are not dumb sheep, and Pope Francis sees that

'You do know, right, that the world is getting better'

Is the saint-making machine outdated?

Parishes must put new wine in new wineskins

Getting back to basics in math and faith formation

Sex abuse trials overshadow the good news of Catholicism

Man at center of Canada's abortion battle dies

In Canada, rethinking the parish model

Pages