Newsroom

Hoping for better times

Annually since 1968, by the proclamation of the United States government and in recognition of the massive and rich presence of Hispanic/Latino men and women coming to—and living in—the United States, we celebrate HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH during this time of year.

This is a celebration that commemorates, coincides, and integrates with the dates when Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Chile won their independence.

Vatican body calls for an ethical, moral transformation in the battle against COVID-19

FUNDAMENTALLY, every document produced by the Vatican is addressed to all of humanity, but in matters of faith, of course, Catholics are the prime audience. A new set of reflections on the coronavirus, however, published by the Pontifical Academy for Life, targets explicitly all members of the global human family, the humana communitas.

In praise of the ‘Hispanic Paradox’

IT IS CALLED the “Hispanic Paradox” or the “Epidemiological Paradox”—the findings that show that Hispanics, despite greater poverty, discrimination, and lack of education, live longer than non-Hispanic Whites or African Americans. Hispanic life expectancy stands at 81.8 years, compared to 78.5 years for white Americans and 74.9 years for blacks. There also is evidence that Hispanics are less likely to commit suicide or die from drug overdoses. Hispanics do better than whites when it comes to lung cancer mortality, childhood asthma development, and breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and cancer in general.

A single race

These days, the people of the United States continue their march amidst the headlines, the tension, and the protests surrounding the murder by asphyxiation —as determined by the autopsy— of George Floyd, an African-American man, at the hands of four police officers led by Derek Chauvin. This tragedy has even overshadowed news of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already infected and killed thousands of people across this nation.