editorials

Tough times for the economy mean escalating unemployment and the consequent nervousness that makes everyone meticulously monitor the percentage of the American population without jobs. Often there is an air of crisis around the reporting of the growing numbers of the unemployed.

Those with jobs breathe sighs of relief that they still are working. Though there may be complaints about one's job, the employed generally consider themselves blessed.

Tests of speed may be the oldest and most durable of human competitions. Some, like running, must be as old as two cave boys racing to see who gets the bigger piece of mammoth pie. Others couldn't even be imagined until modern technology invaded our brain patterns.

In a society where drug companies and pro-abortion advocates place profit and policies above the welfare of people, life is a gamble.

The most recent malevolent innovation that has been introduced is a drug called Ulipristal, marketed as "ellaOne," or "ella." The Food and Drug Administration announced Aug. 13 that it had approved the drug.

Ethnic heritage parishes, once a standard in the immigrant-rich United States, have been slowly disappearing as more generations of native-born Americans have released their cling to ethnic identity.

For many Catholics, combining cultural heritage with faith is still an important factor of life. Catholics of Polish heritage in St. Louis did this for more than 125 years at St. Stanislaus.

Just recently, we received a good message from Archbishop Carlson concerning all Roman Catholics of Polish heritage in the St. Louis area.

Despite the recent hot, hazy and humid weather, summer is a great time for reflection, rest and prioritizing one's life.

Pope Benedict XVI recently commented on this during his summer vacation at Castel Gandolfo. In his regular address covered by Catholic News Service, Pope Benedict encouraged Catholics to "rest from our daily labors, so that we may give time to the one thing that is truly necessary to our lives — listening to the word of God in attentive stillness."