In a special edition of Acton Commentary from Rome, Rev. Robert Sirico writes that “insofar as the new papacy has implications for economics and politics, it is in the direction of a humane and unifying liberalism. I speak not of liberalism as we know it now, which is bound up with state management and democratic relativism, but liberalism of an older variety that placed it hopes in society, faith, and freedom.”

Read more on True Liberalism…

Notre Dame Professor John O’Callaghan offers salutary advice: to get a sense of the new pope, we should actually read what he has written (which is a lot) rather than rely on media reports. It’s part of an insightful piece posted yesterday at the Center for Ethics and Culture blog. Long, but worth the read.

Read more on O’Callaghan on Nietzsche, Media, Pope Benedict, Abortion, etc….

If you follow the current controversy surrounding the role of religion in American society, you might conclude that the country faces but two options: throwback theocracy or take-no-prisoners secularism. The following lines sum up an admirably clear and concise understanding of faith and politics:

Read more on The Myth of the Divine State…

Rev. Sirico gives a brief survey of the continuity on economic thought between John Paul II and Benedict XVI in this excerpt of an interview on yesterday’s EWTN show Live from the Vatican.

Read more on Economics and Benedict XVI…

Reporting on an act of vandalism on the cathedral of Buenos Aires, Reuters asserts that Latin America is a region “whose poor and hungry often cannot afford to follow Roman Catholic doctrine.”

Read more on Too Poor to be Catholic?…

Excellent and challenging comments from Cardinal Ratzinger from the conference held on April 1, 2005, at the Monastery of St. Scholastica, Subiaco, Italy. The entire text will be published by Cantagalli Editore, Italy. Full text of the extract available from the Seattle Catholic (Italian text at www.chiesa):

Read more on Europe in a Crisis of Cultures…

Acton adjuct scholar Alejandro Chafuen argues that the new pope places the concept of freedom centrally to his thinking. And “with freedom comes an incalculability — and thus the world can never be reduced to mathematical logic,” writes Chafuen.

Read more on Benedict XVI and Freedom…

Rev. Robert Sirico has been providing commentary in a number of media outlets. Today Rev. Sirico appeared on BBC America and The Laura Ingraham Show.

Research fellow Kevin Schmiesing wrote an op-ed appearing in the Detroit News, “New pope starts debate on direction of Catholic Church” (PDF). Director of research Samuel Gregg also wrote a short reflection for the Detroit News, “Reaction on the streets of Rome” (PDF).

Read more on Acton Staff on Pope Benedict XVI…

Join Rev. Robert Sirico for a live chat at 11 am ET this morning hosted by Live Online at washingtonpost.com, “Insight on the New Pope.”

Visit the Acton Institute’s special section on Pope Benedict XVI to keep up-to-date about the new pope and the media activities of Acton staff.