"Obviously, something must change because if it doesn’t the social fabric of our country will only continue to deteriorate. Something must change because there is nothing hopeful, nothing promising, and certainly nothing magnanimous about a political discourse that is characterized more by suspicion, mistrust, selfishness, and animosity than by good will, respect, generosity of spirit, and even charity. Something must change and, strangely enough, a way out of the mess in which we find ourselves may be through friendship."

Read the whole essay here.

Paul Wadell is Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI, and a member of the Passionist JPIC Committee