E. J. Dionne Jr., a longtime Commonweal contributor, is university professor in the Foundations of Democracy and Culture at Georgetown and a contributing writer to The New York Times. Also by this author The U.S.-Born Pope Is Changing U.S. Catholicism Get Commonweal’s latest, delivered twice weekly. Email address Published in the March 10, 2006 issue: View Contents Recommended for you Lethally Stupid By The Editors August 27, 2026 The Prevost Smile By Max Foley-Keene September 8, 2026 Convert Alert! By Eve Tushnet September 2, 2026