By its third decade in publication, Commonweal was growing accustomed to being, "as in every period... criticized by both the Left and the Right," according to Rodger Van Allen, author of The Commonweal and American Catholicism [1]. Castigated for the "anaemic brand of Catholicity served up by the Skillins, the Maritains .. and their lily-livered ilk;" for being "the sole consolation of the Anti-God forces" and soft on Communism; and for being an outstanding example of the "war-mongering Catholic press" (Pravda), the magazine was actively engaging such issues of the day as race and racism, social and criminal justice, and culture—even as then-special editor Michael Williams encouraged an editorial policy that avoided "the brand of partisanship he saw in most Catholic publications."

As we continue to mark our ninetieth year in publication [2], we're focusing on a different decade every month through November. Below is a selection of stories, interviews, and editorial notes that appeared in Commonweal in the 1940s; make sure to visit this page in coming days, as we'll be posting more from the 1940s through the end of May.