David Gibson is director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University and an occasional contributor to Commonweal.
Article Leo vs. the Americanists The clashes between Leo and the Trump administration underscore how U.S. Catholics have come to behave as though they are religious authorities unto themselves. By David Gibson May 1, 2026 Vatican Religion Donald Trump Pope Leo XIV
Article The Double Agent McCarrick was both a product and a manipulator of a system of clericalism that desperately needs to be overhauled. By David Gibson November 13, 2020 Bishops Sexual-abuse Crisis Clericalism
Article Jazz Vespers During lockdown, daily concerts from balconies in Brooklyn created a welcome ritual that shaped the endless days and strengthened the community. By David Gibson August 12, 2020 Music Liturgy Coronavirus
