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As a Catholic, I share the gratitude -- and joy! -- of so many that Pope Francis has re-centered the Church on the issues that Jesus truly prioritized in his teachings: mercy for the poor, comfort for the sick and a Kingdom on Earth that we can make heavenly through our actions and our pastoral care. He hasn't changed or ignored the Church's teachings on abortion, gay marriage, or other issues, he has simply stressed that,…

A Turkish police officer stands next to a migrant child's dead body off the shores in Bodrum, southern Turkey, on September 2, 2015 after a boat carrying refugees sank while reaching the Greek island of Kos. Thousands of refugees and migrants arrived in Athens on September 2, as Greek ministers held talks on the crisis, with Europe struggling to cope with the huge influx fleeing war and repression in the Middle East and Africa. It’s Sunday, Sept. 6. I sit on…

The last major El Niño brought droughts, floods and disease to equatorial regions – bad luck that those of us in temperate areas should help mitigate. One region's weather win is another region's catastrophe. The current buzz in cafes across California is that snow from this year’s big El Niño will bring the best skiing in years. What fortunate skiers don’t realize is that the same periodic ocean-atmosphere interaction…

The application for the Master of Public Affairs degree is now open! The Goldman School of Public Policy’s one-year Master of Public Affairs degree will train mid-career professionals for visionary, strategic and effective leadership. “With this program, GSPP is expanding its impact in the world,” says Meg St. John, Executive Director. “Participants will learn from the renowned faculty of the Goldman School, and build professional networks with public-spirited thinkers and leaders from the United States…

In an overheated article (“UC Fails to Hit In-State Goal on Admissions”), the San Francisco Chronicle scolds UC for appearing to decline $25 million offered by the Legislature to admit 5,000 more in-state students this year. That’s $5,000 per student which would supplement the $15,000 in tuition and fees that UC charges each student — although many low- and middle-income students get substantial discounts. State support is needed because tuition does not cover the entire cost of a…