In this Sunday's reading from the Book of Genesis, God establishes a covenant with Noah and his offspring after the Flood. Perhaps thinking of the fiscal covenant the current generation has with its descendants, President Obama this week vowed to cut the federal budget deficit in half by the end of his first term. ...

The psalmist this Sunday asks God for teaching and guidance. The Archdiocese of New York will soon be guided by a new shepherd, Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan. ...

God's patient waiting is highlighted in this Sunday's reading from the First Letter of Peter. After waiting patiently for six years, the people of Baghdad celebrated the reopening of their beloved National Museum Monday. ...

God promises Noah that "the waters shall never again become a flood." But scientists studying global warming in the Antarctic warn that worldwide sea levels may rise much more quickly than previously projected, causing widespread flooding. ...

"There's this cycle of automobile dependency. You have to have a place to park at home, a place to park at work, and a place to park at retail establishments." Cities have become places where "cars have a right to housing and people don't."

Three quarters of Americans think the federal government should not take over the U.S. banking system, while only 9 percent favor the idea.