The View from the Pew
Reflections from the CCOC Board on reform, accountability, and the future of our Church in Pittsburgh and beyond -- and occasional perspectives from others, including our members.
2026-09-26
Faith Takes Shape When Everyone Has a Voice
An Ordinary Time reflection on Catholic social teaching, attentive listening, and practical neighborliness in Pittsburgh. It invites lay Catholics to make participation and shared responsibility part of everyday parish and civic life.
September 18, 2026
Eight Years and Still Walking
Reflecting on the eighth anniversary of the Grand Jury Report — what has changed, what hasn't, and why CCOC keeps walking.
September 17, 2026
A Door Opened in Rome
The Vatican's Study Group 5 report on women in the Church opens doors that have been closed for a long time.
September 16, 2026
Open Books, Open Doors
Financial transparency drives generosity and trust. Opacity drives disengagement. What the diocese can learn from well-run nonprofits.
September 2, 2026
Half the Church
Women are more than half the Church in practice. It's time for structures that recognize their leadership.
August 19, 2026
The Priests We're Losing
We're losing active priests to burnout and isolation. Lay co-responsibility isn't diminishing the priesthood — it's trying to save it.
August 5, 2026
What Co-Responsibility Looks Like in 2026
A New Year's resolution for the Catholic Church in Pittsburgh: make 2026 the year of shared governance.
July 15, 2026
Christmas and the Parish Next Door
Fewer churches exist than ten years ago. Community is not a nice-to-have — it's essential.
July 1, 2026
Advent and the Architecture of Waiting
The invisible work of preparation that makes visible construction possible. That's where CCOC is right now.
June 17, 2026
Walking Together Means Actually Walking
Synodality is a beautiful word. But what happens when some people on the road want to stop and others want to keep moving?
June 3, 2026
All Saints, All Wounds
Remembering the living wounded — survivors, those who left, those who stayed with broken trust.
May 20, 2026
One Year After the Synod: Did Anything Change?
Some things changed. Not enough things. The synod gave us a map. Now we need the courage to follow it.
May 6, 2026
Pilgrims of Hope — But Hope Requires Honesty
Hope is a theological virtue. But it's also a verb. And pilgrims, by definition, are people who move.