Two Catholic journalists who made a difference

How appropriate that, as reflected in your tributes in the Feb. 6 issue, Catholic writers Russell Shaw and John L. Allen Jr. both passed from this life just days apart. 

Both men were so important for modern American Catholicism, influencing how the Church was perceived and understood ... especially by Catholics themselves! 

For example, Allen’s book about Opus Dei helped me reconsider some of the prejudices I had about the movement. Later, Shaw’s “Eight Popes and the Crisis of Modernity” actually helped me understand the pontificate of Pope Francis (even though he wasn’t one of the eight popes discussed). 

Kudos to Angelus for featuring both of these giants in your pages over the years. Not many publications can boast that.

— Jesse Atienza, Miami, Florida