Much has been said about the mercy of the late Pope Francis, as compared with the supposed rigidity of his two immediate predecessors. I will not draw comparisons here, nor will I pretend to judge these men on their merits. I wish to use the occasion to specify what work a moral teacher must do…

It is so much easier to destroy than to build. It takes barely a second and hardly any effort to tear something down; it requires no imagination, dedication, or moral perseverance. Watch a young child carefully build a crenellated castle out of blocks, an all-day labor of love, then proudly display his work to his…