Preventing radicalization that leads to violence here in America is part of our larger strategy to decisively defeat al Qaeda.

Sunday afternoons at a parish center - or a community center - is familiar territory for me.

Being religious is quintessentially American.

The bottom line is this. When it comes to preventing violent extremism and terrorism in the United States, Muslim Americans are not part of the problem, you're part of the solution.

I grew up in Stillwater, Minnesota in a proud Catholic family.

We've seen some good progress, some good forward momentum. We have about Republican senators who have now indicated that they'll meet with Judge Merric Garland.

I’m indebted to the teachers who shaped me - from the Sisters of St. Joseph at St. Croix Catholic elementary to the monks of St. John’s in Minnesota to my professors at Georgetown.

The United States is proud to be the first country to recognize the existence of a Jewish State - just 11 minutes after Israel's independence was declared.

As a husband, father and public servant, I'm thankful for the counsel and wisdom of my older brothers - Bill, who was a priest, and Kevin, who is a priest.

Authors do not choose a story to write, the story chooses us.

A pensive personality and ambivalent attitude towards power and money can cause other people to take a high production or creative person for granted.

True freedom comes from being unknown.

Constant prayer quickly straightens out our thoughts.

It's our dreams that keep us going that separate us from the beasts. I wouldn't even want to live if I thought it was all just eating and sleeping and taking off my clothes.

We’re bound by chains of love, but they don’t weigh us down. Instead, they allow us to be bigger and better than we are.

I'm perfect. We're all perfect.

As a kid I was always a bit of a clown, a performer.

Women really are not supposed to be imaginative. That creativity of this kind is supposed to belong to men. You know, because women make babies. I find the double standards shocking.

It must be hard being you,” she said. “Mr. Perfect on the outside. Dr. Evil on the inside.” “It’s not that hard. The rest of the world isn’t as insightful as you.