Is America magazine orthodox?

[amykids1]

I have been ask to take a look at this magazine. I have limited time and do not want to be steered in the wrong direction with my faith. I was not sure who else to ask. Thank you for your time.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

America is a weekly Catholic magazine published by the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). From what I understand, America tries to offer a balanced perspective on various issues of importance to American Catholics. Unfortunately, since the magazine is published by a Catholic religious order, that can sometimes give the impression that it is okay for Catholics to disagree with the Church on moral and doctrinal issues. If you choose to read the magazine, I recommend treating it as an opinion journal and not as a catechetical supplement.

Here are some guidelines on choosing Catholic periodicals:

With any Catholic publication you subscribe to, you should ask yourself some questions:

• Does this periodical accurately represent Catholic teaching on doctrine and morals?
• What is this periodical’s editorial slant? (In other words, how does the editorial staff interpret various teachings of the Church? It is possible to represent the Catholic faith accurately while interpreting it oddly. For example, if a Catholic periodical accurately represents the Church’s teaching on natural family planning [NFP], but then gives the editorial opinion that it is always selfish to use NFP, there may be a problem with the periodical’s editorial slant.)
• Does this periodical handle its particular specialty well? (For example, if you are subscribing to a magazine about raising a Catholic family, you don’t want to see an overemphasis of articles on the Vatican’s foreign relations policy; such articles may be useful, but not in this particular periodical.)
• Can you find this same information for free or more cheaply elsewhere? (As responsible stewardship of your family’s finances, you may find that the same information the periodical offers is available free or at a cheaper price to you through your city library, Catholic university library, or over the Internet.)

These are only a few examples of possible questions you should ask when reviewing samples of any Catholic newspaper, magazine, or other periodical. If the periodical meets your requirements, then it is a good periodical for you to subscribe to (source).

Recommended reading:

[How do I learn to read with discernment? (http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=167911)