First Encounter Mary sat down with utmost care As a burst of joy from her pure heart rose For the Child awoke from his slumbered repose Deep within her womb-kept lair. A tiny kick though a grand affair To the Virgin Mary whom the Father chose As it revealed the presence of her little Rose […]
Evidence continues to pile up that the huge expansion of government formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) — Obamacare, for short — poses huge risks to religious freedom, to the rights of conscience, and to our very lives. Health and Human Services recently issued a directive dealing with so-called “preventive […]
Shortly after 9/11 an acquaintance of mine pointed out that while their cause was obviously wrong, there was something to be admired about the single minded determination with which the attackers carried out their mission. Being a devout Catholic, he even doubted that God would be harsh when judging such sincerely committed souls. The idea […]
In a recent piece for the Wall Street Journal, Andy Stern, an Obama insider and one of organized labor’s more aggressive personalities, praised what he called “China’s superior economic model.” Does China have a superior economic model? That depends: Superior to what? Mr. Stern, who headed the Service Employees International Union, cited Andy Grove, founder […]
Cable’s Home and Garden Television (HGTV) appears to have a new reality show about what happens when the government buys itself the right to tell you what to do. In theory, anyway. According to HGTV.com, the new show “My House, Your Money” […] reveals what really goes on behind closed doors as prospective homebuyers turn […]
Some of the worst feminists are men. The classic feminist is a woman, of course. She emerged as a public spectacle about a century ago and has become something of an institution in our own time—thanks to the state-supported propaganda of our public schools and the history-by-pictures that passes for education. She is pictured as an […]
Economics” is the name which people have come to give to the study of wealth. It is the study by which we learn how wealth is produced, how it is consumed, how it is distributed among people, and so on. It is a very important kind of study, because it often depends upon our being […]
Like any good Catholic kid growing up in the ’60s, I had favorite saints, those holy people who brought me comfort and fed my curiosity and imagination. How I loved the Blessed Virgin Mary! Then there was Saint Anthony, who stood there in his plaster glory, with all the old ladies standing around the base […]
Can Look at Me Jewel box with cover, Legs, a tail, an eye, Orange, black, discovered Too chilly to be shy Along the trail it blundered Within the darksome night, Gusts of wind and thunders Splendid in their might But turtle in her cabin Of sweet unconscious beauty Calm as any mountain Will never be […]
“We must re-establish the primacy of politics over the market.” That sentence, spoken a little while ago by Germany’s Angela Merkel, sums up the startlingly unoriginal character of the approach adopted by most EU politicians as they seek to save the common currency from what even Paul Krugman seems to concede is its current trajectory […]
An Arizona hospital that lost its Catholic affiliation by procuring a direct abortion two years ago says that the nun responsible for the decision to do the abortion has regained good standing with the Catholic Church. The local diocese did not confirm the statement, calling the issue a personal one. Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix […]
Charles de Foucauld was a dandy, a fop, or perhaps an epicure. Having lost his faith as a young teen, he learned to enjoy the good things in life and did all he could to continue to enjoy them. Even amidst a military career, in which he performed quite daring exploits, he still loved to […]
You know the one. It arrives the day after Thanksgiving. The envelope is double foil lined, the picture of the kids resembles a Gap ad, and the Holiday Letter comes with a warning: Caution! May cause blurred vision, severe feelings of gross inadequacies and nausea. Do not drive motor vehicle or operate heavy machinery while […]
The Obama administration’s censoring of photographs of the late Osama bin Laden, lest they offend Muslims, is one thing; but what about censoring words, especially those pivotal to U.S. security? The Daily Caller reveals that “the Obama administration has been pulling back all training materials used for the law enforcement and national security communities, in […]
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that […]
Hugo is Martin Scorsese’s engaging adaptation of the children’s book by the same name. What’s it about? It’s an elaborate introduction to a slice of film history. The all-British cast plays out the story set in a 1930’s train station in Paris. At first, the story seems to be a tale of a misfortunate orphan-urchin […]
If any one type is removed from the system, the cycle can break down, and the community becomes dominated by a single species. (Dr. Richard Lankau, “Loss of Genetic Diversity Threatens Species Diversity”) Leticia, I’d like to discuss your recent re-coining of the term “Genetic Diversity,” which I think is an important step toward reclaiming […]
Fiction is as instructive as non-fiction, maybe even more so. The best fiction catches us up in a world outside our own all the while teaching us truths about ourselves and humanity. The pleasure of reading a great story cements those truths into the deepest corners of our mind. Dean Koontz has been quietly reeducating […]
Wounded Healers Welcome into my wounded-ness please rest awhile! Welcome into the hidden, secret spaces sin burrowed in my soul. Welcome into places Satan’s lies have taken root leaching my self worth. Welcome into my wounded-ness, please anoint me with your healing balm! Anoint my feelings of rejection with acceptance and love. Anoint the pain […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12,14,16; Psalm 89:2-5,27,29; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38) Advent: A Time to Say Yes to God as Mary Did “Hail, favored one!” (Luke 1:28) Face-to-face with the mighty angel Gabriel, Mary was “greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29). Gabriel announced God’s plan for her to conceive through […]
It seems to me particularly important that the theme “The Question of God Today” was chosen this year for the Plenary assembly.Wemust never tire of re-proposing this question, of “recommencing from God,” in order to give back to man the whole of his dimensions, his full dignity. For a mentality that has been spreading in […]
The Egyptian elections have resulted in a rout for the throngs whose springtime hopes for freedom are now facing the prospect of a nuclear winter at the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood and its fellow Salafists. These Islamists appear to have garnered 60% of the seats in the next parliament and the opportunity to shape […]
On December 8, 2006 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), Mel Gibson released his epic movie, Apocalypto . Hopefully many eyes were opened by this movie’s portrayal of the evil of human sacrifices practiced by the Aztecs and other Indian cultures in what would become Mexico. The movie provides the historical backdrop of today’s Marian celebration: the Memorial […]
Many, many books, articles, and experiences have inspired and influenced this Urban Homesteading idea (see Part 1). I cannot possibly include them all here – but I have tried to include a few items that capture the major themes that have inspired me. This first article deals with urban agriculture and its economic impact. It […]
