My name is Cheryl. And I am a weakling. That’s the kind of group I want to be in: the kind of group where we each take the stand and own up to who we are—who we really are. Not the avatars we put out in the world through our blogs and our tweets; but […]
On the first Monday of September, Americans say goodbye to summer with picnics and parades, fireworks and festivals. Traditionally, it’s the last day for women to wear white. It signals the start of the NFL and college football seasons. It’s Labor Day! The first official Labor Day was celebrated on September 5, 1882, with a parade organized by the […]
There’s evidently a fine line between a “hate crime” and a BLT. The Reuters headline screamed: “Bacon found at NY Muslim celebration probed as possible hate crime.” I was expecting the subtitle: “Cops bring lettuce & tomato, dispose of evidence,” but to no avail. (Pork, of course, is verboten in Islamic culture. Don’t knock it, […]
First Kiss Shivering, water awaits morning’s first kiss. Mounding, swells reflect dawn’s hopeful glow. Returning, trawlers absorb beams’ warming rays. Longing, shore-bound sojourners anticipate sunrise’s mysterious power. Ah! The first kiss, Love! Lovers glow radiating, radiating… Transfigured: Warmer than a glow More penetrating than a […]
Every Christian has heard about the stunning conversion of St Augustine, the most famous doctor of the Church. His wisdom permeates Western culture and Catholics are familiar with his saying, “You have made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee”. We have heard about St Augustine’s long […]
A year ago, opponents attacked Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), claiming that his plan to reform Medicare would kill grandma by taking away her benefits. Mitt Romney, who, of course, has chosen Ryan as his running mate, is proposing similar changes to Medicare. Does Ryan want to gut Medicare? To the contrary, Ryan’s intention is to […]
Before sharing my story, I must state emphatically that Fr. Benedict’s comments are unconscionable. Child sex-abuse victims are victims. Period. To excuse the culpability of an adult, much less a priest — indeed, to suggest the power, and thus blame, is in the hands of a child — is a catastrophic failure of perspective and judgment, exacerbated […]
In light of the now well-publicized Al Smith Dinner, a number of Catholic commentators, me included, were moved to question Cardinal Dolan’s resolve relative to his handling of politicians who are hostile to the Church. I now feel duty bound in conscience to repent of my presumptuousness. You see, to suggest that His Eminence lacks […]
We live in an age unique in human history. Per capita incomes have never been higher, lifespans have never been longer, and people are better fed and educated than ever before. At the same time, birth rates have fallen to historically low levels. In fact, they have fallen to levels so low that they will […]
There seems to be a growing idea in our world today that we don’t actually need men for much more than their “contribution” to the furthering of the human race. This idea has become so prevalent that an opinion piece about it has made its way to the New York Times. Greg Hampikian, the author […]
On July 23, 2012, Syria—one of seven nations not to sign the Chemical Weapons Convention—admitted owning a stockpile of chemical and biological weapons. A foreign ministry spokesman warned that Damascus would use these weapons against any force intervening in its civil war. NATO estimates that Syria produces several hundred tons of chemical/biological (chem/bio) agents annually. […]
