I recently received an interesting book for review, the softcover edition of Sally Koslow’s Slouching Toward Adulthood: How to Let Go So Your Kids Can Grow Up. Let me underscore up front that this is in no way a “Catholic” or even a religious book, although it does touch upon spiritual issues. Here’s the primary […]
Lumen fidei – The light of faith (LF) is the first Encyclical signed by Pope Francis. Divided into four chapters, plus an introduction and a conclusion, the Pontiff explains that the Letter supplements Benedict XVI’s Encyclicals on charity and hope, and takes up the “fine work” carried out by the Pope Emeritus, who had already […]
As we are all aware by now, on June 26 the Supreme Court of the United States issued opinions in the cases of Hollingsworth v. Perry and United States v. Windsor. In Hollingsworth, the Court held that citizens have no legal standing to defend in federal court those initiatives for which they signed petitions, campaigned, and voted. That […]
An America that goes post-national has made the argument for its own non-existence.
The “God moment” arrived during the performance of a high school musical one year ago. Not that it should have been confused with just any high school musical. This was the Youth Sing Praise program, an outstanding combination theater camp and religious retreat that has been operating for one week in June for the last […]
Listen, my children, and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five; Hardly a man is now alive Who remembers that famous day and year. Other than recalling a fragment of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s wonderful, if historically inaccurate poem, many Americans, myself included, do not know much […]
Independence Day, USA Fourth of July Emblazoned so high, That children may see By history. And for young and old Of most every mold Who want to learn, Who can discern How the past does sing That freedom may spring From the muskets’ fumes When tyranny looms; How to fight for right Lest darkness and […]
A representative of international Catholic pastoral charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has given a first-hand account of last weekend’s mass protest in Egypt in which at least three people died in a drive-by shooting near Assiut’s Coptic Catholic Cathedral. Passing on appeals for prayers for peace from two senior clerics, ACN’s Neville […]
Last week the US Supreme Court ruled against the Defense of Marriage Act, ignoring the fundamental good to society of promoting marriages among those able to bear children, namely, marriages between a man and a woman, and the underlying nature of sexuality itself. Most conservatives believe that children come from sex. Conversely, many liberals believe children […]
Sliding pictures in website banners are very popular today. For a long time, I tried to like them. But I gave up because they drive me crazy. That’s because I get interested in the initial picture shown and then it changes. Hey, where’d my picture go? Or, after looking at the picture, I start to […]
Seems like, lately, everyone’s been writing about how much women should wear, why it matters (or doesn’t), how too-strict standards can be emotionally damaging, and how we’re all contributing to the rape culture. I agree that modesty is important, but I’m sensing an unhealthy dose of fear, insecurity, judgment, and tunnel vision. Guys, we all […]
The Texas baby blood war played out in Austin and in the national media last week. The abortion industry marshaled its legislative enablers (also known as members of the Democratic Party) at the state capital. The abortionists’ ire was directed at a proposed law that would impose a ban on abortion after 20 weeks of […]
In this column I have frequently referenced findings about the dismal way in which many Catholics look at the sacraments. I think the problem is more than just the usual ranting and ravings about a liberal church, how horrible things are after Vatican II, true as all these clichés are. Instead the problem stems from […]
Final Vows 10/28/04 If in this hour we are not one, All is not right with my soul. For we have chosen to wed this moment. You and I ….each a part of this moment. We are joined O lord for you have beckoned me. We are joined O Lord because I came willingly. Even […]
While poorly decided U.S. Supreme Court cases are a dime a dozen, prior to last Wednesday, two stood out among the most wretched and constitutionally groundless in American History. First was the 1857 Dred Scott decision. Among other things, it robbed African-Americans of both their U.S. citizenship and their dignity. Next came the 1973 ruling […]
The corruption of innocence is a deadly sin, because it corrupts the innocents. Better a millstone be tied around the necks of those who corrupt the innocent and they be flung into the sea, said Jesus. He really never pointed out too many particular sins attaching to them a ‘woe betide’. About the only other […]
Yup, it’s them again. America’s most charming couple is back in the news. You remember, don’t you? We were introduced back in May when Albert Garland (a pseudonym), published a piece on Babble with the charming sub-headline: “My wife’s expecting twins — and I’m not happy about it.” Things only went downhill from there. Well, […]
The current question of racism is a red herring. It’s easier to focus on a single word uttered by a single celebrity than it is to address the real issue and tragedy of racism. The “N” word is an abomination to me. Thirty-eight years ago, I lived briefly as a Yankee in the heart of […]
It is time for believers in God and country to get real, and face the fact that the enemy is at the gates and starting to come over the wall. They might not feed us to the lions, but already they’re throwing us to the lawyers. Just ask Baronelle Stutzman, the Christian florist in Tri […]
In view of the June 26 Supreme Court decisions on “gay” marriage, it is time for serious Catholics to examine how this perverted situation came to pass. Let’s start with the use of the word “gay” and American Life League’s internal style guide. At ALL, we never use the word “gay.” The guide states that […]
What a different country this might have been if, 400 years ago, someone had suggested, “Let’s pick our own cotton.”
“Let’s go, he can’t hit, he can’t hit.” “Stop the game! How dare you suggest that the batter, an innocent 12-year-old child who only wants to make contact with the ball, cannot hit! Have you considered how your ridicule will harm his self-esteem? As the umpire of this game, I forbid you to utter such […]
