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Is the Party Over?

Let’s not kid ourselves: The policy train in American government has largely been driven by powerful special interests.  These enterprises invest enormous amounts of time and money in political campaigns in order to ensure that their agenda is advanced on Capitol Hill.  Over the years, particular interests have become allied with particular parties, becoming entrenched […]

Appeals Court Lifts Research Ban on Embryonic Stem Cells

The U.S. Appeals Courts for Washington D.C. has given the green light for the destruction of human embryonic stem cells for research purposes.  The action overturns an injunction placed by a federal judge, last August, who ruled such destruction violated Congressional spending laws, in place since the 1990’s. It was a 2-1 decision and a […]

The Beatification of John Paul II: The Vatican Prepares

The greatest fear now is… the weather. Because the weather reports on Friday afternoon in Rome say that there will be light rain Saturday night, and light rain showers on Sunday morning. And if there is rain, everything about this historic beatification, which is shutting down all auto traffic in the entire area around St. […]

A Royally Happy Outcome

Looking like the princess that she is, the lovely Catherine Middleton today became the wife of Prince William. It was a wedding that had the attention of people the world over. I watched the beautiful ceremony with my daughters this morning, enjoying the vestiges of Catholicism still quite boldly present, such as the occasional use […]

Prayer in the Digital Age — An Interview with Matt Swaim

Matt Swaim is one of my favorite authors. For me this is an easily quantifiable statement. It is important that when I pick up a book I learn something new, am given a new insight or dimension on something that I already know or in some way am edified. Swaim delivers on all counts. Matt’s […]

The JP2 Generation Tells Its Story: Part Eight, Fr. Edward Lohse

Presented in cooperation with Greg Schlueter and JP2Journey.com: The JP2 Generation Tells Its Story, remembering World Youth Day 2002 and the impact of Pope John II. Part Eight, Fr. Edward Lohse The final day of World Youth Day 2002 began, in a manner of speaking, without our really having noticed it.   Midnight arrived, and Saturday […]

Help Stop This Notorious Late-Term Abortionist!

Does the name LeRoy Carhart mean anything to you? It should. Carhart is an infamous late-term abortionist (among a dwindling number in America). He gained notoriety when he used to routinely kill babies alongside the notorious Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, Kansas. Carhart specializes in late-term abortions. Why, even a famous U.S. Supreme Court case […]

What is the Church’s Teaching Role in Bioethics?

When God created Adam and Eve, he placed them in a garden and blessed them. He told them, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all living things that move on the earth” (Gen 1:28). The Catholic Church […]

Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil – A Conversation with the Director

You don’t have an invite to the Royal Wedding and can’t make the beatification of John Paul II this weekend?  Well, all is not lost. You can still salvage your weekend by going to see Hoodwinked Too, Hood vs. Evil. And thanks to this article on Catholic Lane, you can enjoy the show even more knowing […]

What Are We Sacrificing for Another Government Fix?

I could not help but investigate our news story proclaiming that the USCCB had made a major new commitment to helping the unemployed. Will the American Church extend its charitable activities to provide as never before for those who are unable to find work? Actually, no. Instead, what the USCCB is doing is collaborating with an organization […]

Comic: No Voice in the World

“Dad’s Not Catholic. So Why Should I Be?”

I surprised our son one day. He was preparing for his Confirmation, and I felt it was important to have a heart-to-heart talk. I explained that while he will still need instruction in the Faith, that, in fact, it would become his responsibility to open his heart to the catechism and take it seriously. It was […]

The Beatification of Pope John Paul II: When the Wall Fell

It’s fitting that the beatification of Pope John Paul II will take place on Divine Mercy Sunday.  His very presence on the global stage exemplified Divine Mercy. There have been 265 popes in the life of the Church. Eighty-one of them are saints. On May 1, Divine Mercy Sunday, God willing, Pope Benedict XVI will […]

Response to Media on Characterizing Those who Oppose Abortion

There’s no shortage of morons and scoundrels in the world, on almost every side of almost every issue.  But some of them operate by painting a background which so colors the dialogue that it is almost impossible even to communicate opinions successfully.  Here’s an offer: You can say the hateful morons represent the anti-abortion culture […]

Good Friday in Iraq

A curfew failed to deter Christians in Mosul, who walked for up to an hour to attend a packed Good Friday service in one of Iraq’s most dangerous cities Archbishop Amil Nona of Mosul presided at the liturgy at St. Paul’s Chaldean Church which people reached on foot after a curfew on cars and other […]

Saint Zita in My Kitchen

Although many Catholics are devoted to a particular patron saint, I rely on the intercession of quite a few heavenly intercessors.  Naturally the Blessed Mother tops the list, but St. Joseph assists my military family in selling houses and finding new ones, St. Christopher safeguards us on our frequent travels, and St. Anthony helps us […]

Playing the Ostrich on Price Inflation

By the time you read this, there’s a good chance that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will have held the Fed’s first press conference following a meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee—the Fed committee that controls monetary policy. Leading up to this historic moment, the popular press has repeated a well-rehearsed rhetorical dance as […]

The Easter Season, A Time to Experience New Life in Christ – Part 1

You have been raised to life with Christ, Set your heart then on things that are in heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Let your thoughts dwell on things there, not on things here on earth. For you have died, and your life lies hidden with Christ in God. Your […]

Is Religion Important in Relationships?

“Is religion important in relationships?”  When I am interviewed and get asked this question, usually on a Catholic program, I initially say that yes, religion is very important.  I say this because in a lot of ways, it is, and frankly, I could get heckled if the audience is full of Catholics and I don’t […]

iConfess

I have a confession to make. Recently, I made a solemn vow — never again to participate in another voting contest. I promised this to all my friends and family but before I carried out the vow, I begged them to vote for my ugly floor. It was an ugly floor contest and the prize […]

Breadmaking and Social Marketing

Breadmaking can teach us a lot about social media and marketing. I bake bread, and I’m a wheat snob. We have a tabletop wheat grinder, and I buy my wheat in bulk, from Montana, in 50 pound buckets. Wheat isn’t ground until just before I make bread, to ensure the highest nutrition content and best […]

Book Review: Linking Your Beads–The Rosary’s History, Mysteries, & Prayer

I am thrilled to present a review on Linking Your Beads, The Rosary’s History, Mysteries, and Prayers, by Patricia Ann Kasten. Sometimes I pick a book to review because I want to learn about the subject, other times I chose a more recreational topic since I read and write mostly serious stuff. This time I […]

What the Resurrection Really Means

I felt the warm, soft wax between my fingers and looked down to see that I’d formed the Easter taper into a “J” — candy cane style. I’d been holding it so tightly entwined between my fingers that I’d completely distorted its shape. Slowly, gently, I coerced it back into a nice, straight candle. The […]

Anointing of the Sick: A Healing Intervention at the Bedside

A Response to a Problem Within clinical practice, I frequently encounter well-intentioned people who erroneously confuse “healing” with cure, people such as fellow health care professionals, Catholic patients and their family members, health care proxy decision makers, among others. Following upon this confusion, they misunderstand the place of the “healing sacraments” such as the Eucharist, […]