Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested. By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being through the invisible (Hebrews 11:1-3). What more shall I say? […]
Strictly speaking, there is no such science as “Catholic Bioethics” just as there is no such thing as “Catholic Baseball,” “Catholic Dentistry,” “Catholic Garbage Collection,” or “Catholic Plumbing.” Catholics do these activities, but they are not based upon divine revelation. Bioethics is a species of the science of ethics concerned especially about the beginning and […]
I spoke with a business associate not too long ago. He mentioned that he was rebuilding his Web site and then said, “I’m working with the Web designer right now. I’m not ready for the writer, yet.” That’s crazy. The writer of your Web content is of critical importance. Web sites designed to sell products […]
We continue our examination of the Liturgy of the Eucharist at the Ecce Agnus Dei: After once again receiving the Lord’s blessing, The peace of the Lord be with you always, and responding, And with your spirit, the next change that we encounter takes place when the priest elevates the Host and Chalice and says: […]
In the final two installments of this series, we will focus our attention on the people’s parts in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, addressing each instance of change in the text as it comes. Suscipiat Dominus Shortly after the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharistic, we are encouraged to pray that our sacrifice may […]
Arguments for or against voluntary suicide and/or voluntary euthanasia (hereafter referred to as voluntary death) usually presuppose reductionist understandings of human attributes such as freedom. For example, folks sometimes ask: what is so terribly wrong with a person coming to a substantially-autonomous decision to die? In more personal terms, why should “you” be able to […]
As a two-year old, our Grace had a certain “gift.” We were eager to get her potty trained, as were the garbage men (whom we’re sure drew straws every week, or received hazardous duty pay). Steph called from the other room: “Greg, do you want to change Grace’s diaper, or run to get some milk?” […]
Not too many years ago, 800,000 Rwandans perished when their country descended into a bloody civil war. Now their government, with the encouragement of groups funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, appears poised to launch a nationwide sterilization campaign that may have equally disastrous demographic consequences. The plan calls for 700,000 men to […]
If we promote the family and the related idea of generosity with life, we have to be concerned with the ability of young couples to form and raise their families. In order to raise children, a family needs a degree of economic stability; and even more it needs a real non-inflationary economic growth that steadily […]
(With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy) • You might be in a cult if — you have a horror of having the number 144,001 stamped on your forehead. • You might be in a cult if — “there is more than one way to skin a cat” is a line from your liturgy. • You might […]
Two books that should top any reading list for progressives who believe in “winning the future” by waging war against its current inhabitants are H. G. Wells’ classic The Time Machine and Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s The Black Swan. The former’s narrative has entered the culture, especially through a film version that appeared in 1960, starring […]
We discover right out of the gate in the new translation that the Creed is a personal statement, Credo / I believe. Yes, we profess the faith of the Church in one voice with all of her members, but the Creed must be our own personal acceptance of that faith. And so we say, I […]
Some commentators have argued that human embryos are individual human beings but they add that they are not human persons because they cannot sense or think or feel or desire. Consequently, it is argued that human embryos do not have moral status and thus cannot claim any rights including the right to life. Only human […]
I’m so happy to share the good news about ”Confession” a great Catholic app for your iPhone and iPad – and to share that this app is not only wonderfully helpful, but also 100% reliable, having earned the imprimatur from Bishop Kevin C. Rhodes of the Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend. You may […]
I had a good dose of reality the other night. I went to a Family Readiness Briefing with our oldest son, Matt. His brigade is being deployed soon and so the National Guard arranged a meeting to inform and support the soldiers and families as they prepare. As I looked around the auditorium, I saw […]
Ron Reagan, son of the late president, continues to get attention because of speculation in his new book that his father may have begun experiencing Alzheimer’s Disease during his presidency. Ron cites two examples where his father seemed confused or forgetful, one as early as 1984 and another from 1986. Ron’s speculation ignited a very […]
You have heard the phrase “The devil is in the details” used to describe a certain action or task in need of completion. Or, used in another context, how missed little details prevented a project from being completed. When involved in this type of situation, the human mind can conjure up so many thoughts and […]
We don’t like to speak the truth about evil because we’re going to hurt somebody. Let me tell you, you are going to hurt somebody, but that somebody is God. If you would rather hurt God than your neighbor, there is something wrong with your spirituality. It’s your obligation to speak the truth and everyone […]
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world […]
One of the hidden gems promoted by the Catholic Church is Natural Family Planning (NFP). NFP is a way of life and love that enables married couples to be aware of how their bodies and fertility work and to respond accordingly to their family planning needs. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about this great gift […]
The Gipper would call for the passage of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. The passage of time shrinks the reputation of some presidents (think here of Jimmy Carter, who just won’t go away) while it enlarges the reputation of others. No presidency in modern times now shines brighter than that of Ronald Reagan, […]
