In modern politics, the “single issue voter” gets a pretty bad rap. He is seen as unrealistic and intellectually myopic, a disservice to his party and, ultimately, his cause. Politics, after all, is about pragmatism; it is the art of the possible, and no thinking person allows themselves to be guided by their feelings on […]
Look Out of the Window… Look out of the window, see How the wind moves through the leaves Each one green and of its own Free and graceful in the clear stream O my father, this I know full well These are the trees of Paradise Where I will dwell Pavel June 10, 2011
Super 8, written and directed by the prolific TV/movie guru, J.J. Abrams (Alias, Lost, Star Trek prequel, Cloverfield), is a collaboration with his hero, Steven Spielberg (who similarly started very young shooting “movies”). Actually, Abrams has known Spielberg since he was 15, but that’s another story. Super 8 is a semi-autobiographical story—set in 1979–about a […]
Before my husband and I married, I was blessed with the opportunity to live in Austin and work for a leading pro-life lobbying organization. Ironically, one of the biggest benefits of my work was the exposure to the talking points of the abortion-rights camp. You see, I very quickly realized that in order to sustain […]
Being a congressman can be a great job. It can be attractive for someone who relishes the ersatz virtue of playing Santa Claus with other people’s money, who finds a year-round routine of fund-raising social events enjoyable, and who covets receiving one of the most generous pensions on the planet. It can also be a […]
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO SIX NEW AMBASSADORS ACCREDITED TO THE HOLY SEE Thursday, 9 June 2011 Your Excellencies, I receive you with joy at the Apostolic Palace this morning for the presentation of the Letters accrediting you as Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of your respective countries to the Holy See: Moldova, Equatorial […]
Be Still Awhile… In that softly shadowed place With the candle of His presence lit There He waits and listens Taste the Savior’s bread and wine Eat His flesh and blood Bow your head, Loves’ arrived The King of all, who Sees your need, Takes the time to be with you Stay with Him, while He’s with […]
According to the Vatican II document Inter Mirifica (Decree on the Media of Social Communications), media organizations “should see to it that communications or presentations concerning religious matters are entrusted to worthy and experienced hands and are carried out with fitting reverence” (IM 11). This, apparently, would be news to writer Phyllis Zagano and her […]
With a critical vote in its state Senate, North Carolina has voted to de-fund Planned Parenthood. Republicans hold a huge majority in the Senate—meaning, as a Republican majority usually does, that the Senate is pro-life. The governor of the state, Bev Perdue, is a Democrat—meaning, as a Democrat chief executive usually does, that the governor […]
? Dear Brothers and Sisters, In our catechesis on Christian prayer, we have looked to a number of Old Testament figures who represent models of prayer. We now turn to the great “prayerbook” of sacred Scripture: the Book of Psalms. These inspired songs teach us how to speak to God, expressing ourselves and the whole […]
Sunday, June 26, Catholics celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, previously known as Corpus Christi. This used to be a major feast day of the Church with processions and everything — a really big feast, up there with Easter, Christmas, and Pentecost. We celebrate the Blessed Sacrament to affirm […]
Age of Miracles We all look solid-built enough, No one who looks can look through us, We are not paper, stone and rough, Two-legged walls we seem by guess And yet there is a wind that blows From far, the farthest far away That only someone frail can know And only someone small can say […]
With another presidential election looming, it won’t be long before many self-described progressive Catholics start issuing countless statements about numerous policy issues. Though many such Catholics sit rather loosely with Catholic teaching on questions like life and marriage, their “relaxed” position on such issues is belied by their stridency on, for instance, economic matters. Woe betide […]
[This report was prepared on behalf of a group of Catholic parents to address issues locally that may also be going on elsewhere in the country. It is published here as a resource for parents who may find it useful.] The Role of the Eucharist and the Mass in the Catholic School: Parental Concerns and […]
Dogs are often given the title “man’s best friend.” I get that. However, a new title has surfaced which turns one’s dog from friend to family. These days people address their dogs as “baby.” Last December, I received a Christmas card in the mail with someone’s dog in the spotlight posing as Santa. Cute? Sure… […]
Obtaining permission to build new churches in Egypt could become almost as easy as constructing mosques, according to new government proposals which have won the backing of leading clergy. The plan, now in public consultation, proposes to do away with the existing laws whereby church-building plans require permission from the president himself. Instead, such proposals […]
For years, I have arduously avoided the one topic that most certainly will incite a reader riot. However, I find I can stay silent no longer. The issue? Spanking. As hard as I am trying to fulfill a promise made to myself made years ago while sitting in front of a blank computer screen fighting […]
Father’s Day is a day for honoring fathers. But I would like to take a step back and honor men as husbands. In our enlightened, liberated era, we have a tendency to overlook men as husbands, since the father is so often not the husband of the mother. But without some kind of connection between […]
We have all been trained up to the belief that jobs are something in the gift of great corporations or government bureaucracies. True, there are still places in the economy for the small businessman or woman, the sole practitioner, the craftsman, or the small farmer. But in general, we regard the capital requirements of job […]
Beauty. At first the concept is difficult to define. Instinctively I feel that beauty is real to everyone. Once I have made my mind that something is beautiful I know it in the same sense that I know what the number one is. The natural number does not represent something: one is simply one. Beauty […]
Reading The Will Isaiah 58 From the midst of yourselves, pull out oppression. From the center of yourselves, remove falsehood and cruel speech. Feed the hungry, yes, but find some way to satisfy the complaints of the afflicted – those most likely bothered by what you do not do. Then light shall lift you from […]
I love to explore new things. God has given me a sense of curiosity. My favorite slogan is, “Curiosity may have killed the cat… but satisfaction brought it back.” It amazes me that we so often pray and pray and pray for something and it seems as if God never hears our prayers. However, when […]
June 21 is the first day of summer because it is the day of the summer solstice. Okay, just a quick review of your high school astronomy. In summer and winter we have solstices — the summer solstice is the longest day of the year and the winter solstice is the shortest day of the […]
The first readings for the daily liturgies this week tell the story of Abram and his family. On Monday, God promises that Abram’s descendents will inherit the land he has brought him to. He was seventy-five years old at this point. Tuesday, God makes the promise again.” I will make your descendants like the dust […]
