After eight years of continual accusations of doing “nothing” by mainstream media, it has been revealed that Benedict XVI was busy throughout his pontificate removing priests from office who were found guilty of sexual abuse. From 2011-2012, Pope Benedict “defrocked” or laicised 384 priests, more than twice the 171 removed from the clerical state in […]
The U.S. edition of the men’s style and lifestyle magazine Esquire recently named Pope Francis as its Best Dressed Man of 2013. The magazine explained that the decision was “unconventional,” but insisted that the way that the pope dresses has “signaled a new era (and for many, renewed hope) for the Catholic Church.” Mark-Evan Blackman, […]
Outrage is one of the more useless categories of contemporary discourse. In fact it is anti-discourse, but no one seems to mind. The media dutifully report that “Victims’ Groups are Outraged” whenever the sub-secretary to the Council of Victims of Bad Things logs onto his twitter account and proclaims his fury at highschool reading lists, […]
“Just when you thought it was safe to go back in space…,” a terrifying movie like “Gravity” hits you in the face. “Gravity” is one of those films that’s truly an experience that one undergoes: one of the tensest time periods ever spent in a cinema. This is an extremely uncomfortable film. Space is the […]
Like millions of Americans, I’ve become a “Duck Dynasty” fan. “Duck Dynasty,” as you surely are aware, is an A&E reality show that presents the Robertson clan, the long-bearded owners and operators of Duck Commander in West Monroe, La. Duck Commander hand-makes duck calls. The story is a rags-to-riches one. Phil Robertson, the patriarch of […]
You’d better sit down because this is going to come as quite a shock. Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have broken their engagement. I know. You probably need a minute to collect yourself. Who wouldn’t? They’ve been together since 2010 when they met on the set of a forgettable film called “The Last Song” (would […]
Five out of five of “The Five” agree with the “evolved” Obama on same-sex marriage.
Amanda Mortus from WorthyOfAgape.com wrote a post about twitter practices called, “Missing the Point.” In the post, she highlighted her frustration with certain practices and strategies used by some folks on social media; in this specific case, Twitter. She asked me for my input into the post, so I will gladly give it! (Note: Amanda and I […]
Managing a social media account for clients is super fun – you get to learn their brand, interact with their followers and friends, and ultimately, help your client achieve their goals. What can be more fun than that? Building a comprehensive social media strategy does not need to be that complex at all. As I always, always […]
I love Marie Barone in the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. Sure she’s a bit meddlesome. Admittedly she’s even a tad overbearing. Maybe she’s even off-putting to some. But her motivation is pure. She’s committed to her family. She really never puts herself first—even if we are led to believe that she does. If we are […]
As many may know, I am the guy behind the social media at my parish in Plymouth, Michigan – Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church. I’ve been asked several times and contacted by many who want help or insights into developing and designing a social media strategy for Catholic parishes. So, I’ve decided to quickly […]
In the coming months I’m definitely going to diving deep into the topic of influence; be that influence online, in person, or in business. The fact of the matter is that you are either an influencer, or you are being influenced. Hopefully there is some balance between the two. But if you’re trying to influence […]
SNAP’s 2011 petition charged the Holy See with “crimes against humanity,” but the International Criminal Court unmasked SNAP’s true agenda – and rejected it. The headline was “The Hague Tosses SNAP’s Nutty Lawsuit Against the Vatican, SNAP’s Latest P.R. Stunt Exposed.” The Hague is the seat of government of the Netherlands, and the base of […]
One of my fondest memories of my grandmother is watching Little House on the Prairie with her when I was a child. Knowing she loved Little House on the Prairie, one Christmas I decided to purchase the first season of The Waltons for her. I am not entirely sure if she ever watched any of […]
I’ve always watched I Love Lucy. Lately, though, I notice that there is something about it that speaks to me in a very personal way. It sort of tugs at me. I can’t say that the show takes me back to anything in particular because it isn’t from a time in my personal life; but, […]
Do you regularly read Church documents from the past? If you don’t, you should start. Many people talk about Vatican II, and will very, very quickly give their opinion. And yet a large majority of those same people have never read all the documents, if any at all. I want to study Inter Mirifica. Church documents […]
“Choosing Christ is the most important decision anyone can make because it is the only decision that has eternal consequences.” ~Father Larry Richards The young Catholics of the world are preparing for World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro this upcoming July. Pope Francis has already marked this event as his first trip back home […]
I have a love/hate relationship with the comment box. On my blog where it’s moderated and readers are spiritually mature and have attended Combox-Finnishing school, I can kick my shoes off and put my feet up like I do on my sister’s coffee table. But elsewhere on the world wide web, writing about politics or […]
The mainstream media has done an excellent job of completely ignoring the trial of Kermit Gosnell. As everyone knows by now, Gosnell was the Philadelphia abortionist famous for “snipping the spines” of newborns who happened to survive his efforts to abort them. The state health authorities ignored his clinic for 17 long years. Then one […]
How many times have you — as a parent — sat in Mass and not heard a word the priest said because you were playing referee, peacekeeper, or bad cop in the pew? Since I can answer that question in the triple digits, I was thrilled to learn about the new DVD “Understanding Sunday Mass: A […]
Graduation from college is a transition from working towards a goal to accomplishing it. Some are ready to save the world while others simply want to make their mark in it, but either way, it is the threshold of new possibilities. Inevitably however, within any group of graduates, time brings surprises both good and bad. […]
Please, open your heart and consider this situation. Brian Gadbois is a permanent deacon and his wife Nissa has just, as in today, given birth to their ninth child. A couple of years ago a dream that they had nurtured for many years came true when they purchased a foreclosed and abandoned farm property. As a […]
Get this: Social media are making us ruder. According to Reuters, social media users face “an increase in rudeness online with people having no qualms about being less polite virtually than in person.” I think our rudeness began ticking up with the introduction of another technological innovation: the telephone. As phones became commonplace in American […]
