Site Map

Site Feeds

Pages

Categories

Monthly Archives

Tags

All Articles

The Arab Spring's Forgotten Freedom

The Arab Spring’s Forgotten Freedom

Oct 27 11 • 0 comments

For at least one group of Middle-Easterners, the Arab Spring is turning out to be a decidedly wintery affair. And if confirmation was ever needed, just consider the escalation of naked violence against Christians throughout the region. The recent instance of Egyptian army vehicles crushing and killing Coptic Christians protesting against a church burning was […]

This Is My Body

This Is My Body

Oct 27 11 • 0 comments

A few months ago, I was e-commiserating with a friend about the physical challenges of having children. We were neighbors in the hospital as she delivered her seventh on the same day my fifth was born. Obviously, neither of us were surprised with the toll childbirth, sleepless nights, and nursing took on us.  With the […]

What Happened to Our Health Freedom?

What Happened to Our Health Freedom?

Oct 27 11 • 2 comments

It was early in the morning in Venice, California. A multi-agency raid by police in full SWAT gear, automatic weapons drawn and tear gas at the ready, made some serious arrests. Contraband was destroyed and cash confiscated. A drug raid? A terrorist sleeper cell? More “illegal” gold and silver currency a-la Von Nothaus? No, the […]

If You Quit, You Can't Blame God

If You Quit, You Can’t Blame God

We all feel tempted to quit sometimes. Whether they are related to relationships, parenting, or work, there are moments in life when we simply want to throw up our arms in frustration and give up. And, sometimes, we want to blame God. After all, God allowed circumstances to be so hard. Obviously, God doesn’t want […]

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics:  Sheep Leading Themselves to the Slaughter

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics: Sheep Leading Themselves to the Slaughter

Recently I encountered the inane phrase “redistribution of wealth.”  We all know that it refers to the evil plan of the left-wingers.  But wait!  Are we unaware that the redistribution of wealth has already occurred, and continues today?  Don’t we know that the wealth in the United States is distributed more unevenly than ever before […]

Poem: "The Invitation"

Poem: “The Invitation”

Oct 27 11 • 1 comment

The Invitation When I see the blazing of the redbud tree, The tulips filled with ruby and with ivory, The sunlight poured with lavishness inside and out, A moment then suspended is our churlish doubt, The naming for the banquet given out by One Who sets the goblets for us and pours out the sun […]

Catholic Media: Right and Wrong Approaches to the Occupy Movement

Catholic Media: Right and Wrong Approaches to the Occupy Movement

Oct 26 11 • 9 comments

Call it an occupational hazard, but I can’t look at Marybeth Hicks’ article without wondering, “What is this piece doing on a Catholic website? To be fair, the article was written for the Washington Times where it possibly feels more at home in the larger context of her “conservative” political column.  Hicks has described that her […]

Shining the Light of Truth on Anti-Semitism

Shining the Light of Truth on Anti-Semitism

Oct 26 11 • 0 comments

Anti-Semitism must be exposed by the light of truth so it can be soundly defeated – the operative phrase here being the light of truth, and by this I mean whole and entire; with neither attenuation nor ambiguity. On this, surely all can agree. In practice, however, this appears to be a real challenge for […]

Obama's Misplaced Mideast Optimism

Obama’s Misplaced Mideast Optimism

Oct 26 11 • 1 comment

Confidently commenting on the execution of Libya’s long-time dictator, Barack Obama stated that “the death of Mu’ammar al-Qaddafi showed that our role in protecting the Libyan people, and helping them break free from a tyrant, was the right thing to do.” About his own decision to pull all U.S. troops from Iraq in two months’ […]

'Abortion' May Not Be What You Think

‘Abortion’ May Not Be What You Think

Oct 26 11 • 0 comments

The definitions of the terms used in a discussion can and do change the outcome. The political maxim, “He who frames the issue wins the debate” applies in many situations including how the public views what abortion is and why it is either legitimate or illicit. A chasm exists between those two positions, but what […]

Can’t We Battle Bullying Without Politics?

Can’t We Battle Bullying Without Politics?

Oct 26 11 • 5 comments

If there’s one thing virtually everyone can agree on, it’s that bullying is bad. In fact, a recent survey commissioned by Care.com, a caregiver referral company, revealed that bullying is the No. 1 concern of parents of school-aged children — even more so than the fear of kidnapping. We’re all more aware of, and alarmed […]

Poem: "Requiem for the Homeless Man"

Poem: “Requiem for the Homeless Man”

Oct 26 11 • 0 comments

Requiem for the Homeless Man He died of an overdose of neglect; who cares that he was one of the hidden people exiled from smiles. His sores were so heavy he had to lean them against a wall, a bench, or a gate, or let them fall into the gutter where he belonged who cares? […]

The Occupy Movement: A Report from Occupy Seattle,  Part 1

The Occupy Movement: A Report from Occupy Seattle, Part 1

The Occupy Wall Street movement has yet to define itself, and remains in a state of flux and complexity.  Commentators attempting to stereotype OWS, and reduce it to a simple formula, might consider Albert Einstein’s maxim that “politics is more complicated than physics.” Our local chapter of OWS is called Occupy Seattle.  Let me offer […]

ECJ On Stem Cell Patents: A Tremendous Pro-life Victory

ECJ On Stem Cell Patents: A Tremendous Pro-life Victory

The European Court of Justice (ECJ, the EU’s supreme judiciary instance) [last Wednesday] issued a judgment (C=34/10, Brüstle vs. Greenpeace) clarifying that (1) no patents can be issued for inventions involving “the use for human embryos for industrial or commercial purposes” as this would be “contrary to order public or morality”, and (2) that this prohibition also […]

Mission Accomplished?

Mission Accomplished?

Oct 25 11 • 0 comments

After nearly a decade of deployments, surges, and setbacks, after thousands of lives lost and over one trillion in taxpayers dollars spent, President Obama has announced that – in keeping with the timetable originally established by President Bush – all U.S. troops will withdraw from Iraq by the end of the year.  At a time […]

Your Relationship Deserves a Good Home

Your Relationship Deserves a Good Home

Oct 25 11 • 1 comment

“With the Lord, there is mercy and fullness of redemption.”   This responsorial psalm is derived from Psalm 130, which has the trembling words “If Thou, O Lord, should mark iniquities, who could stand?”  In other words, if You keep a record of sins, who could ever make it to heaven? How true.  We are committed […]

Poem: "Watchman, What of the Night?"

Poem: “Watchman, What of the Night?”

Oct 25 11 • 0 comments

Watchman, What of the Night? “Black, my friend, black as pitch, yet ever darkening. Those who live do sleep Some, troubled, tossing, groaning, dreaming of evils, Fearful of life, fearing personal poverty. “Sleeping in death are Paine, John and Abigail Adams, Franklin, Jefferson, the men of Washington, Who fought, died, for truths they held self-evident. […]

In Public, Keep What You “Believe” About Abortion to Yourself

In Public, Keep What You “Believe” About Abortion to Yourself

Oct 24 11 • 3 comments

Given the recent incoherent attempts by Herman Cain to articulate what he claims is a pro-life position, it is apparent that he needs some lessons in how to make the prolife case — if indeed, he is pro-life.  If he is pro-life, then some humility is in order, like recognizing that his answers so far have […]

The Vatican Said What?! Read the Text for Yourself

The Vatican Said What?! Read the Text for Yourself

Oct 24 11 • 1 comment

The important piece of news out of Rome today is that the Vatican has allegedly called for a “central world bank” in reponse to the continuing speculation and instability in the world financial system. I say “allegedly” because the text in which this call appears is not by Pope Benedict, but by a Vatican office, […]

Vatican Council Calls for Financial Reform

Vatican Council Calls for Financial Reform

Oct 24 11 • 1 comment

The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace issued a document today titled, “Toward Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of Global Public Authority.” Commenting on it is Catholic League president Bill Donohue: There has been much hyperventilation from some quarters over the release of this document. All of it is unwarranted. […]

Needed: Political Leaders that Serve Christ the King

Needed: Political Leaders that Serve Christ the King

Oct 24 11 • 3 comments

I recently came across a perennially timely quote by William Penn — the colonial American proponent of democracy and religious freedom who founded Pennsylvania: “A people who will not be ruled by God are destined to be ruled by tyrants.” Even though Penn was a Quaker who was harshly critical of other faiths, in particular those […]

Rain and Sun

Rain and Sun

A few years back, a Princeville, Illinois family I know hosted an Italian teen for the summer. This young man enjoyed many parts of his summer, but was mystified by the weather. In the rural Midwest, during the summer, a storm can pass every few days or so, so that at least three or four […]

The Call to be Disciples as Catholic Men

The Call to be Disciples as Catholic Men

Oct 24 11 • 1 comment

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and […]

Parenting Advice from the Brink

Parenting Advice from the Brink

Oct 24 11 • 0 comments

The Gray Lady ran an opinion column this weekend by Emily Rapp, mother to 18-month-old Ronan. Ronan has Tay-Sachs disease and, by all medical estimates, will die in a particularly gruesome manner before he is three. The subject is chilling, but I was particularly struck by her critical analysis–wisdom gained in suffering–of our parenting culture. […]