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Who Objects to Free Speech?

Who Objects to Free Speech?

Free speech has always been one of our most cherished rights. It has come under attack repeatedly by those who find it to be an inconvenient and unwanted obstacle to the attainment of their political goals. Sometimes, those in positions of power ignore the First Amendment and issue laws and regulations to silence their opponents. […]

Liturgy’s Effect on Gay “Marriage” Debate

Liturgy’s Effect on Gay “Marriage” Debate

Mar 6 11 • 3 comments

Perhaps you’ve visited the popular weblog of the inimitable Fr. Z (AKA Fr. John Zuhlsdorf at WDTPRS.com) where one of his trademark battle cries is, “Save the liturgy, save the world!” If you haven’t, I highly recommend it. “If you throw a stone, even a pebble, into a pool it produces ripples which expand to […]

It's Hard Work...

It’s Hard Work…

Mar 5 11 • 0 comments

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”  We are all aware of these famous words of John F. Kennedy at in his inaugural speech in 1961. Maybe it is time to revisit that statement. Today, we see civil unrest as has […]

Saved by Faith or Works?

Saved by Faith or Works?

Protestants say we’re saved by faith.  Some Catholics say we’re saved by good works. But what does the Bible say? This Sunday’s readings are clear – it’s neither.    And it’s both.   At the very same time. First, let’s define our terms.   When St. Paul says “works” don’t save us, he is really referring to two […]

Recalculating the Odds: Obama and DOMA

Recalculating the Odds: Obama and DOMA

Mar 5 11 • 0 comments

During his campaign, Candidate Barack Obama repeatedly cited his opposition to same sex marriage. On the Human Rights Campaign’s 2008 Presidential Survey, he stated, “I do not support gay marriage. Marriage has religious and social connotations, and I consider marriage to be between a man and a woman.”  Despite his formerly firm convictions, the President […]

They Don’t Know Anything!

They Don’t Know Anything!

One quiet evening, I decided to call my brother to ask how his new teaching position as a religion teacher was going. His first position took him to an all-boy’s Catholic high school in Southern California. After an initial pause he emphatically stated; “They don’t know anything!” I asked him to clarify his statement. He […]

Saying “Y-E-S” to God During Lent

Saying “Y-E-S” to God During Lent

Mar 5 11 • 2 comments

Hear Gary Zimak on EWTN radio’s Son Rise Morning Show Tuesday, 3/8 at 6:45 a.m. and on Ave Maria/EWTN Catholic Connection Friday, 3/11 at 8:35 a.m. No matter how close we are to God, the season of Lent provides a great opportunity to grow closer to Him.  One of the biggest mistakes that we can make is to not take advantage of […]

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The Forty Day Challenge: A Lenten Marriage Builder

Mar 5 11 • 0 comments

This week I’ve been reading Servant of God Fulton Sheen’s Love, Marriage and Children, and was struck by how much this man – a celibate who died more than thirty years ago – understood about contemporary married life.  (His profound understanding of the human condition is partly responsible for the fact that his nationally syndicated […]

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

Mar 5 11 • 0 comments

We and our 4 daughters, ages 13 down to 1, needed a home, and we needed it soon.  Our 6-month lease was soon to expire, and our family was living a make-do lifestyle in an apartment.  Everything about our living space spoke the language of “temporary” — some nearly-weightless plastic chairs; a white, wobbly table with […]

The Dating Inbox

The Dating Inbox

Mar 4 11 • 0 comments

When dating, women can get concerned about preserving their sense of privacy.  Boundaries are important – what if a guy turns out to be a pest? Here’s a quick tip:  Create an email address specifically for the early stages of dating. Most of us have easy access to free email providers like Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, […]

My Favorite Big Book – The Perfect Lenten/Easter Read for your Child

My Favorite Big Book – The Perfect Lenten/Easter Read for your Child

Mar 4 11 • 1 comment

I’ve looked high and low for years for the Catholic equivalent of the Bible story books I had as a child.  It’s not that I don’t like the ones I had as a child; it’s that I want to share the delight of Tobit, the wonder of Sirach, and the adventure of Maccabees with my […]

Movie Review: <em>The Adjustment Bureau</em>

Movie Review: The Adjustment Bureau

 If every decision we make causes ripples that affect our ultimate future, what chance do we really have to end up where we are supposed to be? Some of the seemingly tiniest choices I’ve made throughout the course of my life, have, in hindsight, resulted in life altering changes. I can trace these moments back […]

Three Years after <em>Summorum Pontificum</em>

Three Years after Summorum Pontificum

Mar 4 11 • 0 comments

In his letter accompanying the 2007 Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI invited the bishops to report in three years on their experiences in implementing the new liturgical legislation, which is designed to make Mass celebrated according to the 1962 Missal more widely available.   Last fall the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei began to review […]

I Married A Sock Addict

I Married A Sock Addict

Mar 4 11 • 4 comments

My mother says she’s color blind from a lifetime of matching socks.  As I celebrate my 24th year of doing Scott Rinehart’s laundry, I now know why. According to my husband’s sock drawer, there are 17 shades of navy blue.  Four of those shades belong on over the calf socks while the other thirteen are […]

Who is Behind the New Roman Missal?

Who is Behind the New Roman Missal?

Mar 4 11 • 1 comment

By now we all know that a new Roman Missal is on its way to use in our parishes.  If you are like me, you want to know how and why things come about.  So, consistant with this, I looked up the committees instrumental in the revising and establishment of our Roman Missals, past and present, here are my […]

Huawei? No way

Huawei? No way

Last summer, a Chinese telecommunications giant founded by a former People’s Liberation Army (PLA) engineer was rebuffed in its effort to sell vast quantities of equipment to Sprint Nextel – an American company that provides communication services to the U.S. Defense Department and other government agencies.  An interagency group known as the Committee on Foreign […]

Pro-life Advocates in Downtown Chicago to Launch Groundbreaking 40 Days for Life Campaign

Pro-life Advocates in Downtown Chicago to Launch Groundbreaking 40 Days for Life Campaign

Mar 3 11 • 0 comments

“On March 9, pro-life advocates from downtown Chicago will join with people of faith from many other communities across the country to kick off our own version of the groundbreaking 40 Days for Life campaign,” said Christina Skelley, director of the Chicago-Old Town 40 Days for Life campaign. 40 Days for Life is an intensive […]

Improve Your Website Weekly

Improve Your Website Weekly

Mar 3 11 • 0 comments

When a merchant opens his store, he works very hard to get everything ready. He selects, purchases, and arranges furniture, fixtures, displays, decorations, and signage. He carefully selects his merchandise and ensures that it’s displayed with proper lighting. He hires and trains personnel. He plans his marketing efforts and allocates a certain amount of money […]

Big Grace and the Gift of Faith

Big Grace and the Gift of Faith

Mar 2 11 • 0 comments

A few months ago, an acquaintance told me she was in a RCIA program. I don’t call her a “friend” because I really do not know her quite well. I think she is a nice person who has the potential to be a good friend but my knowledge of her and her life is very […]

The Global Missal Dissent System

The Global Missal Dissent System

Mar 2 11 • 8 comments

Over the past year, I’ve spoken with countless individuals – from regular lay folk to educators, deacons to bishops – about the great blessing that is coming our way in the new English translation of the Roman Missal, and it seems to me that the overwhelming majority of Catholics tend to share my enthusiasm for […]

Global is the New Local

Global is the New Local

Mar 2 11 • 0 comments

The world wide web has made the other side of the planet a little bit closer place to connect. With the Internet, global is increasingly our new local. When my husband and I started Copper Lion, Inc.’s digital retouching and illustration services to photographers and ad agencies 10 years ago, we found Copper Lion, Inc. could quickly service […]

Blasphemy Laws and the Death of Shahbaz Bhatti

Blasphemy Laws and the Death of Shahbaz Bhatti

Mar 2 11 • 0 comments

The Becket Fund grieves the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities Affairs, today. Mr. Bhatti was gunned down leaving his home on Wednesday morning in Islamabad. He was an outspoken critic of Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy law, which prescribes death for offending Islam. “The last time that Mr. Bhatti was in the offices of […]

Jesus before Pilate: Excerpt from <em>Jesus of Nazareth, Part 2</em> by Joseph Ratzinger

Jesus before Pilate: Excerpt from Jesus of Nazareth, Part 2 by Joseph Ratzinger

Mar 2 11 • 3 comments

An excerpt from Jesus of Nazareth PART TWO Holy Week From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection  by Joseph Ratzinger Pope Benedict XVI Jesus before Pilate Jesus’ interrogation before the Sanhedrin had concluded in the way Caiaphas had expected: Jesus was found guilty of blasphemy, for which the penalty was death.  But since only […]

Mystery of the Betrayer: Excerpt from <em>Jesus of Nazareth, Part 2</em> by Joseph Ratzinger

Mystery of the Betrayer: Excerpt from Jesus of Nazareth, Part 2 by Joseph Ratzinger

Mar 2 11 • 3 comments

An excerpt from Jesus of Nazareth PART TWO Holy Week From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection  by Joseph RatzingerPope Benedict XVI The mystery of the betrayer he account of the washing of the feet presents us with two different human responses to this gift, exemplified by Judas and Peter.  Immediately after the exhortation […]