The current attitude to the suggestion that certain birth control pills can effectively cause the death of a new human life is justified skepticism, verging on anger. It is, after all, a heavy claim to make, and the wonderful people over at Jezebel and Salon are right to mock the blitheness with which many in the pro-life movement have referred to "abortion pills". Still, we need a little honesty here. We know from studies such as the 2007 "Changes in measured endometrial thickness predict in … [Read more...]

Love is infinite. By infinite I mean: 1 : extending indefinitely : endless <infinite space> 2 : immeasurably or inconceivably great or extensive: inexhaustible <infinite patience> 3 : subject to no limitation or external determination 4a: extending beyond, lying beyond, or being greater than any preassigned finite value however large <infinite number of positive numbers> This truth sets fire. This truth, if indeed truth, can stop suicide, heal hearts, and sharpen our … [Read more...]

Before reading Christina Pesoli's marvelous article, Why This Catholic Girl Is Praying for a Schism, I was all about the business of writing something short, enlightening, and relatively professional. But the humor of her work has bubbled up within me, to the point that I would now consider it criminal not to share a brief response. Pesoli is a wonderful writer, and an intelligent human being, so I guarantee that her work will brighten your day, tickle your sides, and give you hope for future … [Read more...]

True suffering -- whether in death, disaster, or disease -- is united by the fact that we hate it. Our beings reject it, our minds refuse to comprehend it, our bodies are sickened by it, and it's all a simple matter of definition: To suffer is to experience that which we do not want to experience. Now it's impossible -- from a purely secular standpoint -- to answer the question of why we suffer. For if there were a good reason for our suffering, then that suffering would become tolerable to … [Read more...]

Whenever the topic of prophecy is brought up, the great and somewhat disappointing rift between the Christian and his non-Christian brother becomes apparent. The non-Christian will see thousands of Christ figures developed by hundreds different cultures over thousands of years and -- taking non-Christianity as a premise -- assume that Christ is merely one of many myths, a man embellished into divinity, messiah, and redeemer. The Christian -- and he really can't help it, so do excuse his … [Read more...]

...and great timing for me, for I'm busy braving that inner circle of hell known as Tech Support for 1flesh.org, which is getting more hits than it can handle. Should we stone abortion clinicians? Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood director, launched a new ministry, And Then There Were None. Check out this logic: No more abortion clinic workers. No more abortion clinics. No more abortions. Some "pro-lifers" have criticized this approach. Here's one … [Read more...]

It's possible to believe a thing to be absolutely true, and simultaneously live like it's absolutely false. L'example: There are billions of human beings who profess that strange doctrine of the Incarnation, and who celebrate the Christmas Day when Truth, Goodness and Beauty became Man. But of those billons, how many treat Man as a new and glorified being in whom dwells divinity? If I pass a woman on the street, and know beyond a shadow of doubt she is destined to become infinitely like … [Read more...]

I have challenge for you. Consecrate yourself to Jesus Christ through the Blessed Virgin Mary, by the way of St. Louis de Montfort. The graces, gifts and consolations attached to this "Perfect Devotion" are incredible. Not that that's why we should consecrate ourselves through Mary, of course. We should consecrate ourselves through Mary in imitation of Christ, who humbled himself to come into the world through her, living in obedience with her. We should consecrate ourselves to her because in … [Read more...]

Nor will you ever be. Why? Because since I moved to Patheos, BadCatholic has passed the million views mark! No prizes for any one! Woohoo! Well, sorta. You could be the millionth unique visitor. Fine. You can have a prize, which may or not be a prize for me. Post requests! List what you want me to write about below. I'll take all your excellent suggestions and try my best to write about them. … [Read more...]

Some awesomeness you should all be aware of: From their Facebook page (which I will mail you some bacon for liking): "Imagine Sisters is a web and campus-based movement that aims to inspire the imaginations of young women to consider the beautiful call to consecrated life as a sister." Given that a) nuns are awesome, b) this seems to me to be the first comprehensive, web-based promotion of the female religious life and c) nuns are awesome, you should all share this with your family, … [Read more...]