Dalai Lama Hearts George W. Bush

May 1, 2009 By

I love this piece from Jay Nordlinger, on how the Dalai Lama stunned Cambridge, Massacusetts with the news that George W. Bush is a good man, and one he loves: Audience member: “Can you give us an example of a leader we should look up to as a positive influence?” Dalai Lama (after thinking for [...]

Filed Under: American Genius, Barack Obama, Bush Good, Catholic Vocations, Catholicism, Communion of Saints, Crisis & Opportunity, Crooks and Liars, Crucible of Faith, Culture of Life/Death, Frassati

Maybe forgiveness didn't 'take' the first time

May 1, 2009 By

Last year my header contained a quote attributed to Malachy McCourt: Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other guy to die. It’s a great quote, great sentiment, and I shared a little of my experience with real, spirit-shredding resentment, too. I have actually been struggling with resentment, recently, for the first time [...]

Filed Under: Crooks and Liars, Crucible of Faith, Faith, It's all about me! Me! ME!, Touch of evil

Should I pray before an abortion clinic?

April 30, 2009 By

Had an email exchange with a reader who calls herself Owl in the Ruins, and given that we both feel like we’re being nudged to “do more,” I reprint much of it here, with her kind permission: Dear Anchoress, I just saw you on In the Area talking about blogs. … I think it’s sweet [...]

Filed Under: America, Christians in Exile, Communion of Saints, Crucible of Faith, Culture of Life/Death, Faith, Mary, Prayer, Saints, The Perpetual Adolescents, The Rosary

Grace; The Baggage Handler*

April 26, 2009 By

I love this simple definition of grace from Dom Augustin Guillerand, O. Cart, a French Carthusian. This is the secret of peace, after committing a fault. What is past is past. And if we accept the consequences, while bracing our will, we can be sure that God will know how to draw glory even from [...]

Filed Under: 'Remaking' America, Barack Obama, Benedict XVI, Bush Bad?, Catholicism, Christians in Exile, Crucible of Faith, Enhanced Interrogation, Faith

Heather & Kim and more – UPDATED

April 20, 2009 By

Got an update on Heather, the young pregnant woman who was diagnosed with cancer after learning of her pregnancy. On April 1 we learned that Heather had experienced something of a miraculous healing: The technicians opened her mouth to position the equipment relative to the tumor. Only…this time…there was nothing there. No tumor. No cancer. [...]

Filed Under: Catholic Vocations, Christians in Exile, Communion of Saints, Crucible of Faith, Culture of Life/Death, Faith, Freedom of Worship, Prayer

Exile: The Past is Prologue

April 3, 2009 By
ignatius-kung-ping-mei-196x300

Pope John Paul II and Ignatius Cardinal Kung Pin Mei Because it is something we can never hear enough these days, let’s revisit ideas of liberty put forth by two Englishmen, G.K. Chesteron and C.S. Lewis. This morning I heard Mika Brzezinski, whom I rather like, telling Joe Scarborough that she applauded the tobacco tax [...]

Filed Under: 'Remaking' America, Bookchat, Catholic Vocations, Catholicism, Chesterton, Christians in Exile, Communion of Saints, Crucible of Faith, Culture of Treason?, Faith, Freedom of Worship, John Paul II, Prayer, Saints, Socialism doesn't work

More distant than any star

December 3, 2008 By

The self is more distant than any star… – G. K. Chesterton Over at Inside Catholic, Irene Lagan has a moving post; through conversation with a nun in Rome, she finds herself thinking of a remarkable young woman from Rwanda: Our conversation recalled an experience I had last year when I met Immaculee Ilibagiza. Immaculée [...]

Filed Under: Advent 2008, Catholic Vocations, Catholicism, Crucible of Faith, Culture of Life/Death, Faith, Freedom of Worship, Prayer