“I will even be so indecently frivolous to burst into song, and say to…young pessimists: ‘Some sneer; some snigger; some simper; In the youth where we laughed and sang. And they may end with a whimper But we will end with a bang.’” – G.K. Chesterton Don’t despair. I know. I know. Things look pretty grim. Heinous violence is commonplace. Civility is increasingly rare. One class hates another. One race resents another. Vital laws are ignored. Frivolous laws are... Read more
G.K. Chesterton I’ve been thinking. Does Science like Mystery? I mean, really and truly embrace it. Because if you think about it, the entire reason for Science’s existence is to answer questions, solve riddles…demystify. So what happens when Science can’t answer certain questions? How does Science grapple with enduring Mystery? I know, I know. You’re going to say, “Science is neutral.” Fair enough. But Scientists aren’t. And the growing body of adherents to Scientism, where Science is transformed from tool to... Read more
“Thirty-six is a lot of graduations.” That’s how he began. It was June of 2015 that the bear of man, Justice Antonin Scalia, leaned his heavy palms on the sides of the podium, peered out at the graduating class and began to speak. Now, to be clear, this wasn’t a commencement address offered at Harvard or Yale, Georgetown or the University of Chicago. No. This was Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, an all-girl Catholic High School in Bethesda, Maryland. Young,... Read more
On May 16, 2016, the Supreme Court unanimously handed a victory to the Little Sisters of the Poor. Now, let’s be clear, the Court emphasized that they are not ruling on the merits of the case. Instead, they went out of their way to convince that they are interested in simultaneously preserving religious liberties (and the right of Conscience) as well as providing unfettered access to Obamacare approved contraception/abortifacients. Seems like a draw, right? Wrong. True, the Supreme Court handed the... Read more
The Return of the Prodigal Son by James Tissot Do you want to be depressed? Okay, so here is what you do…Just go over to the TV and turn on the news. Internationally, you can despair of marauding radical jihadists consolidating control in oil-rich Middle East and exporting their hate to cosmopolitan civilized centers. You can worry about tinpot dictators in marginalized countries recklessly brandishing their nuclear weapons while making irrational demands. You can lament the enduring, crippling poverty of disaster-struck... Read more
“Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.” – G.K. Chesterton “I have been here before.” It is time to remember. For now, we live in uncertain times with unreal figures. We are witnesses to incomprehensible decisions championing inexcusable values. Now, more than ever, it is time to remember. “I have been here before.” These are the jarring words whispered by Charles Ryder in the opening lines of Evelyn Waugh’s masterpiece, Brideshead Revisited. Perched on an English hilltop, the... Read more
“To convert somebody go and take them by the hand and guide them.” – St. Thomas Aquinas (attrib.) What happens when Catholic kids help Catholic kids? Let me tell you. The other night I was invited by a colleague and friend to attend the annual NET Ministries Annual Catholic Youth Benefit Banquet. NET Ministries, which I was only loosely familiar with, is a thirty-five year old endeavor that originated with a visionary young man named Mark Berchem. In 1980, Mark and eleven other... Read more
I was only nine years old at the time. There I was, standing in the music section of Target (which in 1983 consisted of a wall rack filled with 45 rpm Top 40 records), looking for it…looking for it. And there it was. Delirious by Prince. Do you remember that one? Quick paced. Squeaky, yet euphoric. But made cool by the baritone voice of a true artist: Prince. Well, that nine year-old hastily bought that record – the first I ever bought... Read more
It has been nearly two weeks since Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) was released. The work has been described as “a rich reflection on the mission of the family and on how the Church can equip couples to embrace God’s vision for marriage and can offer healing for families who are struggling.” But anyone paying attention to the two year process that yielded Amoris Laetitia recognizes the truth behind Otto von Bismarck’s immortalized words, “Laws are like... Read more
“If I ever become a saint, I will surely be one of ‘darkness.’ ” – Blessed Teresa of Calcutta They say she is a saint. And on September 4th, 2016, Pope Francis and the Catholic Church will canonize her. On that day, Mother Teresa – Blessed Teresa of Calcutta – will become St. Teresa of Calcutta. They say she is a saint. But some doubt it. Oh, it’s not simply that some question the Catholic Church’s overall process of investigating Mother... Read more
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