I have a new article up at OSV talking about the experience of being heavily pregnant as advent approaches, and also the things that pregnancy has taught me about the spiritual life. Okay, mostly about how not to be a Pelagian, which is a subject that I’ll probably blog about in more (and more philosophical) detail in the near future. Christmas approaches, and so does the birth of my seventh child. I’ve had the privilege, over the past nine months,... Read more
A lot of really great versions of this have been produced, and I must admit that I felt a certain hesitancy in choosing John Coltrane over Ray Charles for the jazz entry, and in eliminating Sufjan Stevens from the final list (one of these songs, I feel he’s gonna hit it out of the park, but there was just too much competition on this one.) I did manage to get it down to five, with two honourable mentions: Street Corner... Read more
There's been a lot of speculation about how Christians should understand Islam. Should we take the Qur'an literally, the way that sola scriptura Protestants take the Bible? Should we see Islam as a religion of violence and terrorism? Are practices which would isolate Muslims and keep them from our borders justified in the light of the present situation? Read more
Outside of Canada, this is a little known carol – but it's one of my favourites. Written by the Jesuit martyr St. Jean de Brébeuf as part of his mission to the Wendat (Huron) people, one of its unusual features is that it incorporates the practice of inculturation (at the time considered a controversial innovation of the Jesuit order). Read more
The question returns, like Jason Vorhees in the 12th sequel to Friday the 13th: is homosexuality a psychological disorder? And could it be cured? Read more
“Grandma Bo?” “Yes, Thut” “Tell me a story about death.” It was, perhaps, an odd request, coming from a six year old boy. One must recall, however, that I was a Metenem child growing up in Ptemya. Already, I had heard rumors that one day I would be taken up to the cave to learn the lesson of Death. Since the older children were forbidden to speak of this ordeal to the younger echelons we had all heard a great... Read more
Today's carol is God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and the competition was much stiffer than last time. Here are my top six. Read more
As part of the lead-up to Christmas this year, I’ve decided to do a series of blog entries where I give some of my favourite versions of classic carols – and perhaps a few of the better contemporary Christmas songs. We’ll start with “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” because everybody knows it is far and away the best of the advent carols. I was hoping to do a Top Five list but after a long time sifting the offerings on... Read more
This blog post is not about the most recent mass shooting. It is about gun control. Read more
This blog entry will in fact have Catholic content after the fangirling. Promise. Read more
Catholic Authenticity
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