Catholic Authenticity
"Orthodoxy considers both the unitive and procreative aspects of marriage to be important. Yet it finds the ultimate reason for conjugal union in a higher truth." Read more
"Orthodoxy considers both the unitive and procreative aspects of marriage to be important. Yet it finds the ultimate reason for conjugal union in a higher truth." Read more
Consider two very different same-sex attracted Catholic men... Read more
Deacon Russell has recently explained why he's such a jerk to gay people – or rather, why he's not a jerk at all and his critics are unfair. A very good window into the beliefs that inform a lot of disedifying conservative writing. Read more
This is my immediate, off the cuff reply to Deacon Jim’s article. My full, and better response is here. Okay, you posted your latest to the com-box in my last piece. It includes the following paragraph. Learn that if you have no intention of even trying to understand what I mean by the words I choose, then STOP READING. Here’s another simple one—if all you’re planning to do after reading my essay is tell me what I’m “really trying to... Read more
A friend on Twitter asked me about how Catholic writers ought to deal with sexual content in fiction, and I couldn't figure out a way to answer the question in under a 140 characters so I figured I'd blog it. Read more
Over the past couple of days I've been trying to develop a more sober response to Jim Russel's piece over at Crisis. In the meantime, the publication of Ashley Madison's data caused yet another scandal to fall over the Duggar family. In my head, these two things are connected. Read more
Okay, so full disclosure: this post is mostly just an excuse to post pictures of my ducks, but that’s in both of our best interests because looking at ducks will make you happier than reading most of the stuff that you’ll find on the internet. In fact, for those of you who live in urban settings and who are deprived of the joy of regularly interacting with ducks in their natural environment, this will be an opportunity to enjoy them... Read more
I am absolutely sick to death of Crisis Magazine’s hit-pieces against the small handful of LGBTQ Catholics who are attempting to live faithful lives in accordance with the teaching of the Church, and to defend those teachings in the public square. The most recent comes from Deacon Jim Russell, a long-time veteran of the anti LGBTQ Catholic brigade, and it’s a rather childish character assassination of Joe Prever. Joe, formerly known by the alias “Steve Gershom,” spoke at this year’s... Read more
I’ve talked before about the importance of including trans people in the Christian conversation. On Sexual Authenticity, I hosted a guest post by, Edie, a trans theologian. Today, I’m interviewing Aoife Assumpta Hart, a Catholic transwoman. This interview has been abridged and slightly edited with Aoife’s approval. The full text is available on her blog. Hi Melinda! Thank you so much for this opportunity to discuss, in friendship and openness, my experience as a transwoman. A frustrating aspect of being... Read more
Material goods really are good. There’s nothing wrong with riches, only with attachment to riches. “You must not love this passing world or anything that is in the world. The love of the Father cannot be in any man who loves the world, because nothing the world has to offer — the sensual body, the lustful eye, pride in possessions — could ever come from the Father but only from the world”. Notice Read more
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