As someone who lived in Nantes, France for nearly a year I can say that there’s nothing more depressing to do in France than attending Mass on any given Sunday. The churches are virtually empty, save for some elderly church ladies, plus a smattering of African and Eastern European expats. The only upside to all this is that the Mass is frequently the only place where you find any ethnic intermixing in a country that prides itself on not assimilating... Read more
As a former university instructor I cannot help wondering what books I would’ve assigned to a class of students planning on going to, or coming back from, World Youth Day in Krakow (see my offbeat guide to Krakow here). What would I tell them about Poles without scaring them? How could I explain the country’s strange history? How would I explain the Polish psyche? With literature, of course. Thus, this list will concentrate upon literary works, because that’s both Poland’s intellectual strength, and literature... Read more
. . . Sometimes in museums the paintings speak to me and irony suddenly vanishes. I love gazing at my wife’s face. Every Sunday I call my father. Every other week I meet with friends, thus proving my fidelity. My country freed itself from one evil. I wish another liberation would follow. . . –Adam Zagajewski, “Self-Portrait,” from Mysticism for Beginners There will be plenty of talk about the Polish church’s central role in defeating communism during this World Youth Day in Krakow. It... Read more
This is a personal reflection on the work of Stanley Hauerwas in celebration of his 76th birthday. I have had the honor of working with Stanley Hauerwas for over a decade. Before I began he expressed his one concern, “Carole, I’m just worried you’re going to be bored.” At the time I had just finished my masters degree, I had a three year old and another baby on the way. “Stanley,” I answered, “I’d welcome a little boredom in my life.”... Read more
If I forget you, O Krakow, let my right hand wither. These are my “I’m not going to World Youth Day Blues.” But I’m glad that some of you will go to the city that occupies almost as much of my heart as Rome. I know both of these cities better than I know my own native Warsaw, and semi-native Seattle. I spent three years of my life in Krakow, even though I come from Warsaw (an aesthetic wasteland). I met... Read more
“They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force–nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others.” ― Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness Last night Ted Cruz became my temporary hero and dark overlord. Cruz demonstrated the sort of spine Bernie Sanders doesn’t have. If you missed it last night, then you probably missed the only moment of brutal honesty during this election cycle. Ted Cruz firmly held... Read more
Anyone with the slightest sensitivity…cannot fail to recognize the nature of National Socialism: naturalistic, antagonistic to the things of the spirit, and based on a materialism of blood….The deeds of the National Socialists truly correspond to the spirit of the Antichrist. –Dietrich Von Hildebrand, My Battle Against Hitler: Faith, Truth, and Defiance in the Shadow of the Third Reich As anyone who knows me well enough will be able to tell you when asked, I am indeed very passionate (perhaps... Read more
I exhort you — be zealous to do all things in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the place of God, and the presbyters in the place of the Council of the Apostles, and the deacons, who are most dear to me, entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ, who was from eternity with the Father and was made manifest at the end of time. Be all in conformity with God, and respect one another, and let no man... Read more
Theology is born when the arbitrary judgment of reason encounters a limit, in that we discover something which we have not excogitated ourselves but which has been revealed to us. –Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, On Conscience I am going on a one week holiday starting today at 2 pm. I’ll be prepping for my Summer 2B course and working on the new PES website, but these projects will help me enjoy myself and not feel relaxation anxiety. I may also try... Read more
I stayed out of the fray of commenting on Black Lives Matter until yesterday, because we’ve been moving, not out of indifference. Yesterday, I had the pleasure instead of giving the acting editor of Patheos Catholic comment on this important issue. As a naturalized citizen I have never really understood three things about America: its barbarous abortion culture, its mad gun culture, and its horrible treatment of African Americans. Polish society has its shortcomings too, but we’re not discussing them... Read more
Cosmos The In Lost
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