I don’t read Andrew Sullivan’s Daily Dish on a daily basis, or even on a weekly basis. (God knows nothing I’ve ever written has turned up in it.) But most of what I’ve seen, I’ve liked. Sullivan was one of the first to recognize the musical “Book of Mormon” as a backhanded salute to faith and good works, rather than simply a backhand. When it emerged that Michele Bachmann’s old church identifies the pope with the Antichrist, he observed that,... Read more
Reader, today I have a follow-up appointment with the eye doctor. Hopefully, I’ll crank out something substantial after getting back. For now, here are a few lines of hastily written verse to explain how my life has changed. I suspect a few of you will be able to relate. If seeing is believing, Then, mama, I’m a-grieving: New smoking creases by my lips. How ever shall I come to grips With these dust bunnies on the floor, My grime-streaked vanity,... Read more
I’ve found at least one advantage in having the Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted as my prelate and prince. The man has a rep. Over the past eight years, since he first succeeded the Most Reverend Thomas J. O Brien as bishop of Phoenix, Arizona, his stern approach to governance has given rise to a regular black legend, or at least a long string of lurid, Chuck Norris-like factoids. At water coolers from one end of the diocese to another,... Read more
On the day the tech guy upgraded my blog, the following comment turned up in my queue, posted under the name “Daily Deals” : Outstanding weblog here! Additionally your web page loads up quick! What host are you currently employing? Can I get your affiliate hyperlink for your host? I wish my website loaded up as quickly as yours lol Though obviously placed by a spambot, it looked to have sprung from the mind of a human being — someone... Read more
Kvetched Emily Dickinson: There’s a certain slant of light, On winter afternoons, That oppresses, like the weight Of cathedral tunes. Well, duh. Afternoon winter light is supposed to be depressing, reminiscent of death and — so to speak — all that sort of rot. It’s only when the sound of “The Sound of Music” can drive you to the edge of drooling madness that you know you’re in really bad shape. This morning, after clicking on the link to the... Read more
After some impressive displays of loyalty, a segment of the Republican base is losing patience with Herman Cain. A Reuters/ipsos poll conducted several days after the media reported allegations that Cain had sexually harassed former employees showed the percentage of Republicans who viewed him favorably had dropped to 57% from 66%. A 53% majority of all respondents — a pool that included Democrats as well as Republicans — reported they believed the allegations against Cain. But this was before the... Read more
I’m proud to report that my patron and heavenly protector, St. Francis de Sales, delivered the best one-liner in Church history since Jesus did his bit about the egg and the scorpion. On seeing his friend St. Jeanne-Francoise de Chantal, a consecrated celibate following her widowhood, in a decolletee gown, he advised, “If you’re not looking to entertain visitors, you’d better take down the signboard.” Forget funny — that was pure camp, especially if Monseigneur was speaking in his Mae... Read more
All right, you happy culture warriors, keep your powder dry. Wait until Thanksgiving before you start kvetching about how Christmas is turning back into Saturnalia. Better yet, wait until you check out the Lego Advent calendar. It’s fun, it’s liturgical year-friendly. One sells on Amazon for $38 — almost exactly what a carton of Pall Malls costs at the Pima reservation in Scottsdale. On every day of the season, kids get to open a new window and claim a new... Read more
Apparently, Iowans don’t give a hoot whether or not Herman Cain has ever sexually harassed anyone. A Washington Post poll reports that Cain’s popularity nearly matches Mitt Romney’s, at a rate of 23 percent to 24 percent. Meanwhile, 70 percent of Republicans have stated that the allegations will make no difference in their choice of a candidate. Iowa, remember, is a state where Cain’s campaign efforts have been notably lax. Closer to home, he’s doing even better. In a recent... Read more
According to a recovery protocol I just made up, when a person is rounding out his seventh straight week of sobriety, he can get nostalgic about his old life. Last week, while writing my weekly Patheos column, it occurred to me that Catholic writers tend to reach for certain stock phrases and fall into other predictable habits. I am no exception. It’s a mug’s game, writing. But rather than uncap our blue pens or train our gimlet eyes, let’s pull... Read more
Diary of a Wimpy Catholic
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