OUT: WHY? In case anyone is wondering why I’ve been, or tried to be, pretty up-front about my sexual orientation on this site. I really don’t know if you people care, but figured you might. 1) Somebody has to. I’ve spoken with other Catholics with homosexual desires who would never speak about it publicly. Some were members of prominent Catholic organizations, who feared losing friends and reputation. (Straight Catholics: Whose fault is that?) Others simply value their privacy and practice... Read more

SULLIMANIA. I hope to make this the final installment of the Andrew-Sullivan-and-sex-and-Catholics stuff, at least for a while. I’ve said much of what I have to say here, here, and here; these posts are really just clean-up. Also, for some reason I can’t get into the relevant sections of Andrew Sullivan’s archives at all, so there will be a minimum of direct quotation. Yes, I know this sucks, and I’ll fix it if anyone can send me the link and/or... Read more

ROMA LOCUTA, CAUSA FINITA EST? First, let me be clear on the role of Church authority in this discussion. I understand, and can defend with no reference to Church authority, Catholic teaching on almost everything that divides Sullivan and me. Sexual fidelity, marriage, contraception, the Bible, all good. Ordination of women, never really investigated, basically suspect that if women could be priests several of the score of Marys who populate the Gospels would’ve been ordained already, since they tended to... Read more

HOW IS HOMOSEXUALITY UNLIKE SLAVERY?, and CAN CATHOLICS THINK? A reader sent me an email that may help clarify matters. My original response to him was totally lame, so I’m not even going to bother with it. Reader email: In your blog today (03/27) you state: “If I say Church teachings A through E imply F, and everyone from St. Paul to John XXIII and onward says Church teachings A through E imply and require not-F, I start doubting my... Read more

POETRY WEDNESDAY: From Les Murray: [clipped–it’s “And I Was Young”] Read more

“Gee, honey, you’re as mean as can be.” –Claire Trevor to Edward G. Robinson, “Key Largo” Read more

PS: Unqualified Offerings is back!! Read more

Lie still, little blogwatch, Shake my shaky hand; Black coffee’s not enough for me, I need a better friend… Not much today: this blogwatch, the addition of Frederick Douglass’s autobiography to the booklog, and, possibly, a long thing about authority and sex and Sullivan. (Who seems to call for an[other] American schism today. What’n, Ah say what’n…? Anyway…) If not today, then definitely tomorrow. Oh, and you all should start watching “Malcolm in the Middle,” because it is the most... Read more

“He was a ladykiller. But don’t get any ideas–I ain’t no lady.” –Myrna Dell to police, “Nocturne” Read more

MUG SHOTS. EveTushnet.com mugs!!! Thanks to Ben Domenech. Read more