Question that’s been generating some unnecessary panic: Is it okay for a Catholic to celebrate Valentine’s day, birthdays, anniversaries, or other special events that happen to fall on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday? Short answer: In the United States, at present yes in fact you can, though with some restrictions. Here are the details. #1 It’s always better to fast as fully as possible. If your health and state in life allow it? Nothing but prayer, water, and works... Read more
Day three of Mag 90, and let me tell you about Costco. My gosh, that *place*. I mean yes, we knew it was the land of the impulse buys. But what a difference the experience is when you’ve decided to follow a plan of no unnecessary purchases. You just walk in and buy the one thing you dropped by for on your way home, and the two other things you remembered you’re getting low on and they are actual-need items (a... Read more
Is “Calories In Calories Out” the reality about weight loss and obesity? I caught a few glimpses of the recent Twitter food fight over that question, and here are the two main, credible arguments in favor: It is a mathematical fact. We understand that many people find the math hard, so they use other rules that are simpler to follow, and that’s fine, but it’s still CICO. I’d like to weigh in with a reality check: CICO is sometimes the... Read more
Take a look at the actual text of California’s Assembly Bill 1084, the one about the gender-neutral toy departments, a quick read. I’ve been wondering: How exactly would you enforce such a concept? The answer seems to be the bill doesn’t really do anything, unless you have a toy or childcare items department that is explicitly labeled “boys” and “girls”. What does the law require? Here is the portion of the bill that gives an actual mandate: A retail department store... Read more
As I’m thinking through the Magnify 90 spiritual disciplines, what stands out is how tightly they are aligned with the types of addictions women are commonly prone to, and their corrective antidotes (stronger relationships, for example). I don’t think the Catholic concept of attachment and detachment can be boiled down to addictions-and-that’s-it, but it is certainly a reasonable starting place. Here are a couple podcasts from Huberman Lab to shed light on the science behind parts of the Mag 90... Read more
The reason I’m doing Magnify 90 this January is because my sister called me up and asked if I would, and it didn’t seem like a good idea to say no. I’ve never done one of these programs before, and I’m not a really penance-y kinda person. Honestly I dread offering things up anymore, because my inner shirker screams do not tempt God to give you things to offer up! Nooooooo! So this’ll be an interesting time. If you aren’t familiar... Read more
The question I volunteered to cover today is: Why is Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ considered a Catholic movie? I’m going to run through some caveats first, and then look at ways the film is particularly consonant with Catholic spirituality; finally we’ll get down to the one non-negotiable that secures this movie its ultimate Catholic street cred. #1 Oh my gosh it’s so violent. Sometimes we say a movie is “Catholic” or “Christian” as code for “G-rated, with... Read more
A friend* posed this question recently: “I’m trying to get in shape, but I read different things about exercise. Some people say running is good for you, others say it keeps you from building muscle — am I doing it wrong?” I’m not an exercise guru, but I’m a person who exercises, and who does so under constantly changing physical constraints. Here are my thoughts, presented for you to tweak as-needed. #1 Your personal health is the primary guide. It... Read more
This is a quick PSA based on some conversations trending at the moment, on the hazards of “Graded Exercise Therapy (GET).” Short version: If someone suggests you try this GET thing, fire them from your life. So here is my favorite workout of late. I get on the ice, and I run sprints for an hour working hockey skills. I usually take two brief water breaks, during which my heart rate gets down to 140-150 and then I go back... Read more
H/T to Jonathan Turley for the heads up on the new ban on abayas in French public schools. I want to address a question he posed, and also provide some background and context for American religious readers. Most of the links will be in French, but Google Translate should hold you in good stead. Turley writes extensively on freedom of speech issues, but his specialty is American law, not French law. Therefore he wrote: The same intolerance could be used... Read more
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