A sad ending to the story I posted last week, about the Italian husband and father who had set himself on fire at 8:30 in the morning December 19 in St. Peter’s Square. MSN New Zealand now reports that the man has died of his injuries. Despite the best efforts of the medical team at Sant’Eugenio hospital, the man—who had suffered third-degree burns over his upper body before a Jesuit priest and two public security officers were able to extinguish... Read more
Religion and Science: Are the two incompatible? Are the rules of science inviolable? Here, a creative analysis by C.S. Lewis Doodle. This is best viewed in high resolution, so maximize on your screen for full effect. Read more
“The most depressing White House Christmas card of all time.” That’s what American Thinker said about the Obama family’s 2013 holiday greeting. Huffington Post called it “stubbornly secular.” And indeed, the card fails to mention God or Jesus, or anything vaguely religious. There’s no Christmas tree or wreath or holly. In fact, it doesn’t mention WHAT, exactly, we’re celebrating with this card. The card reads simply, “As we gather around this season, may the warmth and joy of the holidays... Read more
Ah, Christmas! Children nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums dance in their heads. But wait…. Can you believe this? Some parents—among them David and Nancy French, who write over on the Evangelical Portal at Patheos—are reportedly SANTA TRUTHERS. These are folks who, for one reason or another, have decided to skip the traditional Santa Claus story in their own families, ‘fessing up to their children that Mommy and Daddy put all those presents under the... Read more
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is obviously full of the Christmas spirit! They’ve issued a list of their top 20 movies for the Christmas season. (Never mind that the “Top 20” List only names 19 movies! Oops!) The following movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops according to artistic merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie. Browse your... Read more
Okay, I was asked, would I review the GoBible? I said yes—and now, I can’t stop playing with it. With the GoBible I can listen to the Bible—from the beginning, or by selecting a favorite Old or New Testament book. I can search by topic (such as “Courage” or “Forgiveness” or “Repentance”). I can use it for prayer—selecting the Liturgy of the Hours or the Rosary or other common prayers. If I need to locate a particular Old or New... Read more
A few weeks ago Rion Holcombe, a 20-year-old man from Moore, South Carolina, learned that he’d been accepted to Clemson University. Ryan has Down Syndrome and so many colleges would not accept him; but Clemson University offers the ClemsonLIFE program, which is “designed for students with intellectual disabilities who desire a postsecondary experience on a college campus.” Rion’s mother filmed him as he opened the acceptance letter and gradually realized that he would really be going to college. Rion’s sheer... Read more
Nine of every ten Americans celebrate Christmas, and three-quarters of Americans say they believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. According to a new telephone study conducted December 3-8, 2013 by the Pew Forum’s Religion and Public Life Project, virtually all Christians (96%) celebrate Christmas, and 80% of non-Christians also celebrate the holiday—although for non-Christians, it’s more of a secular feast. A couple of findings in the study really stuck out for me: Family and Friends Matter the Most. First,... Read more
This morning in the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis met with children from the Italian youth group Azione Cattolica (Catholic Action). The children exchanged Christmas greetings with the Pope, who encouraged them always to be “living stones united with Jesus” within the Church. The Vatican Information Service released the Holy Father’s remarks to the children: “Christmas is the celebration of the presence of God who came among us to save us”, said the Pontiff. “The birth... Read more
The Italian newspaper La Stampa has an update on the sad situation this morning, when a 51-year-old man set himself on fire in St. Peter’s Square. Apparently the man, a housekeeping attendant at the nearby Sancto Spirito Hospital, may have been involved in a “serious family quarrel” before dousing himself with flammable liquid at the end of the Colonnade, near the corner of Piazza Pio XII. According to the Vatican Press Office, his condition is “severe.” He might have died... Read more
Seasons of Grace
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In