I review books all the time–and I enjoy reading them, enjoy shiny new ideas well elucidated, enjoy the interplay of paper and ink and sometimes leather…. But it’s not every day that I read a book and think, “Oh my gosh, I’ve got to buy another copy for _________ and one for _________ and one for __________.” Poised to become an international bestseller, Father Michel Remery’s just-released book Tweeting with God is a slicked up hot rod of an evangelization tool–answering every... Read more
As if Detroit didn’t have troubles enough already, the city is about to welcome a statue of Baphomet, a pagan idol “worshipped” by the Satanic Temple. Since the 1970s, Detroit has been known for the widespread arson and vandalism which occur each year on October 30, “Devil’s Night.” Now, the devil will have his own monument in the Motor City. The one-ton, 9-foot-tall bronze statue will be unveiled July 25, even though protests by pastors and local residents convinced Bert’s Warehouse, the... Read more
1. FREE SEX CHANGES FOR TEENAGERS — WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT So say you’re a confused 15-year-old kid. You’re shy, and you don’t have many friends. You think you’re too [choose one: skinny, fat, tall, short, pimply, undeveloped, chesty, clumsy…], and that’s why no one likes you. And you think the solution would be to change who you are. Not just a trendy new haircut, but something REALLY different. I know! You’ll change your sex! If you live in Oregon, you... Read more
The victory was brief. Last year’s Supreme Court victory for Hobby Lobby has little meaning today, because the Obama Administration has just circumvented the law to extend contraceptive benefits to all. And who’s paying for it? Why, you and I, of course, through our tax dollars! The case involving the Green family’s Hobby Lobby stores went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court; and last June, the Court ruled that some private companies can be exempted, on religious grounds,... Read more
An Oregon couple forced to close their bakery after they refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding have become heroes in the culture wars. And now, supporters have raised more than $253,000 for Melissa and Aaron Klein, who wanted to operate their business according to Christian principles. A lesbian couple alleged that the Kleins’ refusal had caused them physical, emotional and mental damages. Among the symptoms they’d experienced after the bakers refused their business, they listed “excessive sleep,” “weight gain,” “worry” and... Read more
Got just a minute? Here’s a quick recap of three news items I spotted today. GOOD NEWS: California’s Assisted Suicide Bill Dies for Lack of Support SB 128, which would have legalized assisted suicide in the state of California, is off the table. Pro-life groups had rallied against the Death With Dignity bill, in part because of the highly publicized assisted suicide death of 29-year-0ld Brittany Maynard, who suffered from terminal cancer. BAD NEWS: Pakistan Bans Translation of Islamic Words... Read more
On Wednesday, June 17, a 21-year-old white man by the name of Dylann Roof entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina during a weekly Bible study meeting and opened fire, killing six women and three men including the church’s pastor, State Senator Clementa Pinckney. On Thursday, June 18, President Obama spoke to the press about the Charleston church shooting, and used the opportunity to take a swing at opponents of gun control. “We don’t have all the facts,”... Read more
When Pope Francis visits the U.S. this Fall, will he meet the priest who’s in jail for failing to report incidents of clergy abuse? The Catholic Herald connected the dots on this story: They reported this morning that the prison which the Holy Father will visit during his U.S. visit, Philadelphia’s Curren-Fromhold Correctional Facility, is the same facility where convicted cleric Monsignor William Lynn is housed. The Curren-Fromhold facility holds 8,100 prisoners in its sprawling complex of prisons. But in Philadelphia, a city which is still reeling... Read more
Thank you to my husband, Deacon Jerry Schiffer, for permitting me to share his homily. Here, he encourages us to find meaning through our faith in Jesus Christ. “Daughter, Your Faith Has Saved You” A guest post by Deacon Jerry Schiffer I think it’s safe to say that many people are uneasy with the state of the world today. Whether the topic is the climate or politics or the economy or cultural changes, many find reason to fear the future. At... Read more
Will your parish include patriotic songs in the liturgy this weekend? I’m talking about the old “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” and “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful” sort of tunes. I read a discussion about this sticky issue over on Reddit: Some very reasonable Catholics take exception to the practice of interrupting the sacred liturgy with a celebration of a secular holiday–in this case the Fourth of July. The Redditor who complained over on /r/Catholicism said, We have... Read more
Seasons of Grace
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