It was the fall of 1987. I was heading southward on I-75, driving home from my job in downtown Detroit and listening to “Talk From the Heart” on evangelical radio station WMUZ-FM. The show was hosted by Al Kresta, then pastor of a small non-denominational church, Shalom Ministries. As I crossed the Rouge River Bridge, I heard Al say, “You know, we’d like to find a producer for the show—someone who can answer the phones, screen callers, line up some... Read more
A few days ago, I posted an article about L’Osservatore Romano’s expressed support for “Bald Barbie.” In a weekend column, the Vatican newspaper had encouraged Mattel to consider selling the hairless doll in stores, for the benefit of children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy or illness. A reader sent me this link from the Orlando-Sentinel: KISSIMMEE – A “skinhead” Barbie doll, (more…) Read more
Any Friend of Jesus’ is a Friend of Mine. And this week, we remember one of Jesus’ closest friends—one of the Twelve, in fact—St. Bartholomew. This is a guy we really don’t know much about. In fact, it seems like the more we learn, the more confusing the story becomes! (more…) Read more
L’Osservatore Romano, the official newspaper of the Vatican, is asking toy manufacturer Mattel Inc. to consider marketing a “Bald Barbie doll.” Barbie—Mattel’s tall, buxom doll that has been a fashion icon since the 1960s—has evolved with the culture. Her friend Becky uses a wheelchair, but Becky doesn’t feel sorry for herself; no, au contraire, Becky’s happily productive and serves as the school photographer. Last year, I wrote about Tokidoki Barbie, a modern-day tart who sports tattoos and bold pink hair. ... Read more
I told you you’d love it! Back in May 2012, when the new faith-based on-line game Journey of Jesus launched on Facebook, I interviewed “game developer and evangelist” Brent Dusing about his goal for the game. Dusing explained that the company’s threefold goal is to create games which (1) are fun to play, (2) utilize high quality graphics and music, and (3) are faithful to biblical truth. When the first social networking game on the life of Jesus was introduced... Read more
Catholic: of, relating to, or forming the ancient undivided Christian church or a church claiming continuity from it. –Merriam-Webster Dictionary Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole. –Wikipedia What does it mean to be Catholic? It seems everyone’s got an opinion: The Nuns on the Bus think the pivotal descriptor for Catholics is social justice.... Read more
The largest stained glass church window in the world is in [choose one]: (1) Cologne, Germany; (2) The Vatican; (3) Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France; or (4) Covington, Kentucky. If you guessed “The Vatican,” you are wrong! That distinction goes to a church right here on American soil, the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Kentucky. The cathedral’s north transept window, measuring 67 feet in length by 24 feet wide, depicts the Council of Ephesus, the ecumenical council which, in the early fifth... Read more
Yesterday I talked about St. Stephen of Hungary—but how did I forget to tell you THIS part of the story?! During his lifetime, good King Stephen, first Christian king of the Hungarians, had offered the Hungarian people to the Blessed Virgin Mary. As he lie on his deathbed—his right hand holding high the Holy Crown—Stephen prayed, asking Our Lady to be the Queen of the Hungarians. As part of the investigation leading up to the canonization of St. Stephen, first... Read more
It’s Shark Week on the Discovery Channel! Once again, the Tigers and Hammerheads and Bullheads and Great Whites will thrill, moving ominously through peaceful waters—dorsal fins gleaming, jaws taut, teeth menacing as they glide toward their unsuspecting prey. We’ll watch “Jaws” again, both the first one and the sequel; and we’ll worry again whether everyone will emerge safely from the water off Amity Island. But the shark story that really caught my attention recently was a report coming from Ocracoke... Read more
It’s not often that a politician is canonized as a saint, is it? Thursday, August 16 is the Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary. Son of the Magyar chieftain Geza, Stephen succeeded his father as leader of the Magyars in 997. A devout Christian, Stephen used his power to promote the Christian faith throughout the region near the Danube River. He crushed a series of pagan revolts against Christianity—forcing the conversion of the Black Army, the mercenary forces under King Matthias Corvinus... Read more
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