Among many other fun things, you get great talks from fascinating and fun folk like Kevin O’Brien (speaking here at the 2009 conference in Seattle): Sorry about the fat guy dragging things down at the end, but I hope I can partially atone by referring you to the comic stylings of Ian McKellen and Ricky Gervais, to which I was alluding: Also, you can get the whole of Season VI of The Apostle of Common Sense (where that clip comes... Read more

it becomes all the more important to thank God for the many heroic and good priests. I, for one, am deeply grateful for the witness of Fr. Robert Barron. I’m also even more hugely grateful for the witness of Fr. Gus Hartmann, Fr. Daniel Syverstad, Fr. Michael Sweeney, Fr. Bernhard Blankenhorn, Fr. Raphael Mary Salzillo, and all the other wonderful priests who have served over the years at my beloved Blessed Sacrament parish. If you haven’t done it lately, tell... Read more

In which we talk about the way God uses patterns in history to speak to us today about what is to come. He is, after all, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Read more

First, because he will not be the nominee of the GOP. The Rich Android will. It’s a curious thing really: the GOP (I can’t speak for Dems) keeps winding up with candidates that, oddly, nobody but the fabulously wealthy seem to want or like, yet somehow we all have the illusion that this is the end result of a democratic process. I have no explanation for that. I merely note that the phenomenon of “I’ll hold my nose and vote... Read more

…is sketched (somewhat) in this giant graphic from the National Post. Read more

And Sherry Weddell has some urgent questions for us Catholic laity about what we will do to welcome them when they do. Read more

Well, it looks like some of the OWSers have decided to try to go all badass with riots (though some report that OWSers are also trying to oppose the rioter). If they don’t get this under control, they lose me. MLK had it right. You win hearts with nonviolence. You just prove you are an impatient ninny when you start trashing churches and throwing molotov cocktails. Update:  I’m not so certain that the doofuses who are rioting represent anything like... Read more

A reader writes: I recently watched a presentation regarding the economic effects of Roe v. Wade in America and was moved to create a new tool that could provide support for the most effective means of saving the unborn, free ultrasounds to abortion minded women. I also wanted to engage the culture and raise awareness centered around one unifying single set of talking points so that everyone could get “on message” for the cause. I created a web site: www.4000Babies.com... Read more

A reader writes: Thank you, everyone, for your beautiful responsiveness to my prayer request. We have been very touched by the outpouring of prayers! I am pleased to tell you that my sister called today to let me know that the abortion appointment was cancelled, and my niece’s daughter agreed to go see an obstetrician. She saw another ultrasound and this one showed the beating heart. Afterwards, she asked to stop for prenatal vitamins. As my sister said, we’re still... Read more

…every time somebody suggests there is hard evidence for questioning the actions of a Conservative Catholic Folk Hero, what if Conservative Catholic Folk Hero Worshippers asked themselves if they themselves are part of a conspiracy to shout down decent Catholics who seek the Church’s good?  That way, when troubling facts like these keep surfacing and vindicating the good bishops that “faithful conservative Catholics” vilify for doing their jobs, “faithful conservative Catholics” will have done due diligence rather than yet again... Read more