Some bulletins from the Country that Used to Be England. First, of course, there is the absolute non-news that Phillip Pullman really really *really* hates the Catholic Church. Naturally, this deserves the total puff piece treatment from the Guardian. Along with thie is the news that Rowan Williamson, as is his custom, bends over and offers lickspittle praise for Pullman’s silly book The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. It’s Food for thought. Contribution to dialogue. Blahdiblah. Meanwhile, the... Read more

…looks pro-choicers in the eye, maintains a straight face, and tells them they should really care about whether the unborn feel pain. In related news, Cardinal Bernard Law will give a lecture on “Child Safety and the Holiness of the Priesthood”. Right message, stomach-churningly wrong messenger. Read more

Sometimes things actually happen *before* they mean something. Read more

…is for Awesome. Read more

A uppity minion writes: Your threats mean nothing to me, for I am used to this: Hmmmm…. Clearly I’m going to have to tell the Pain Technicians in my Pits of Despair to start upping the voltage. Read more

…for getting suckered by Fr. Maciel. He says he didn’t know about Maciel’s double life and I have no particular reason to doubt him, so (for what it’s worth from somebody who has no dog in this fight) I accept the apology. Fr. Kearns seems to me to cover the bases that need to be covered in acknowledging Maciel’s sins, as well as the crappy treatment that the machine Maciel built to cover his ass–namely, the Legionaries and Regnum Christi–have... Read more

I’ve attached a copy of my master’s thesis, Towards a “Climate of Chastity,” a critique of Christopher West’s presentation of the theology of the body. After I mentioned on my blog that I was offering it for free to anyone who works for a parish or diocese, I received so many requests that I decided to make it available as an eBook. The free offer to those who work for the Church still stands, but others may now order it... Read more

Mark, could you ask your good readers to pray for the repose of the soul of a man in my parish who committed suicide last week. He left behind a wife and two kids. Father, we pray that, in Christ Jesus, you would not count this against him and that we would find your mercy. We pray also for his wife and children that they would find the grace and strength to go on and find your love and compassion... Read more

http://www.paladininnovators.com/shea/swfs/sheaplayer-vars.swf?streamName=4_20_2010 Don’t forget! Tomorrow is the launch of the first of our two part interactive streaming class on Evangelization and Apologetics. 7:00 PM Pacific. April 21. Go to www.mark-shea.com/member to sign up. The first course, the two-parter on Evangelization and Apologetics, is a freebie. After that, we will be offering a freebie from 6-7 PM (Catholic and Enjoying it Live) and then (for premium members) a four part series on Modern Myths and Ancient Truth as we kick off a... Read more

Exxxxxxcellent! 400. A nice round number! As a truly sick and cruel reward for your efforts, I command you to read the Wikipedia entry on round numbers. (What? You think that by doing my slavish bidding you deserve a *reward*? More followers are only my just due! What sort of egocentric sociopathic Dark Lord would I be if I were not capricious and unpredictably cruel? What would all the other Dark Lords think?) On the the other hand, I also... Read more