During the election cycle I was pretty outspoken in my dislike of both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Since Trump’s election I’ve commented in (I hope) a balanced way here and here. One of the most disturbing things about Trump’s presidency is not Trump himself, but the seeming inability we have to treat the situation with any objectivity and balance. If I admit even a morsel of positive comment about what Trump has done I am howled down as a... Read more

Gargoyle Code tracks the emails between a senior tempter and his juniors, but the idea is updated and applied to Catholics. The letters also go from Shrove Tuesday to Easter Day so it makes a great Lent Book. Slubgrip Instructs is the sequel. The demon Slubgrip has been demoted to teach Popular Culture 101 in Bowelbages University. He instructs his class of slugs and worms in the basics of corrupting the culture. These are great Lent reads for young adults. Learn more... Read more

St Benedict says you should read a good book for Lent, and I agree. Therefore in these days  which run up to Lent I’ll be reminding you of some of my books which are available The Quest for the Creed is twenty short chapters on the Apostle’s Creed. It is written in an upside down Chestertonian style. It’s free from churchy, boring stuffy language and is crammed with illustrations from popular culture, anecdotes and new ways of looking at old truths.... Read more

Pro life warriors are right to continue to campaign for the repeal of the disastrous Roe v Wade decision. I don’t think the government should try to solve all our problems, and the local community is the first place to get things sorted out, but there are some actions the government–at both the state and federal levels–could take to help eradicate abortion: Streamline Adoption – Why is adoption so darned expensive? I know families who have had to pay $50,000 in legal... Read more

This article explains how Pope Francis, in a recent meeting with religious superiors expressed his dismay at the growth of vocations among “restorationist” religious orders. He’s worried that they are too “rigid”. “The decline of religious life in the West worries me,” Pope Francis said in an exchange with superiors of men’s religious orders. Nevertheless the Pope said that he was troubled by “restorationist” orders that “offer security but instead give only rigidity.” “When they tell me that there is a... Read more

My latest blog post for National Catholic Register poses the question from a Protestant, “Why do you Catholic priests wear those fancy robes? Go here to read the answer. Image Wikkimedia Read more

Yes it really is the sword Gibson used in Braveheart. I was in LA in a meeting with Steve McEveety about a film project and there it was in his office… Anyway, the point is (if you’ll excuse the joke)… From time to time I have been blamed for being divisive. Its a charge that interests me because it unlocks some other issues. I’m reminded of that disturbing passage– Matthew 10:43 where Jesus says, “I have not come to bring... Read more

Embed from Getty Images   I still don’t like Donald Trump, but if Betsy DeVos is for school vouchers I’m for Betsy DeVos. Here are ten reasons why school vouchers are a good idea. They Give Parents Choice – It is interesting how, when it comes to aborting unborn children liberals are all for parental choice, but when it comes to actually educating their children they’re suddenly not so keen on choice. You can choose to kill your child, but you... Read more

I will be re-posting various article from the past that I have written for various outlets. This article was first published by National Catholic Register in 2008. The Tale of Two Churches I have been a Catholic now for thirteen years. Like most converts, I described my reception into the Catholic Church as ‘coming home.’ However, the homecoming was not all that the sentimental phrase implies. It is true that in coming home we received a warm welcome from many... Read more

I’m a committed Catholic and a cautious conservative. I’m Catholic because I’m convinced of the truth of the Catholic faith. I’m a conservative because it has always seemed to me that the conservative philosophy has reason, experience and common sense on its side. However, I’m a “cautious” conservative because I am aware that any philosophy can become an ideology, and ideologues kill for the sake of their ideologies. With Donald Trump in the White House my conservatism is even more... Read more