Everything is connected and it may sound absurd to link contraception with the economic collapse, but think about it:  History will look back and decide that artificial contraception was the most radical and earth shattering invention ever devised by mankind. When the link between the sexual act and procreation was broken it not only changed our sexual behavior, it changed everything. Most importantly, it changed the way we think about ourselves and our actions. The links between our actions and... Read more

This article from the Daily Telegraph  records the soaring rate of teen pregnancies in the UK. They have the highest rate of teenage girls getting pregnant in the developed world, and half of them now end by killing the baby. The pro aborts actually say publicly that the 50% abortion rate is a good thing because the stigma of abortion is being lifted. Meanwhile the government ministers admit that the trend is ‘disturbing’ and believe the solution is yet more explicit sex education,... Read more

The title is a great Anglicism meaning they were blasted by their own firework, or ‘it all backfired’. For readers who have missed this fascinating soap opera, The Tablet is a left wing English ‘Catholic’ weekly that’s been around a long time and thinks it is an important voice of English Catholicism. Last week one of their writers called Elena Curti wrote a petty little piece needlessly attacking traditionalist priest and popular blogger, Fr. Finigan. The piece was savaged by... Read more

Blessèd sister, holy mother, spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehoodTeach us to care and not to careTeach us to sit stillEven among these rocks,Our peace in His willAnd even among these rocksSister, motherAnd spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,Suffer me not to be separated And let my cry come unto Thee. from Ash Wednesday by T.S. Eliot Read more

Remember: Say the Black. Do the RedFor this liturgy the celebrator shall wear a black overall with a day glo work vest to identify with the working people of God. On his head he shall wear a black hard hat with purple trim. (A purple pompom may be added by Monsignore)The celebrator shall assemble the processional people at the back of the ecclesial structure (or at a community waste disposal site if possible). Each processional person shall carry an appropriate... Read more

By this time tomorrow I will have imposed ashes on about 500 penitents. Read more

Louis XVI of France What caused bloody revolutions in France and Russia? One of the causes was the colossally grotesque wealth, extravagence and greed of the super wealthy while the poor suffered and starved. It’s easy. Eventually the poor people have enough. They rise up and murder the rich and take their wealth. The super rich in our own culture are the Louis’ and Nicholas’ of our day. The plutocrats who earned millions and then grabbed at bonuses worth billions... Read more

Fr.Z has a great post on the silly custom of emptying the holy water stoops for Lent and putting sand in them instead. I mean, what next? Eggplant Parmesan instead of Easter Eggs? Read it here. Read more

“I praise you for all things, I bless you, I glorify you through the eternal priest of heaven, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. Through him be glory to you, together with him and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.” When he had said “Amen” and finished the prayer, the officials at the pyre lit it. But, when a great flame burst out, those of us privileged to see it witnessed a strange and wonderful thing. Indeed, we have... Read more

Mark Shea links to this news item about a newly elected Episcopal bishop who is also a Buddhist. You couldn’t make it up. It reminds me of a conversation I had some time ago with my friend David (with whom I wrote this book). He speculated, “What would you do if they discovered the bones of Jesus, and it really was, without a doubt the skeleton of Jesus of Nazareth?” I thought for a moment and said, “I think I’d become... Read more