Today at the Suburban Hermit I have posted: a beautiful video of life at the traditionalist monastery of Fontgomault in France, a quip by Old Monk on Obedience Commentary on Ch.7 of the Rule of St Benedict on humility reflections on Benedict’s wisdom about silence and reverence in worship Read more

Once again Pope Francis, in being pastoral and kind, has muddled things up and confused the faithful. His answer to a Lutheran woman married to a Catholic about receiving communion at Mass is ambiguous. Edward Pentin gives a full account here. The reason the pope’s comments are fuzzy is that, on the one hand he says clearly that he doesn’t dare to say the woman can receive communion. That is not his competence. On the other hand he says, “Talk... Read more

Everywhere I turn the talk is about the Syrian refugees and why we should take them or why we shouldn’t. What I’m not hearing is much common sense or Christian charity. Why all the idiocy about the refugee crisis? I’m talking about the stupidity and lack of common sense by those who want to throw open our borders and those who want to refuse entry to all refugees. On the one hand, Christian charity demands that we welcome the stranger and... Read more

One of the things which secular Westerners find so mind blowing about Islamic terrorist attacks is the irrationality of the evil. We cannot understand a religion that drives young men to such mindless barbarism. We don’t have the tools in our toolbox. We simply cannot understand their culture, their mentality, their religion or their reasoning. In our materialistic, pleasantly hedonistic, tolerant lifestyle we cannot comprehend a worldview that demands such utter self sacrifice, murder of innocents and wanton destruction. Even... Read more

Why are the so-called Christian countries so spineless in the face of the Muslim terror? Because for over fifty years we have gradually come to value goodness without truth. What I mean by this is that we have become complacent about our Christian faith. We have drifted into either lax unbelief, hedonistic agnosticism and finally outright atheism. In abandoning our religion we have abandoned truth, believing that it is possible–and even preferable–to be good without religion. We have concluded that... Read more

Today’s first post at The Suburban Hermit is a meditation on the meaning and beauty of the monastic cloister. From the outside the monastery is imposing like a fortress. The walls rise up and the windows are small. When you enter the feel at first is like a great old school or university. It is perhaps intimidating. You are small and alone. The church inspires and draws you in, but the monastery garden is the spiritual heart of the place.... Read more

  My latest article for Aleteia outlines some of the basic principles of apologetics. Some Catholics get apoplectic about apologetics. They argue with atheists and pick fights with Protestants. They not only need to win, they want to bash the enemy. Valiant warriors for Catholic truth, they shout down the unbelievers and shoot Bible verses back and forth like gunslingers in a shootout. As veteran apologist Patrick Madrid has observed, “They end up winning an argument but losing a soul.”... Read more