Stephen Beale writes here on the solid stance of the African bishops at the recent synod on the family. In an excellent article he chronicles the youth, strength and vigorous orthodoxy of the African bishops in contrast to the aging, moribund and weary progressivism of the Kasperite-Daneels coalition. On the whole, the some 54 African bishops at the synod gained a reputation as a conservative voting bloc, wielding considerable influence in a synod of about 270 participants, as the Religion... Read more

The Suburban Hermit is my new blog dedicated to monastic spirituality, book reviews, poetry, prayer and inspiration. Today at Suburban Hermit: On the Ordering of Time and Place – a selection of quotes from monastic wisdom on the properly ordered life Reverse Thunder – George Herbert’s beautiful poem Prayer Read Old Books – The first of a list of books to read. The first topic: Jesus and the Gospels On Serving in the Refectory – a quote from the Rule... Read more

Last Summer I served as chaplain for a pilgrimage to England. My friend Joseph Pearce had invited me to visit the sites of the English martyrs and Catholic literary figures. At first I was unenthusiastic. I could think of better things to do than tromp around English ruins with a group of American tourists. My concerns were abated once we got started. I’ve written about the experience here at London’s Catholic Herald. I was reminded by my pilgrimage of the... Read more

On this feast of the dedication of St John Lateran, my latest blog post for National Catholic Register asks if there is a God given plan for church buildings In the Scriptures we are called to be temples of the Holy Spirit, all of us are living stones built up into God’s temple. The church is a temple built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.  Is there a theology of architecture? Are there any principles for a Christian... Read more

Here is the article about our new church in Greenville, South Carolina in London’s Catholic Herald Why build a Romanesque church in the 21st century in America’s Bible Belt? The answer is simple: “Because it looks like a Catholic church.” The Southern US is mission territory for Catholics, and our people wanted their new church to look Catholic because they want to proclaim the Catholic truth that tradition and beauty matter. They agreed that beauty is the language of worship.... Read more

You’ve heard about Kim Davis the ordinary government clerk who stood up for what she believed in the face of powerful opposition. Maybe you have not heard about Elizabeth Barton. She was a nun in sixteenth century England who stood up to Henry VIII when he planned to marry Anne Boleyn. There are interesting similarities between the two. You can read my article about Elizabeth Barton here on Imaginative Conservative. One of the most remarkable characters of the English Revolution... Read more

Today’s post over at The Suburban Hermit explains how the three Benedictine vows are interwoven and interdependent like a three stranded rope. The Benedictine monk or nun takes vows of Stability, Obedience and Conversion of Life. There is much that can be learned from the three vows not only for the life of the professed religious, but for the layperson who wishes to follow Christ more closely and fully. I’ll be writing in more detail about the vows on this blog, but... Read more

Have you seen my new blog The Suburban Hermit? It fosters monastic spirituality and is meant to inspire with all that is beautiful good and true. There are no ads. There are very few broken posts with “Continue Reading”. There are lots of beautiful pictures and inspiring thoughts. Here is what you will find on The Suburban Hermit today: 1. Morning at Fountains – Some pics and info about the medieval Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, England 2. Awake, I Will Awake... Read more