The Sickly Anchoress, Getting an Assist from Ireland

So, this is how things happen, sometimes:

Leah Libresco mentioned on Facebook that she would be heading to Ireland with her mother, and wondered if anyone would be interested in having her speak to their group while she was there.

Naturally, because she is an endlessly interesting young woman who has countered the culture in a most public way, people did want to engage as you can see here.

I am not her agent but one young Irishman, seeking to book her in Dublin, wrote an inquiring email to me and did it so delightfully that I asked whether he was a writer. Turns out he is a columnist with The Irish Catholic, and after reading a few of his pieces I invited Ben Conroy to write something for our Symposium on the Synod for the Family.

In a matter of hours, he wrote three, sending full-bodied, expressive “sketches” that would serve very well as full articles with minimal edits, and as fine blog posts, as they were. I gratefully chose to feature his piece on “Euthansia: A Further Erosion of Familial Understanding”.

It is an issue the church needs to get in front of as the Culture of Death continues to sell suicide as a civilized and thoughtful option, and it’s also an issue people simply don’t want to talk about. I am very glad that Ben undertook it, and he did so while also guest-blogging a post over at Leah’s place.

I like his energy, particularly as my own is somewhat lacking at the moment. As I continue to deal with a respiratory situation that is dragging me down, and appears to require some further testing and investigation, I’ve invited Ben to spend a little time here with the old Anchoress, and spruce up the anchorhold a bit — slap a coat of whitewash on the walls and maybe put up a tea kettle. Okay, a Guinness barrel!

Please make Ben Conroy welcome and keep your eye out for his byline for the next week or so. I think he will keep you more than engaged in some thoughtful reading!