Art and the Anchor of Friendship

Last updated on: March 4, 2017 at 4:36 am By Elizabeth Scalia

I love this painting, Der Spaziergang, (The Walk) by Marc Chagall. He so beautifully captures the sense lightness that accompanies the feeling of euphoria founded upon love, and the need for the steadying anchor. It seems to me the perfect illustration for this rumination by Barbara Nicolosi on Friendship and the Artist, and how friendship gives spiritual sustenance to our creative friends and family members, who — left unanchored — might otherwise live forever in the clouds or “end up... Read more

Keller's shortsighted religious bigotry – UPDATED

Last updated on: March 4, 2017 at 4:36 am By Elizabeth Scalia

My column at First Things today looks at Bill Keller’s recent piece demanding “tougher questions” be asked about the religious views of presidential candidates — or, at least, of Republican presidential candidates. It goes without saying, only Republican religious beliefs should be queried in Bill Keller’s world: Others have ably pointed out that Keller’s own paper conveniently displayed minimal interest in the religious beliefs of the candidate Barack Obama or those of his rather fervid pastor and spiritual mentor, Jeremiah... Read more

Much Sinned-Against and Sinful

Last updated on: March 4, 2017 at 4:36 am By Elizabeth Scalia

Over at Conversion Diary, the incredibly busy-but-still-lovely Jen Fulwiler has begun an interesting project, asking various writers to take a word from The Lord’s Prayer and share some informal musings on that word. For instance, the great Heather King got “we forgive”: When we stop counting the cost, the universe stops counting the cost toward us. When our hearts overflow toward others, the heart of Christ overflows toward us. The very letting go of our calculating and scheming and fear—not... Read more

Mindblowing Catholicism

Last updated on: March 4, 2017 at 4:36 am By Elizabeth Scalia

Ladies and Gents I am going to boldly proclaim something to you with absolute confidence that I am right and in no danger of being told otherwise: you will love this book. Not only will you love it; you’ll treasure it, return to it often and want to give a copy of it to everyone you know, even if they are not Catholic. I’m very serious. Catholicism; A Journey to the Heart of the Faith is going to be released... Read more

Irene in the Morning

Last updated on: March 4, 2017 at 4:36 am By Elizabeth Scalia

Wow. “Round midnight we had some downright awesome, let’s-sit-on-the-porch-and-feel-it thunder and teeming rain as a ring passed. Then all went quiet. Then the power went off. And it turns out these nightlights worked really well! Then, the power went on. So, we decided to make a party of it. Wine, in my lovely cheap wine glasses, cheese, old movies on TCM. Thankfully we went to mass last night, so we can sleep in! I love a good storm, as long... Read more

Saints Preserved; An Encyclopedia of Relics

Last updated on: March 4, 2017 at 4:36 am By Elizabeth Scalia

Well, this is fun! The body of Saint Catherine Laboure is displayed in a glass case beneath a side altar in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, at 140 Rue de Bac in Paris — the place where she experienced visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When the saint’s body was exhumed in 1933, it was found with its eyes open, and they remain open to this day. Pilgrims often comment on the intense shade of blue... Read more

A little Irene Emergency Prep UPDATE

Last updated on: March 4, 2017 at 4:36 am By Elizabeth Scalia

I don’t know if Glenn Reynolds was ever a Boy Scout, but he is always mindful about emergency preparedness, and the coming hurricane has him Johnny-on-the-spot with useful links on getting ready, and I’m sure he’ll keep adding to it, so check him out. Over here, we’ve been a little slow on the uptake. My Eagle-Scout-Creating husband, who is ridiculously busy at work looked up dazedly from his desk last night and said, “are we all set for this storm?”... Read more

Spiritual Communion

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 5:33 pm By Elizabeth Scalia

It seems like a small thing, but this story stirred something in me, and gave me hope: More than a million young Catholics learned the hard way about a venerable Catholic tradition: “spiritual Communion” or the “Communion of desire.” After a wild storm Aug. 20 at World Youth Day in Madrid left six people injured — including two with broken legs — Spanish police collapsed the tents where most of the unconsecrated hosts for the next morning’s Mass were being... Read more

Bloomberg: No Clergy, No FDNY -UPDATE

Last updated on: March 4, 2017 at 4:36 am By Elizabeth Scalia

So, let me get this straight, just so we’re all on the same page, here. When two hijacked, terrorist-piloted passenger jets were deliberately flown into the Twin Towers, in an act of war against our nation, the first recorded casualty was a Roman Catholic priest and NYFD chaplain — Fr. Mychal Judge — who had ridden to the burning towers, and blessed doomed firefighters, hearing last confessions on the way. And while Judge’s body was being carried away from the... Read more

"Does the bride come with potatoes?"

Last updated on: March 4, 2017 at 4:38 am By Elizabeth Scalia

So, I asked Buster to do something for me. And he responded, that he couldn’t because he was really busy; he had to work. I wondered, “what are you working on that’s got you so busy? You’re leaving for school in a few days; the lawn is mowed; the weeds — well they need pulling — but what’s got you so busy?” “I have to walk the earth…and find sheep to shear.” Frankly, when he said he had to walk... Read more