Over at First Things, today, I note that the bishops of England and Wales are re-introducing the notion of the Friday Fast — which actually never went away, but that is not how Catholics, or the world, came to understand things “in the Spirit of Vatican II.” Specifically, the bishops are looking to re-establish meatless Fridays. Wrapped as I am in nostalgia, I rejoiced to read this. My mother was such a dreadful cook that our Fridays, with or without... Read more
It is difficult for any read to be at once Kind, Contentious and Fretful, so you realize I am not talking about a single piece, but about several pieces now live at Patheos and elsewhere — what these pieces all have in common is that they are well-worth your time to read and think about. First up: Kindness — if you missed it this weekend, do read Timothy Dalrymple’s open letter to those who expected to be raptured this past... Read more
Unimaginable. Chilling audio, starting at about 2:17. Awful. Prayers going out, to people who have lost so much. Haiti, Japan, Missouri. Awful. Read more
Some Rapturous Writing leading in to tomorrow’s predicted Rapture! On Facebook, I note I have been invited to do some Rapture Looting, but I think I will decline, as I am not much of a girl for getting up early of a Saturday morning! The Crescat, however has her eye on liquor, guns and ammo! Which just goes to show you how generous it was of her to share her prosecco with me while in Rome! John W. Martens writes... Read more
The eagerly-anticipated John Jay Study on Causation and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States was released yesterday (that link takes you to the full pdf), and while the USCCB was wise to invest in a study made by a reputable secular source, the thing has landed mostly with a thud, and that’s too bad, because it is very valuable. The lack of a “smoking gun” is the cause of the thud. Lots of... Read more
My fraternal grandmother — a woman from Naples from whom I inherited the round shape but not, thankfully, the mustache –was, I am told, a “healer” to whom neighbors would come for hand-on release of headaches and fevers, and also an interpreter of dreams. I never knew her, but my mother occasionally shared her dream-interpreting standards: If you dream of death, there will be a birth, and vice versa. If you dream of dirty water, you will come into money.... Read more
Deacon Greg Kandra is vacationing it up in Orlando, while celebrating his 25th Anniversary with his very beautiful bride, and he sent this picture to me early this morning: Universal Studios at opening — surprisingly empty. Of course, it could just mean that this is a slow, off-peak time of the year — summer vacations start in a few weeks, after all. Me, I like an empty park. The fewer crowds, the better, say I! But one does look at... Read more
So my son Buster is home from school and seeking summer employment. Yesterday he made the rounds at local businesses, none of which were hiring. Since he’s a big fella who is willing to move heavy things around, he also checked out the bigbox stores. He came home rather disgusted. “Everywhere I went, it was, ‘we only take online applications; apply online,'” he groused. “Half the time, they couldn’t even be bothered looking up. So, you clean up, wear decent... Read more
My column at First Things this week is all about the efficacy of the word “no” in our lives, and how deadening to the spirit and one’s own creative juices is can be to hear only praise, and no criticism: Nothing quite so humbles as a tumble, and humility is often the deep place where creativity resides. When a successful artist or writer becomes so insulated from criticism that he never comprehends a failure, or when he has gone a... Read more
For so many of us, the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon has been part of our earliest memories, a steady and dependable marker in the year. I am 52 years old. I cannot remember a time when Lewis and the telethon were not around. My parents would keep the telethon on all day while firing up the last barbecue of the season, and we kids would hector them to be allowed to phone in a pledge. We’d go about the neighborhood... Read more
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