I find it amusing to see how many words a co-worker of Julie’s has to use to avoid the word “Purgatory”: Then he said, it was like a halfway house between life and death where you had to be so you could sort out everything that was true about your life and see it with complete clarity. Or, as Julie responds, “Yes, Purgatory!” Speaking of Julie, I love that she sends us to places like this. Allahpundit: Never watched it;... Read more
Pope Benedict XVI & Archbishop Hilarion I mean all due reverence when I say that I have been a fan of Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev (his site has been in my blogroll for as long as Archbishop Dolan’s, at least) for some little while. As a musician/composer/scholar/monk he rings my maternal bell by reminding me of my own sons. Like Pope Benedict XVI, he is a brilliantly gifted man and prolific writer, who is nevertheless an accessible joy to read. The... Read more
When I read last week that Woody Allen likes the idea of letting President Obama be a dictator for a “few years” I was repelled; but then I’ve found Allen to be a repellent individual for decades–since Manhattan, at least–so I just shrugged it off as the foghorn bleat of an over-privileged mediocrity looking for some attention. But then the equally mediocre Tom born-wealthy-high-carbon-footprint-lover-of-Chinese-Communist-Capitalism-I’ve-got-mine-you-should-not-have-yours Friedman let fly with this on Meet the Press: I have fantasized–don’t get me wrong–but that... Read more
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This Pentecost finds me thoroughly silenced, in both physical and virtual voice; I have a sore throat, swollen glands, plugged up ears, and every folk remedy of the family at my service, but still I can’t talk above a whisper – plus the arthritis in my hands is also flaring, making it difficult to type. Hey, I can take a hint. I know when I’m being called to quietness; I know when I’m being to “shut up, just shut up,... Read more
Ann Althouse, good instructor that she is, finds that a professional-big-time-journalist at the Washington Post (and other journalists, elsewhere, I am sure) have difficulty with reading, interpreting and pulling actual quotes from primary sources. She takes WaPo to the woodshed, and it’s a joy to watch. Tom Maguire deals similarly with the NY Times, which is also misreporting about the history they prefer to be re-written. Gabriel Malor has more. It seems there are people who really don’t want history... Read more
Brian J takes something from my podcasts and writes: All week I have done my best to lead you astray and get you in trouble. This is my penance… Why did God make the world? Also, we remember the Mexican Martyrs Read more
Since the Greatest Generation came up here, thought I’d share this, from reader Dennis S. I’d known nothing of this story; what a good movie it might make! Also, (via New Advent), it seems some military personnel are doing a weekend pilgrimage to Lourdes The tradition of the International Military Pilgrimage (IMP) to the French Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes began in 1958, after what was initially a regional pilgrimage and later national pilgrimage was made international to officially... Read more
We have recently seen pro-life conservatives like Sarah Palin and Ed Morrissey admit that fear of the unknown, and the possibility of complicated outcomes, were brief temptations toward abortion, an option which they rejected, and rejections they pointedly do not regret. Their acknowledged temptations are something most of us would understand. People want to feel sure of themselves and what is going on in their lives; they want an illusion of control. An abortion performed at a Catholic Hospital and... Read more
I know today was declared, “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day” on the interwebz, but the notion stuck in my craw a little bit. I tend toward Ann Althouse’s view: I don’t like the in-your-face message that we don’t care about what other people hold sacred. Back in the days of the “Piss Christ” controversy, I wouldn’t have supported an “Everybody Dunk a Crucifix in a Jar of Urine Day” to protest censorship. Dunking a crucifix in a jar of urine is... Read more
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