So, I spent a good portion of the morning writing something that I thought you’d enjoy. It concerned a pal, but it was funny and sort of sweet, and I had written a couple of deliciously wicked metaphors about someone who had spitefully and needlessly wronged him. Then I showed it to my pal, who asked me not to post it. Well, fine, but now I have nothing for you guys to read. I had had a plan. It did... Read more
It appears that this blog has won the prestigious [Carolina] Cannonball Catholic Blog Award in the category of Best Political Blog. She does her own illustrations! As my Auntie Lillie might say, “I t’ank ye’s all who bothered to vote!” Except I will be sincere. Interesting company I am keeping, there. Lots of previously-unseen-by-me blogs to investigate! Now, it is my understanding that there is as yet no plaque or button to commemorate this heady award, for which I am... Read more
Concord Pastor has the prayers and meditations Read more
In the classic film “Desk Set,” Spencer Tracey’s engineer asks Katharine Hepburn’s librarian if she’d ever seen a demonstration of IBM’s new “electric brain”: RICHARD SUMNER: (Tracey) Did you ever see one of these electronic brains work? BUNNY WATSON: (Hepburn) Just this morning, as a matter of fact, I saw a demonstration at IBM. SUMNER Oh? Did you see it translate Russian into Chinese? WATSON Yeah. I saw it do everything. Frightening. Gave me the feeling that maybe, just maybe,... Read more
Martrydom of St. Cecilia, Stefano Maderno While in Portugal this past week Pope Benedict XVI talked about Christian witness, and faithfulness, within a secularist world: “Seek dialogue, but be ready for martyrdom.” The pontiff’s remarks on the need for Christians to be ready for “the radical choice of martyrdom” were a tidy lead-in to today’s New Testament reading: They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of... Read more
Without the Holy Spirit, the church would be reduced to merely a human organization, weighed down by its own structures… precisely for this, Christ, who established the Church on the foundation of the Apostles closely around Peter, has also given it the gift of his Spirit, so that throughout the centuries he would be the comfort and the guide to the entire truth . . . May the Ecclesial Community remain always open and docile to the action of the... Read more
“From personal and communal experience, we know well that it is Jesus whom everyone awaits.” We impose nothing, yet we propose ceaselessly, as Peter recommends in one of his Letters: “In your hearts, reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defence to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet 3:15). And everyone, in the end, asks this of us, even those who seem not to. From personal and... Read more
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A few days ago First Things editor Joseph Bottum sent a note around about a redesign of the magazine. Although I had no idea what was in store, I rejoiced at the notion. I’ve loved First Things for a long time for its intelligent and often challenging content, but visually the journal was a bit of a snooze. Today my copy landed in the mailbox, and it had me dancing around the foyer. First off, there’s the cover – bold... Read more
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