Pope Benedict XVI famously urged Catholic clergy, religious and laity to get on to the web, learn how to use it and then “give the internet a soul”, and it’s certainly gratifying to see the many fervent Catholic folk who have taken his words to heart, here at Patheos and elsewhere. But working, even catechizing, online comes with its own spiritual dangers — sins so easily fallen into that they almost don’t seem like sins at all; they become “just... Read more
For the first time ever, I’ve had to split the Annual Gift Ideas post into two part. Part I, which is all about appliances, clothes and really mostly girly things can be found here. Now, for books, music and DVD’s! On DVD’s: okay, given that Pope Francis was just named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, this one is a no-brainer: Francis, the Pope from the New World If your family loves Downton Abbey a video set is a nice... Read more
Yes, it’s time (past time, in fact) for my annual “Gift Ideas” post. Believe it or not, people actually ask for this post — for the last three weeks I’ve gotten emails and private messages asking when it would be posted. The truth is, I haven’t been in the mood to do it; these things are really time-consuming (and my schedule lately is stupid) but more than that, I have been feeling altogether un-consumer-y this year, and was feeling that... Read more
The last time the Pope called for a day of prayer, we were on the verge of military action against Syria that would have lead God only knows where. Here’s another global prayer moment! And a year-long campaign! Join in! Lord God, from the abundance of your mercies You stretch out your hand to defend the poor. You satisfy the thirsty soul, And the hungry you fill with good things. You give your people their daily bread, And feed your... Read more
Deacon Greg Kandra has linked to the words of an Orthodox Priest, Fr. Peter-Michael Preble, who is sketching out the difference between what American Christians perceive as persecution, and what what real persecution is: Are you, as a Christian, prevented by anyone from setting up a Christmas tree in your home? Are you, as a Christian, prevented from attending the church of your choice on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?. . .Have armed rebels stormed your church or home and... Read more
While I am not remotely interested in Rebecca Black or her new song, “Saturday”, I find it fascinating that merely two days after her video was published on YouTube, it boasts over 9 million hits. Think about that for a second, because it says almost nothing about Rebecca Black and a great deal about our society. Throughout social media Black is talked about and roundly mocked, and all of these people who supposedly don’t like her product made haste to... Read more
Reposted (with edits) from 2009 A few years ago, I recorded an 8 minute podcast talking about this solemnity. It’s one of the biggies in the church, and for a good reason. As St. Anselm teaches us from across the centuries in today’s Office of Readings: God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Savior of the world. WIthout God’s Son, nothing could exist; without Mary’s Son, nothing could be... Read more
Around here, Deacon Greg Kandra is usually a sucker for flash mob videos — I’ve been over them for a while, because I have a very short attention span; this one, however, got to me. It happened two days ago, at the National Air and Space Museum, where 120 members of the US Air Force Band, under the baton of Col. Larry H. Lang, flash-mobbed a mesmerized crowd: I love this because amid moonrocks and spaceships and the Spirit of... Read more
Both of my parents were born in Brooklyn, but my father never betrayed it much; he’d somehow managed to lose his “deese, dems and does” in young adulthood. My mother, however — while extremely precise in her speech for the most part — managed to hang on to a few ear-shuddering noises specific to Cropsey Aveneue (using “bot’l” for “bottle”, for example) and speak them to her dying day. I think she did it consciously, and stubbornly as a means... Read more
UPDATE: Magnificat was nice enough to send me a second gift app, so I was able to pull two winning names, and they are: (Ta-da!) Shauna Anderson and MMR. Brian Sullivan was the first pick, but I shouldn’t have included him, because he has an android. Offered an Ave for you, Brian! I have emailed you both with your appropriate codes. Enjoy! Congrats, and thanks very much to everyone who donated. The sisters are very grateful, indeed! Some may have... Read more
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