My column at First Things today is about what creates grown ups in the world, and what happens to the world when we resolutely refuse to be raised into it: A psychotherapist friend once confessed to me that she still makes each of her five grown children call her on rainy nights, to tell her they are safely at home. “So many mothers run away from their children or put them in nurseries or go out to work,” Dorothy Day... Read more
It’s late for me; usually I am halfway through my Christmas shopping by now, but I’m doing a lot of “custom” stuff this year, and we’ll know whether that was smart or not when we’re ten days from Christmas. But my hubby, who loves pens, was looking through a writing instrument catalogue and wistfully eyeing a few. “They’re so nice,” he said, “but they’re too nice. I could never be comfortable spending that much on a pen, and besides, I’d... Read more
It’s always struck me as interesting that when Tiepolo painted Saint Thecla, here portrayed at prayer for plague victims, he imagined her in what appears to be an old-fashioned Cardinal’s robe. Our Orthodox and Byzantine brothers and sisters call Thecla “the Protomartyr, Equal-to-the-Apostles”. I’ve always thought of her as first in a long line of women — from the earliest days of the church until today — who were headstrong in their obedience. One of my favorite writers, David Gibson... Read more
Over at Deacon Greg’s place he notes a study and asks Is being a Good Samaritan a Matter of Genetics? Or grace, or a combination of the two? Perhaps specifically-graced-genetics? This seems a timely question in light of the passing of the fascinating Mother Antonia Brenner (born Mary Clark), foundress of Eudist Servants Of The Eleventh Hour and one of those formidable “Irish Catholic” women so many of us have known and loved. She is survived by her seven children.... Read more
No rant here, just clear demonstration of our terrifying ignorance and disconnection from our recent past: Questioner: What was the Holocaust? American College Student: Um…I’m on the spot. Questioner: Which country was Adolf Hitler the leader of? American College Student: I think it’s Amsterdam? Questioner: What was Auschwitz? American College Student: I don’t know. Questioner: What were the Nuremburg Trials? American College Student: I don’t know. Questioner: How many Jews were killed? American College Student: Hundreds of thousands. Q: What... Read more
If the spectacularly hapless political theatrical we’ve been enduring for the last two weeks were on Broadway we’d be throwing rotten veggies at the whole boiling of them — especially Obama-the-Present, Egregious Harry Reid, WeepyBear Boehner, The Pelosi, The Joe, and Beige McConnell — and demanding refunds. Worst. Casting. Ever. When the final curtain rings down on these fakers, not a single one will have covered themselves with glory, although a few performances will get reliable raves from reliable reviewers.... Read more
I know The Pontifical Council for Social Communications is happy to make this announcement: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which coordinates the assignment of Internet domain names and addresses around the world, has been allowing entities to apply for ownership of hundreds, and soon thousands, of new domain names such as .london, .insurance and .xbox, among others. The Pontifical Council for Social Communications. . . recently received confirmation that it will control the new Internet address... Read more
Yes, we’ve been joking for some time about how Pope Francis and I appear to be in some kind of mind-meld on the subject of idols — he talks about them almost every single week, and brought them up in his encyclical, Lumen Fidei*. In today’s homily, Pope Francis really hit hard on the theme: Once again, the liturgy of the Mass elicits from Pope Francis a reflection on the traps that punctuate the life of faith: To become an... Read more
I didn’t mean to do it, but I started working on two projects a little too close to deadline, so today is a mad scramble to get done. While I’m working, here’s a question for you: This lady screaming “God you’re my savior” while on the plane. Out of her head or just screwing around, or in some kind of fugue state? Maybe her mother made her repeat that and she was having a weird episode. It would certainly be... Read more
Okay, I’ve been very upfront about it, so we already know that I am an idolator! But perhaps you didn’t know how bad it has become. Take a look: Aye, that’s not just a copy of Lino Rulli’s new book, Saint: Why I Should be Canonized Right Away, but a medal, and a prayer card and, yes, an I-mean-business 7-day candle. Let’s call it what it is: The Shrine of Saint Lino de Sirius-ly Imperfect, patron of “Catholic Guys” and... Read more
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