This summer, as accounts were unfolding of the forced exodus of Iraqi Christians from Mosul and its environs, I changed my picture here on WordPress as well as Facebook to this haunting image of the Arabic letter “noun”, which had been popping up as a sign of solidarity among Christians (and even a few other kind sympathizers) of various stripes, once I learned its significance. I’ve contemplated changing it but have never found a good enough moment or reason to. After all,... Read more
I missed this when it first came out, but it is related to some of my earlier posts (e.g. here and here) about modesty. From a Reuter’s news report in early October: Pennsylvania’s Roman Catholic bishops have adopted a policy requiring boys on the wrestling teams of Catholic schools or youth organizations to forfeit matches against female opponents. Preserving safety and modesty are the reasons, said Joe Aponick, communications director for the Diocese of Harrisburg. The mandatory policy, first reported... Read more
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. This is what he said when host Chuck Todd asked him about detainees who were tortured and later turned out to be innocent: CHUCK TODD: Twenty-five percent of the detainees though, 25 percent turned out to be innocent. They were released. DICK CHENEY: Where are you going to draw the line, Chuck? How are — CHUCK TODD: Well, I’m asking you. DICK CHENEY: — you going to... Read more
Last week, the Senate Intelligence Committee released a redacted version of the 500+ page executive summary (in PDF) of its mammoth report on the CIA’s use of torture in the decade after 9/11. My colleagues Matt and Nathan have already responded to this report, but I want to add my own reaction and sketch what I see are some of its broader implications. But to do that, I want to be clear about what the report said and the moral... Read more
These were the words of Michael Hayden when he gave the commencement address at Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2012. I wrote a little something on this issue over here. A preview: When granting the honorary degree to Hayden, Fr. Terence Henry explained that, “This year’s commencement speakers have distinguished themselves by defending our shores, protecting the sacredness of human life, and shaping our form of worship as Catholics.” My concern is that Hayden was not concerned enough about protecting the... Read more
To all of our readers, I wish a most happy and blessed feast day of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, patronness of Mexico, patronness of the Americas. For today’s feast I offer Las Mananitas from the Basilica in Mexico City, recorded in 2011 and a beautiful prayer, in Spanish, roughly translated into English. (My Spanish is not great, if anyone spots an error, please let me know and I will correct.) Oracion a la Virgen de Guadalupe Oh Virgen de Guadalupe,... Read more
ON TUESDAY, SENATE DEMOCRATS RELEASED DETAILS of the torture program authorized at the highest levels of the Bush administration and perpetrated in the early years of last decade, in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Washington, D.C. and New York in September 2001. I downloaded the report from the Web and have not finished reading it — after a few pages, I felt sickened enough that I could not continue. I also felt very angry. It used to... Read more
It seems that Pope Emeritus Benedict has changed his mind, and wants to make it known that he is repudiating an argument he made forty years ago. Six years ago the Pope asked Gerhard Mueller, then Bishop of Regensberg, to oversee the publication of his collected theological works. Benedict was a prolific theologian, and his opera omnia are being published in German in a 16 volume set. (The first(?) volume of an English translation has been published by Ignatius Press.) ... Read more
In honor of this feast of our Blessed Mother, below is a prayer composed by Pope Francis and recited by him last year to mark the feast. I wish you all a happy and grace filled feast day. Holy and Immaculate Virgin, to You, who are the honor of our people and the solicitous custodian of our city, we turn with confidence and love. You are the All Beautiful, O Mary! Sin is not in You. Awaken in all of... Read more
Vox Nova is pleased to present a guest post by Jeannine M. Pitas. Her previous guest post on Oscar Romero can be found here. I stared out the bus window as the traffic inched forward and thick flakes of snow kept on falling. It was the third week of November – remember, that week when pretty much all of North America was engulfed in an early onset of winter cold? As our charter bus crossed the border from Sarnia, Ontario... Read more
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