Anna Deveare Smith is an extraordinary actress, teacher, woman. Katie and I had an opportunity to appreciate that last evening at a private command performance put on by a client of mine. I do not know whether the long-time performer on West Wing is a Catholic. But she taught me about being a Catholic, and challenged me to be a better one.Trained as an actress, Smith is a former winner of a MacArthur “Genius” Grant and is now a professor... Read more
In an endless quest to simplify blogging while staying true to the mission of this space—to proclaim the joy of being Catholic—here’s a new weekly feature: poems, not necessarily Catholic, that have inspired us in our spiritual journey. Father Giussani, founder of Communion and Liberation, was a great one for seeing the Mystery in artistic creation. So call this column a tribute to his insight. We’re moving into “mud time” here in New England, and I can’t think of a... Read more
Guest post by Allison Salerno Know any good, tasteful Catholic jokes? On Sunday, the fourth in Lent, our Church will celebrate Laetare Sunday, or Refreshment Sunday. Among the signs of joy you may see at your local parish this Sunday are: the use of flowers on the altar, and of the organ at Mass and Vespers. You will also see your priests robed in rose-colored vestments. One parish friend suggests we think of Laetare Sunday as “halftime for Lent,” a... Read more
One of the dreams my wife and I have is to go on a tour of the Holy Land. We want to make a pilgrimage there and see the sights and holy places where the greatest story ever told took place. That is a trip we are really looking forward to. There are many sites outside of the Holy Land to make a pilgrimage to as well. Lourdes, Fatima, and Guadalupe come to mind. So many places, so little time, and dare... Read more
Guest post by Allison Quick: Who said this about breastfeeding? “Mothers need time, information and support. So much is expected of women in many societies that time to devote to breast-feeding and early care is not always available.” The answer: Pope John Paul II. Most of us don’t expect a priest, much less a pope, to be weighing in on breastfeeding. But the late Pontiff made a compelling case in a 1995 address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and... Read more
I have a confession to make, a secret to make a Catholic blush. It’s not about what I watch or say or do, it’s about what I listen to. Sometimes! Just sometimes! When I’m out walking and I have Pandora Radio on my iPhone and have my ear buds plugged in, I listen to a wide variety of music. I have a station called Stile Antico Radio (mostly 16th-century polyphony, very Catholic). I have another called Folky Stuff (self-explanatory) and... Read more
Last week I asked EPG, an Anglican reader of this blog, to pose some questions for Catholics, to provide a forum for discussion. I gather that these questions represent reasons why he, and others, are not (yet) Catholic. His first question concerns what may be the biggest stumbling block: the role of Mary in Catholic worship. Listen carefully, answer respectfully. I will put in my two cents after citing his question verbatim: I have some concerns about the extent of... Read more
Guest Post by Allison One of our great joys as parents is to celebrate our sons’ milestones. Gabriel’s Confirmation is on the Feast of Pentecost in several weeks and we’ve been pondering how best to mark the occasion. My husband and I have been dismayed in recent years to see children of our acquaintance posting their confirmation cash haul as facebook status updates. We pray the 10 Confirmandi in our parish this year will find deeper meaning in the day.We are... Read more
How does a blog go from a black hole in cyberspace to 100,000 visitors in six and a half months? I’m scratching my head here. “Why I Am Catholic” started as one essay written August 17, 2009, in response to a friend who asked why I had converted. Three hundred eighty-two posts later (382), with the help of loyal copilot Frank Weathers and with ground support from guest poster Allison Salerno, this bird is flying.OK, we haven’t hit the stratosphere... Read more
Ladies and gentlemen, this is your co-pilot speaking. The weather is great from what we can see here in the cockpit, and we are cruising at 24,000 feet now. Your pilot Webster has asked me to kindly inform you that we have reached the half-way point of our Lenten journey. For dinner tonight, we will be serving penne pasta with smoked salmon and fresh peas along with freshly baked rolls. Just an hour and a half to wait, so hang in there!... Read more
Why I Am Catholic
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