Holy Family

The Holy Family and the Crisis of Our Family: 5th Day of Christmas

The trends that already looked alarming a century ago have now grown and metastasized. Our great grandparents would not believe by what is now commonplace. The family as traditionally understood is tottering under open and sustained attack.

We Came, We Saw . . . God Conquered

Sobieski’s force was called The Holy League, the same name borne by that alliance which defeated the Turks in the naval battle of Lepanto in the previous century. Like those earlier Christian soldiers, who prayed the Rosary before going into battle with the Turkish fleet, Sobieski’s army prayed . . .

On the Roster

On the Roster: Death and Hope

On the Roster "You're on the roster." Stop me if you’ve heard this one. There were two elderly men, Bill and Steve.  They were devout Catholics who also had a life-long love of the game of baseball.  They played together when they were young and coached their sons’ teams later in life.  In their old age they avidly … Continue reading On the Roster: Death and Hope

The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

The World, The Flesh, and The Devil Who wants to talk about the World, the Flesh, and the Devil? But, hey, It’s summertime! What better to enliven the indolent days of summer? Sorry to be a Gloomy Gus, but this is a topic that has been on my mind recently.   But please, stick with me, … Continue reading The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

The Power of Love: St. Julia of Corsica

The governor approached Julia directly, offering to free her if only she would sacrifice to the pagan gods.  She answered that she was “as free as she desired to be as long as she was allowed to serve Jesus Christ.” 

Truth is “a Thing” – St. Athanasius in the 21st Century

The Church is supposed to be a Sign of Contradiction (Luke 2:34). If all she offers in the face of sin is a Nod and a Wink, however, what is she teaching? How is any distinction possible between her teaching and what the Conventional Wisdom has on offer?  Do we not then give tacit assent?

How Star Trek Explains Faith

  Star Trek explains faith? How does it do that? Star Trek Explains       This isn't just an excuse to write about one of my favorite television franchises.  I have a serious point.  Really. My thesis here is that the TV show that promises to take us "where no man has gone before" can help us understand what faith … Continue reading How Star Trek Explains Faith

No Time to Despair

This Is No Time to Despair

 No Time to Despair      This is no time to despair. Lord knows, it's a temptation.  It's a great temptation. The last couple of years particularly have forced even the naive among us to face up to the corruption in our society.  Government institutions and private institutions alike (and very often, in concert) have abandoned their … Continue reading This Is No Time to Despair

A God of Both: Tough Love and Unconditional Love

Tough Love and Unconditional Love Then let us celebrate with a feast,because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;he was lost, and has been found.’ (Luke 15:23-24)  The Prodigal Son       Who hasn't heard, or at least heard of, Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son?  I've encountered people with no experience of … Continue reading A God of Both: Tough Love and Unconditional Love