Unfortunately, self-styled debunkers sometimes attack the Christmas Tree (erroneously) as a pagan intrusion. We Christians need not be swayed by such nonsense.
Christmas Bells – The Wrong Shall Fail, The Right Prevail: 10th Day of Christmas
As he himself struggles with profound sorrow in the midst of our most festive season, Longfellow juxtaposes the joyful ringing of bells in “The belfries of all Christendom” to the manifest lack of peace among men
Dressing for the Wedding Feast, or, Naked in the Garden
Might it not be a good idea to bring back the concept of our “Sunday Best” for Mass, and encourage our fellow believers to do the same?
Do Clothes Make the Man . . . or the Woman?
Ironically, in yoga pants Schneck introduces a perfect vehicle to illustrate the dynamic among market forces, morality, and personal choices. Sadly, he drops it as soon as he starts drawing close to his proper target.
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: 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?