By now, most Americans have noticed a disturbing trend: prices are going up. In some cases, way up. Last summer I built a treehouse for my kids, and I’m grateful that I did it before I needed to be Warren Buffet to afford a 2×4. And it’s not just lumber: used cars, groceries, housing (both … Read more
The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has. – Confucius Confucius was not a whiner, nor did he encourage or approve of a society built upon a false sense of entitlement, or the clinging to … Read more
It wasn’t long after I’d left South Vietnam for good—my year-long tour of duty having abruptly ended two weeks early, owing to growing enemy encirclement of the country—that the news broke that Saigon had finally fallen. This was in April of 1975, and by then America’s appetite for war had pretty much been exhausted. I … Read more
“Divisive” is a loaded word. Like the adjective “prejudiced,” calling someone “divisive” automatically puts him on the defensive. And so, being the first to call someone else “prejudiced” or “divisive” is to gain the upper hand in any argument. This has been happening lately with the issues of the Latin Mass and the COVID-19 vaccines. … Read more
[Editor’s Note: The below is an Open Letter from Dr. Douglas Farrow regarding proposed COVID-related mandates and passports specifically in Quebec, Canada, and the letter can serve as a model for other jurisdictions.] To the Minister of Health: I wish to record my opposition to coercive vaccine mandates and to vaccine passports. I offer for … Read more
“I just don’t think I’m ready to get married, have kids, and do all that. She and I are still learning to adult,” said a friend of mine the other day. He and his girlfriend have been together for several years, are both in their late 20s, and enjoyed steady employment. Although trivial and mundane, … Read more
The City of God is no ordinary work of Christian theology. It is one of the most influential works of Christian theology ever written. Reading St. Augustine’s work can be difficult—the size, alone, can be off-putting and burdensome. But reading Augustine is always a treat and insightful, especially when realizing wisdom and insight that enriches … Read more
The original title of this delightful comedy was Sir John Falstaff and the Merry Wives of Windsor. This is hugely significant because the play is largely a vehicle or an excuse for the lampooning of the character of Falstaff, who had made his first appearance in Henry IV, Part 1. In that play, Falstaff’s character … Read more
Mainstream corporate media have been all over a recent U.S. Census Bureau report noting that Americans identifying as white have declined in numbers for the first time on record, while the Hispanic and Asian populations experienced significant growth in the past decade. Though this has, of course, provoked many predictable commentaries on race in America … Read more
Tragic news from France informs us that a Rwandan man, Emmanuel Abayisenga, murdered Fr. Olivier Maire, 61, the French provincial superior of the Montfort Missionaries (the Company of Mary). Abayisenga is also the main suspect in an arson attack on the cathedral in Nantes, in northwestern France, in July 2020. The suspect had been under the … Read more
[Editor’s Note: This is the second of a 2-part series on vulnerable adults being abused by clergy, and the poor response from Church officials to that abuse.] In Part 1, we discussed how Steve Hayner was sexually abused by two priests in New York, which left him with deep, lifelong scars. In Part 2, we’ll … Read more
For twenty years we have been fighting a global war on terror without much to show for it. This lack of success stems from a deception at the heart of the war effort. The deception is to call it a war on terror when it is, in fact, a war on Islamic terror. For twenty … Read more
[Editor’s Note: This is the first of a 2-part series on vulnerable adults being abused by clergy, and the poor response from Church officials to that abuse.] There is a lot of sympathy for minors who have experienced sexual abuse by priests—due to the nature of consent, legally and culturally, it’s almost universally seen as … Read more
If one were to visit Kerala (the southernmost state of India, known for the early Christian community founded by St. Thomas the Apostle) and drive through the various towns and villages, one would find bold displays of Christianity amid a predominantly Hindu country. A Catholic parish is not hidden away in a town but exhibited … Read more
There exists in many Catholic circles a general obsession with the Second Vatican Council, one that pervades every single aspect of Catholic life. Whether liberal or conservative, progressive or traditionalist—all must somehow reckon with Vatican II. How we worship, what we believe, how to view the world—all of these things are, for the average practicing … Read more
The philosophy of materialism—the view that the physical world is the only thing that exists—pervades our era. Proponents of this philosophy often use the opinions of scientists to defend it. It isn’t surprising that some who devote their lives to the study of matter accept an idea that emphasizes its importance. However, the disregard for … Read more
If we believe, then we believe in the Lord’s permissive will as well as His active: evil is permitted on the grounds that it will give rise to greater good. This belief, though one of the most difficult in all theology, is also a comforting one as we take stock of crises, Traditionis Custodes being … Read more
It is now a commonplace among conservatives that Leftist beliefs such as Critical Race Theory, catastrophic anthropogenic global warming, the blessedness of abortion, and the necessity of COVID-19 lockdowns are substitute religions. What is not commonplace are the full implications of this assumption. By calling these Leftist beliefs religions, conservatives are implying that followers adhere … Read more
[Editor’s note: As Raymond Cardinal Burke continues his fight against COVID-19, his friends and admirers felt moved to put together this little symposium in his honor. We hope that it will inspire the faithful to continue praying fervently for his good health, both physical and spiritual. We also hope that it will hearten Cardinal Burke and … Read more
“A pretty face may be enough to catch a man, but it takes character and good nature to hold him.” – St. Thomas More To the dismay of many a crumpet-and-tea Englishman, earlier this summer British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was married in Westminster Cathedral, the seat of Catholicism in London. Johnson’s marriage to Carrie … Read more